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Flying to Europe.

Nueces River Rat

By Nueces River Rat
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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5610

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I'm talking about the UK, Spain, or Italy.  What's the best Airline to fly and why?  And screw the US carriers  who treat you like crap and feed you bird food unless any of you gals had a better experience.    I don't mind connections at any European hub either.    I don't have a date certain yet, but it will be summer travel.  

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Shaddie

Shaddie 1675

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So much depends on how you want to fly. Biz then AA. All lie flat aisle access. AA also has Premium economy on all flights. 

If regular economy look for Delta. Have heard they still have 3x3x3 in regular economy on their 777  

Also have some bad news for you. All airlines suck in economy. If economy, look for cheapest shortest flight because a “nicer Flight Attendent” doesn’t make shitty seat any better on 9-12 hr flight. 

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105789

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1 hour ago, Shaddie said:

So much depends on how you want to fly. Biz then AA. All lie flat aisle access. AA also has Premium economy on all flights. 

If regular economy look for Delta. Have heard they still have 3x3x3 in regular economy on their 777  

Also have some bad news for you. All airlines suck in economy. If economy, look for cheapest shortest flight because a “nicer Flight Attendent” doesn’t make shitty seat any better on 9-12 hr flight. 

This.  If you're going super-cheap (and I go super cheap), you're looking for precisely one quality -- is it over quickly?

Get me to Europe direct -- like a 9 hour flight -- and shit, I'll STAND the whole way if it's cheap enough.

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millhouse

millhouse 2710

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You sound poor, so you are probably flying economy and it really doesn't matter who you fly, it is going to be pretty meah. Given that you are flying from IAH, United is your domestic carrier and fuck that if you arnt in Polaris. 

Honestly, go with whatever is the lowest cost and do your best to make yourself comfortable on the flight. Get hammered, bring snacks, rub one out in the aft lav thinking about that flight attendant that touched our shoulder, whatever floats your boat. Think less about who is getting you there and more about what to do when you get there.

Edited by millhouse
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Telegraph_it

Telegraph_it 3374

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It has been over 5 years since I’ve booked any vacation related travel without miles. Airlines basically treat you like garbage unless you pay for business or spend 60k miles to fly in business. 

Out of IAH I recommend United to MUC before anything else. After that is AMS, LHR, or FRA. Lufthansa to FRA on A380 is another options with connections to anywhere else in Europe.

With the way leisure travel has progressed over the last few years I cannot image traveling international on a non mileage fare. Too many damn restrictions and too much $$$. 

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gmr548

gmr548 16647

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Transatlantic flights suck regardless of who yoy fly with because you're in an airplane for 10 hours from Texas. In my experience the European carriers to usually have marginally better food and stuff like that, but ultimately who gives a fuck? Get it over with as cheap and as quick as you can.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

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Longhornmaniac8

Longhornmaniac8 255

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The best overall product flying US to Europe is on Singapore Airlines in Suites. They fly once daily from JFK-FRA (SQ 25/26).

Absent that, the easiest product to find is Air France's La Premiere. Followed by Lufthansa First Class and then there's the rest.

If you're talking about Business, AA will have all-aisle access, all-lie flat on any of their widebodies, but I'd stick to the 787-9s (DFW-MAD, for example) or the 777s (advantage to the 777-300 (some DFW/LAX/JFK-LHR) but the refurbished -200s are nice, too.  The service is hit or miss, and the food won't be as good as some of the other high-end European carriers (AF, Lufty), but it's more than edible.

If you're talking about Premium Economy, I just got back from a Beijing trip on AA and flew Premium Economy over there and Business back. Business is, of course, better, but honestly, Premium Economy was more than comfortable for the 14 hours I was on the plane. On a 9 hour flight to Europe, I'd be plenty happy. If you imagine a domestic first class seat, it will be a bit nicer than that (e.g. footrest, more recline), but otherwise comparable. I can't comment on any of the other airlines' premium economy except BA's World Traveler Plus, which I'd rate as comparable. 

If you're talking about Economy, honestly, it doesn't really matter. Fly what's cheapest, but don't forget about bag fees, fees to select seats, etc. Those costs add up, and often work out to be more in total than if you'd just booked a full service carrier that provides free checked bags. I'd try and avoid any carrier that is 10-across on the 777 (3-4-3 config) or 9-across on the 787 (3-3-3). Delta is still 9-across on the 777, which makes them more or less the winner by default of the US airlines for the 777 flights. 

Note that with many of the US airlines, they'll let you pick an extra legroom seat for free at the gate, but you'd have to pay for it at any point before then (including at check-in). It's worth knowing which of those seats are unassigned when you head to the airport; it never hurts to ask once you get to the gate. Another thing to pay attention to is people getting upgraded at the gate; chances are, they had better seats than you did (assuming you didn't pay for them) because they get the extra legroom seats for free.

At the end of the day, unless you're trying to fly in a premium cabin and experience lounges and the like, just try to get there as cheaply and quickly as possible. You'll likely be happier on United nonstop to London than connecting through Atlanta to fly Delta just to avoid a 10-across 777. You're taking a 9 hour trip and making it 12-13.

All that said, Lufthansa has self-pour JW Blue and many other 18+ single malts in their first class lounge at JFK. That was fun.

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Thetexashammer

Thetexashammer 1062

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Flying direct beats the shit out of running full speed to a different terminal than you arrived at in Dulles at midnight hoping they hold the plane for you, the wife and the ten year old. I mean, it worked out, but still. Pretty sure the bags got there too. I mean, they don't get there when we're on time, so it only makes sense they get there when we're late. 

Edited by Thetexashammer
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Wiler77

Wiler77 1594

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9 hours ago, Telegraph_it said:

Airlines basically treat you like garbage unless you pay for business or spend 60k miles to fly in business. 

Out of IAH I recommend United to MUC before anything else. After that is AMS, LHR, or FRA. Lufthansa to FRA on A380 is another options with connections to anywhere else in Europe. 

 

8 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Transatlantic flights suck regardless of who yoy fly with because you're in an airplane for 10 hours from Texas. In my experience the European carriers to usually have marginally better food and stuff like that, but ultimately who gives a fuck? Get it over with as cheap and as quick as you can.

All of this.  Unless you're spending money on Business Class, Intl flights from Texas suck.  All airline food sucks, and even if Intl carriers are better, that's like being the tallest midget.

I'm 6-1, so Economy Plus has real benefits for me.  But then again I never have to buy it because I can upgrade for free.

My advice is eat something decent before you leave, take a couple of snacks, then eat something decent when you arrive.  Book whatever airline you can get an aisle seat, or possibly spring for Economy Plus if you need the legroom.

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5610

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8 hours ago, DaysOff said:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2018/12/22/discount-carrier-norwegian-air-faces-collapse-by-years-end/#ce0527b4e9bc

Well...  That pretty much rules them out.  

Reading the article and some of the reference links, it looks all these discount international carriers based in Europe expanded too fast without figuring out how they were going to pay for it in the short term, much less the long term.  

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Spankytoes

Spankytoes 1747

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On 12/22/2018 at 12:10 AM, Telegraph_it said:

It has been over 5 years since I’ve booked any vacation related travel without miles. Airlines basically treat you like garbage unless you pay for business or spend 60k miles to fly in business. 

Out of IAH I recommend United to MUC before anything else. After that is AMS, LHR, or FRA. Lufthansa to FRA on A380 is another options with connections to anywhere else in Europe.

With the way leisure travel has progressed over the last few years I cannot image traveling international on a non mileage fare. Too many damn restrictions and too much $$$. 

This is very true. Out of NYC, I can always get dirt cheap fares to go to places like London, which is a 6 hour flight. I’m happy to spend $250 - $300 for economy. But, if I’m not intenting to go to London, I use miles. I can literally decide the day of my flight that I want to go next week and change for free if there are award seats. Try doing that on a purchased fare and watch the fees rack up. Or, I can cancel and get my miles back for a nominal fee rather than purchasing a non-refundable ticket. Life has a way of screwing up the best laid plans sometimes, so I’ve done both. 

Regarding flying Economy, it’s fine. I used to fly AA to London or Lufthansa to Frankfurt from Dallas regularly before I built up my mileage warchest. If you really want to level up, buy an economy ticket and upgrade with miles to save yourself $5K. I fly a ton but am only Platinum with AA because I don’t fly international for work often, and when I do, it’s to Canada or the Caribbean. 

 

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CooterBrown

CooterBrown 18153

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Thanks for tips.  

I see Norwegen flies to London Gatwick from Bergstrom.   Anyone flown with them?  

Looking at their fares, they have some damn good deals between destinations in Europe.

 

Check cheapairfare.com. I picked up tickets on BA from Austin > Heathrow for $650 RT. Granted it’s for FEB travel but the cheapest ticket on the BA website for those flights was $1800.

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gecko

gecko 1104

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A couple of thoughts....

1.  Break up the trip a bit to limit the inflight agony.  Example, fly to Edinburgh or Dublin on UA via Newark.  No flight leg will be over 6 hrs .  Hop on the RyanAir cattle car once you make it to Europe.

2.  Fly UA's nonstop IAH-Munich.  Its a 767....if traveling with spouse, try and book the window aisle combo (767 is a 2-3-2 configuration).  One thing about Munich flight...try and go Tues-Wednesday and the coach cabin should be fairly open.  This could buy you some more room.

As stated above.....all airline food sucks.  Even UA's Polaris food is nothing to rave about.  Get the airport early and eat at one of the numerous restaurants around IAH.  Take an iPad and spring for the wifi (the transcon wifi is surprisingly good).

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midtown

midtown 3348

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On 12/21/2018 at 10:53 PM, Nueces River Rat said:

Probably IAH.

I guess I should add once in Europe I wouldn’t mind using what might be the version of the SWA or Jet Blue to get from one destination to another if a train isn’t available.

Lufthansa has a 380 that goes from IAH to Frankfurt...Pay up for their premium economy seat..its basically a business class seat, better menu etc..on the 380 and 747-8 its 2 4 2 

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