Give me your opinion about these flight options.

[Colleen]

So I'm looking into flights to CH in September. I may or may not fly over later (or come back earlier) in order to have that alone time I'm craving, but let's set that possibility on the back burner for a moment. Let's assume we're all going over and back on the same dates. It's silly of me, I know, but I lean toward flying all together, I guess because some of my boys are still fairly young. That protective mother factor kicks in when I think about dividing up into two groups. So one option is to all take the same flights.

 

Second option is for two of us (one parent and one child, obviously) to use frequent flyer miles and fly the same dates, but on a different airline. It would require more juggling logistically (one group would fly out early morning, the other two late in the day, for example) but it would save a not inconsiderable amount of money. On the other hand, the miles that aren't used now can be used later. I am hoping we can take another American history trip back East next year; last time I did that with the older boys, the frequent flyer miles came in handy.

 

What would you do?

[Amy loves Bud]

Absolutely fly together. We have a crazy amount of miles leftover from Bud's weekly east coast-west coast commute. But I would rather be altogether. Particularly for an international flight and particularly if you know the miles won't go to waste.

 

P.S. It seems to me that your big guy is big enough to help manage things on a flight without you so that you could have that alone time. That's my real and final vote. ;)

[Mrs Mungo]

I would fly together and save the miles for the future.

[In The Great White North]

I just got back from CH and discovered one more thing to check on flights: the airplane. We flew from Amsterdam to Hartford on a 727 - three seats on each side of the single aisle and overhead movie screens in the middle, broken headset, pocket falling off the back of the seat, overhead compartments that didn't want to open. I think it was older than I am. I didn't even know they flew those planes overseas anymore. It was like expecting a tour bus and having a school bus show up. There was no warning when we bought the ticket and it cost just as much as usual.

 

If your dc are younger, ask about the plane so you get the individual screens and computer games. In fact, see if you can get a European code-share that isn't doing so much cost-cutting. (This was a Northwest airplane.)

 

Given a choice, I would pay now and save the miles, if it meant a bigger, newer airplane.

[Brindee]

I don't know what CH is, but it looks like it's overseas. In that case, I would also save miles and fly together. We always fly together, even though my kids are older now, when we go places, and try to work out alone time in other ways.

[3lilreds in NC]

I don't know what CH is, but it looks like it's overseas. In that case, I would also save miles and fly together. We always fly together, even though my kids are older now, when we go places, and try to work out alone time in other ways.

 

It's Switzerland, I think.

 

I vote for flying together. I don't have as many travelers when I go as you do, Colleen, but I would stay together. I can't picture traveling separately with all the other stresses that travel brings. Bleah.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I would say option one as well. All going together. The momma bear in me needs to be with my kids for something like that even though I might need time alone.

[Colleen]

Nothing worse than asking for opinions and getting a split decision.;) I'm going to stick together, as you all said. It's already a hassle flying out of Seattle (Vancouver is much more convenient for us); splitting up into two groups will only add to the headache. Plus it looks like we'll be going through Heathrow's dreaded, new Terminal 5 (notorious thus far for losing baggage)and I'd do well to try and minimize the chance of error. I appreciate your replies.

 

(Brindee, yes, CH is Switzerland, as lili3reds said. Sorry I wasn't very clear!)