DD wants to book two separate tickets to fly to Spain?

[Ann.without.an.e]

As long as she gives herself a large window of time, this should be ok right?  It will be much cheaper for her to book one flight to NYC and then another flight to Spain.  If she books a flight straight from here to Spain, with the same connecting flight in NYC, it is twice the price.  I see no problems in this as long as she plans to arrive in NYC airport at least 4-5 hours early, gets her bag, and rechecks it?  I don't fly though so maybe I am not thinking through something?

[OneStepAtATime]

Well, she would have to leave the secure area to get her bag, then go back through security and recheck her bag, which is a pain, but doable. 

 

If the bag got lost on the first leg and did not turn up before she left on the second leg it might be infinitely more difficult to retrieve it since she would have to leave it behind to make the second leg.  I mention this because DH and I ran into a similar issue and did not get our bag until our trip was over.  It never caught up to us.  We had to spend limited resources trying to replace essential items and making do with whatever we had with us for the rest.  Thankfully our bag did finally turn up...as we were heading home.

 

Other than that I don't see huge issues as long as she really does leave quite a bit of time between those two flights.  But maybe someone else has more info and hopefully will post soon...

Edited March 16, 2018 by OneStepAtATime

[MEmama]

We've done it when flying overseas. It's worked out fine, but there are risks. If she's flying alone, it's relatively easy for a single flier to get placed on an alternate flight if need be, though. Much easier for one person to deal with flight delays, etc than an entire family, especially if she's flexible.

 

I highly recommend she fly with a carry on only. It makes travelling easier in all the ways.

[OneStepAtATime]

We've done it when flying overseas. It's worked out fine, but there are risks. If she's flying alone, it's relatively easy for a single flier to get placed on an alternate flight if need be, though. Much easier for one person to deal with flight delays, etc than an entire family, especially if she's flexible.

 

I highly recommend she fly with a carry on only. It makes travelling easier in all the ways.

Really good points. 

 

I wanted to stress the bolded.  If she can compartmentalize and go minimalist it really is infinitely easier just traveling with a carry on and a personal item.  That isn't always possible but it really would be easier and would reduce the risk of something going wrong.

 

I also strongly recommend carrying some paper cash/a credit card/ID/contact numbers (including country codes)/meds/glasses on her physical person, not in a purse, just in case the purse gets lost or stolen.  And with numbers I mean the full written number, not relying on contact info in a cell phone.  

Edited March 16, 2018 by OneStepAtATime

[regentrude]

I would do this but flying with carry on only. If the luggage gets lost on the first leg, they won't send it to Spain.

[Lanny]

For 2X the cost, I would look into this, however, I would be aware of what might possibly go wrong and it is imperative that your DD understands that if she misses her flight from NYC to Span it is her problem to resolve, not that of either airline to resolve. There is a possibility one of the airlines might help her, but there is no legal obligation for them to do that.

 

I would try to leave a minimum of six (6) hours, between the scheduled arrival of the first flight into NYC and the scheduled departure of the 2nd flight from NYC to Spain

 

If she was on a joint ticket, it would be the responsibility of the first airline to help her, if she misconnected in NYC.  With 2 separate tickets, the passenger is on their own if something goes awry.

 

I would contemplate buying some kind of Travel Insurance, in case things go awry and she needs to purchase another ticket, from NYC to Spain.

 

Note: Although I have a preferred routing, which is a flight that makes one enroute stop,  if my DD goes to Texas in June, I would consider doing this, 2 separate tickets, if there is a huge differential in the fare.

 

As someone else pointed out, if your DD can keep her passport, medicines, eyeglasses, etc., on her person, that would be nice. If not, she should keep them in a small carry on bag (probably a large Purse) that will fit under the seat in front of her. If she gets up to use the restroom, she should take that bag with her.

 

It is almost a given that she will need to retrieve her checked luggage when she arrives in NYC and then change terminals and that will take some time.

 

Any passenger checking baggage should know the 3 letter airport code for the airport they are checking baggage to. For example, JFK in NYC. For example, MAD for Madrid. Immediately after getting the bag tag, check to see that they have it going to the correct airport.... 

[Katy]

I would not only have her travel carry on only I would encourage her to get as long a layover as possible - 24 hours if she can handle the hotel cost or camping out in the airport. Nothing like a spring ice storm, yet another nor'easter, or some other disaster to mess with the flight schedules and make her wish she'd just paid twice as much for the ticket.

[OneStepAtATime]

Oh, and it might help to check reliability of flights.  Some specific flight times for specific airlines at specific airports are notoriously worse than others for arriving anywhere near on time.  Check track records.  It won't be a guarantee but if she sees that the first leg is almost always late then that tells her it would make more sense to move that flight to something getting in even earlier, hopefully with a flight that has a better track record.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I don't think we need to worry about weather.  It will be late mid May?  

 

Do you think it is possible to travel 6 weeks to Spain and then 6 weeks to Germany (back to back) with just a carry on?  Can a back pack count as her personal bag as well?  

 

Her flight will land at 9 am in NYC and her flight to Spain isn't until 4:10.

[stephanier.1765]

I don't think we need to worry about weather.  It will be late mid May?  

 

Do you think it is possible to travel 6 weeks to Spain and then 6 weeks to Germany (back to back) with just a carry on?  Can a back pack count as her personal bag as well?  

 

Her flight will land at 9 am in NYC and her flight to Spain isn't until 4:10.

 

Check Pinterest for websites like this for ideas for traveling with a carry on only.

[Amira]

Yes, she can do that with just a carry on. Carryon luggage holds a lot of stuff. Usually the personal item needs to fit under the seat in front of you, so a backpack can work if it’s not too big and if the flight attendants aren’t too picky. If she really doesn’t think the carryon will work, she could check a bag but make sure she can live without it in case something goes wrong. Luggage nearly always arrives so it’s not a very big risk. Or she can buy a few things to replace what doesn’t arrive/what doesn’t fit in the carryon with some of the money she’s saving on the tickets. I would think that length of a layover wouldn’t be a problem at all. I wouldn’t want one any longer.

[Katy]

She can make more items fit in her carry on if she rolls the clothing, Navy style.

[OneStepAtATime]

I don't think we need to worry about weather.  It will be late mid May?  

 

Do you think it is possible to travel 6 weeks to Spain and then 6 weeks to Germany (back to back) with just a carry on?  Can a back pack count as her personal bag as well?  

 

Her flight will land at 9 am in NYC and her flight to Spain isn't until 4:10.

Yes it is possible that weather can still be a factor.  Storms occur in May, too.  Doesn't have to be snow and ice.

 

As for 12 weeks traveling overseas with just a carry on and a personal item, that would be hard but not impossible.  How easy will access be to laundry facilities?  Does she need to have a lot of nice clothes with her or will casual clothes do?  Does she need to carry bulky items with her, such as sketch pads/musical instrument/text books, etc.?  There are many ways to compress and live minimally.  It just depends on her needs/comfort level.  

 

For instance, my best friend traveled all over South America for several weeks with only a small mesh backpack.  She kept two changes of clothing in materials that were easy to compress, plus one versatile jacket, her camera and cooking/eating utensils.  But she did not carry make-up or bulky items and was used to finding local resources.  She also did not plan to bring back physical souvenirs.  She just took pictures.

 

A normal size backpack would probably be too big to be considered a personal item.  Check with the airline for size/weight requirements for personal/carryon/checked items.  Different airlines have different criteria.

Edited March 16, 2018 by OneStepAtATime

[vonfirmath]

Yes, she can do that with just a carry on. Carryon luggage holds a lot of stuff. Usually the personal item needs to fit under the seat in front of you, so a backpack can work if it’s not too big and if the flight attendants aren’t too picky. If she really doesn’t think the carryon will work, she could check a bag but make sure she can live without it in case something goes wrong. Luggage nearly always arrives so it’s not a very big risk. Or she can buy a few things to replace what doesn’t arrive/what doesn’t fit in the carryon with some of the money she’s saving on the tickets. I would think that length of a layover wouldn’t be a problem at all. I wouldn’t want one any longer.

 

I have smushed a backpack under the seat ahead of me all the time (I prefer not to use my overhead compartment unless I -have- to so I often carry a waist pouch and a backpack on planes.)

[katilac]

If she halves the cost of flying, she can buy a few items as needed once there. Definitely check out the links on packing light. 

 

4-5 hours would not be enough for my comfort level for such an important flight. If she can't get an earlier flight, I'd go with a flight the previous day. At that age, I would probably have just planned on sleeping at the airport, but the savings might make it worthwhile to taxi to a hotel and back. 

[Bootsie]

Make sure that the flight going into New York is at the same airport as the flight leaving from New York.  

 

There may be different baggage allowances and rules for carry-on sizes for the two different flights.  If she is planning to check a bag, she will probably have to pay for that on the domestic flight (depending on airline); if she is booking through on the international flight, she would not have to pay to check that bag.  Some small things like that can add up and eat into cost savings of the two different flights.  So, you have to plan carefully to make sure that it will save you money.

[MEmama]

Honestly, the less a person packs the easier travelling is. I'm a super minimalist when I travel though; I know not everyone enjoys it but I take a weird pleasure in taking only the essentials.

 

Packing cubes make packing a small bag easier and more organized. I would recommend that she only take a backpack--who wants to fuss with a rolling suitcase in Europe? Unless she's only staying in one place, but even then I don't understand them.

 

She might have fun on Pinterest looking at ideas. :).

 

If she's planning on flying any budget airlines within Europe (Ryanair, etc), they have very strict requirements. If she flies over using those requirements, she'll never have to worry about extra fees.

[madteaparty]

Make sure it’s the same airport, there’s three major NYC area ones and neither is fun to get to from the others.

I second carryon. I’m doing carryon now with two kids for 8 weeks so it can be done. Though I’m in summer weather 😒

[Catwoman]

If you think she will need some things that won’t fit into her handbag or carry-on bag, can you mail them to her hotel? She can re-pack and mail the box back home when she’s ready to leave Spain.

[Lanny]

If you think she will need some things that won’t fit into her handbag or carry-on bag, can you mail them to her hotel? She can re-pack and mail the box back home when she’s ready to leave Spain.

 

I probably wouldn't mail anything.  If she was coming here, we have LOTS of stores where she could spend her money, on whatever she needed. I'm sure it is the same in Spain.

 

OP please note: It can be hotter than heck in certain places in Spain during the Summer months.  It's like if my DD goes to Texas in June. She will need to plan for HOT weather and dress as "the natives" dress.

[regentrude]

If you think she will need some things that won’t fit into her handbag or carry-on bag, can you mail them to her hotel? She can re-pack and mail the box back home when she’s ready to leave Spain.

 

then you might as well buy the more expensive ticket...

[Catwoman]

then you might as well buy the more expensive ticket...

Not necessarily. It would depend on what she wanted to mail.

[Lanny]

I think somewhere in this thread the OP indicated there is approximately 7 hours between the scheduled arrival in NYC and the scheduled departure from NYC.  If that is at the same airport that is probably fine.   If we have a connection, on the same airline, Domestic to International, I prefer approximately 3 hours. Things happen.  I was an airline employee when I was young, so am probably much more cautious because of that and I do not schedule "tight" connections for our family.   When I see people with one hour connections, I think they are really pushing their luck, but probably most of the time, most of the people with a one hour connection make it OK to their next flight.

 

I think on FlightAware or FlightStats or web sites like those, you can get a "Feel" for recent performance of a particular flight on a particular route. 

 

I prefer to fly on an airline with a large (and hopefully young) fleet. If that's the case and they need to pull an aircraft from service, there's a possibility they have a "Spare" aircraft they can use to replace   a sick aircraft.  If one goes with an airline with just a few aircraft and something goes wrong, probably it will go very wrong and very quickly.

[katilac]

Not necessarily. It would depend on what she wanted to mail.

 

It's often crazy expensive to mail packages internationally. 

 

From my zip code to Spain, it would be $50 on up for a 4-pound package less than 12" in any dimension. A large flat rate Priority box is $90, and that's only 12"x12"x5.5". Non-Priority packages larger than 12" will only bring you grief. 

 

I discovered the insanity of international shipping when I used to sell a lot of books on Amazon  :laugh:

[eternalsummer]

International package shipping has gone up enormously.

 

up to 8oz to Spain (that's half a pound, really tiny) is $13, approx.

 

OP, we did this when we moved to NZ.  We had one set of flight(s) to LA, then another set from LA to Christchurch.  Unfortunately, we had a delay in one of the domestic flights, which made us miss the connection for the second domestic flight, so we got in about 6 hours late to LA and missed the NZ flight by about 10 minutes.  Luckily some other travellers had a similar issue (2 Australians and 2 Kiwis), but they had booked their flights altogether.  The ticketing people tried to get out of putting them up for the night and putting them on the next plane, but they argued them into it (fairly, as it was the same airline's delay that had caused them to miss the NZ flight).  Somehow the ticketing people for the NZ flight assumed we were in the same situation as the Australians and Kiwis - we sort of hung around with them while they argued - and so they gave us the next day's flight and hotel vouchers too, otherwise we would have been SOL.

 

The domestic flights were through the southwest, though during winter, so we thought the weather was likely to be fine.  It wasn't.

 

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is, maybe she might consider flying into NYC one day, staying overnight, then flying to Spain the next day.  It would give her a bit more buffer.

[Lanny]

OP in post #25 you read the story of someone whose family saved thousands of dollars, because someone at the 2nd airline made a mistake and took care of them.   There was no legal obligation for the 2nd airline to do that.  Many airline tickets today are non-refundable. Use it or lose it. They are not automatically valid on some flight in the future if you miss your flight for some reason.  They may have NO value, if you miss your flight. Best to assume that theywill have no value, if you miss your flight... There is a risk and that is why I suggest looking into Travel Insurance, but I'm not positive that would cover your DD if she missed her 2nd flight and then found that her ticket for the International segment was worthless and she had to purchase a new International ticket at the counter, at the last minute, which would probably be much more expensive than the ticket she had originally purchased. 

[katilac]

This is study abroad, correct? 

 

I'd ask the organizers whether other people have ever done this successfully. If they have a forum, I'd post the question on there as well.  

 

Lanny has a good point about making sure what kind of tickets you have as far as being refundable or exchangeable. 

[Pam in CT]

I would do this (have done this) with carry-on only.

 

I would NOT do this with checked bags.

 

 

Spain in summer is pretty hot; she won't need boots and sweaters and bulk.  There are no toiletries or personal items that are not easily available in Spain. If she gets a good overhead bin roller suitcase and a good backpack that'll fit under the seat (into which she can jam a small purse, to meet the 1 personal/1 suitcase limitation), thinks through what she takes (figure out the shoes first! Wear one bulky pair, take one flat pair, leave all the rest behind), and packs well, she can definitely manage with carry-on only.  

[Corraleno]

Agreeing with others that I would only do this with carry-on, not checked bags. If her checked bag didn't make it to NY on time, not only would she be stuck without it the whole time she was in Europe, she would have no way of retrieving it in NY when it eventually arrived.

 

I'd take a good lightweight roll-on (check the maximum size allowed), tightly packed using compressible packing cubes, plus a small backpack that fits under the seat. If she has a jacket with lots of pockets she can put essentials in her pockets and just stick her near-empty purse inside one of the other bags. If she needs just a little more carrying space than that, a common trick is to get a plastic bag from Barnes & Noble (or some other store that would be common in airports) and put a few things in there like books/notebooks/kindle, an extra sweater, snacks, etc. Lots of people buy stuff at airports for the trip and airlines never count those bags as extra "personal items."

[vmsurbat]

I don't think we need to worry about weather.  It will be late mid May?  

 

Do you think it is possible to travel 6 weeks to Spain and then 6 weeks to Germany (back to back) with just a carry on?  Can a back pack count as her personal bag as well?  

 

Her flight will land at 9 am in NYC and her flight to Spain isn't until 4:10.

 

Weather is always a concern when flying.  All it takes is a thunderstorm over a major hub to cause rippling delays.  

 

Case in point:  I needed to fly from NYC to Chicago in August.  Our weather was beautiful.  Chicago had a two hour thunderstorm right over the airport which means planes flying in and out had even longer delays.  I waited in NY airport 7 hours before the plane even arrived.  And, then, when it did, turns out that the flight crew would tick past maximum allowed working hours before our flight was finished, so no crew and therefore no flight.  Finally, at around midnight, our flight was cancelled.  Before that, it was merely delayed....  No idea how flight insurance works when a flight is delayed....  

[madteaparty]

Like I said, with one pairs of flats packed, I am doing 8 weeks on a backpack. If anything, I packed too many clothes as I end up wearing the same 5 things and do laundry weekly. Little summer dresses take no space at all. I wore the bulkiest items on the plane (sweatshirt/maxi jersey skirt etc). I also have my makeup and toiletries for the sun and mosquitos. Thin cardis the same.

It would be tricky if I had to pack a pair of heels, or books. All the books have gone into one (also carryon) suitcase.

Edited March 17, 2018 by madteaparty

[SparklyUnicorn]

This is usually how we do it, but it's all done through the same airline.  If that is the case they can usually coordinate transferring luggage and in the event one flight is late, they'll book another. 

 

We don't just do carry on only.  Never ever in 20 something years have I had an issue with that.  I can't manage to fit all I need in a carry on.  Especially now that some airlines get extra nasty about the size and or weight of the carry on.

 

 

[Joules]

Thank you for posting this. Ds is looking at a trip to Barcelona in May and I’ve noticed the same huge difference in airfares if we book from ATL to JFK separate. The comments here are very helpful!

[J-rap]

To answer the original question, I'd do it, especially if it saves you 50% of the cost.  Our family does this all the time.  We usually check our luggage too.  Just make sure it's at the same airport and the layover is long enough.  (I like to allow at least 5 or 6 hours for a layover on an international flight when I'm switching airlines.  It all depends on the airport, time of year, etc.)  

 

Sure, it's a little more complicated and you can't just relax on your layover, but really, the risk of a problem is very minimal.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

How much is 50%?  (rhetorical question).  If it's $200, I'd rather just pay for the convenience and peace of mind.  If it's $1000... then it might be worth it to do the NY airport run-around.  As others have mentioned, you become fully responsible at that point for booking your flights correctly (no typos on the date!!!), making your connection, and keeping track of bags.  

 

If she has access to laundry and/or has outdoorsy type clothes which hand wash really well and dry in a half hour, she can easily travel with carryon only.  I would only bring walking shoes (on her feet, in plane) and a pair of sturdy sandals.  She can also wear a 3 season waterproof jacket on the plane, as well as a base layer like a fleece vest.  

 

 

[Alessandra]

Ds fits an amazing amount in his carry on by using a packing system. I got Eagle Creek compression folder like this, plus other packing accessories.

 

https://www.containerstore.com/s/travel/clothing-accessories-organizers/eagle-creek-translucent-specter-pack-it-folders/12d?productId=10034980

 

I was happy buying at Contsiner Store, because I brought home a lot of stuff. We could see what fit and return the rest without hassle of packing and shipping.

[Joules]

How much is 50%?  (rhetorical question).  If it's $200, I'd rather just pay for the convenience and peace of mind.  If it's $1000... then it might be worth it to do the NY airport run-around.  As others have mentioned, you become fully responsible at that point for booking your flights correctly (no typos on the date!!!), making your connection, and keeping track of bags.  

 

If she has access to laundry and/or has outdoorsy type clothes which hand wash really well and dry in a half hour, she can easily travel with carryon only.  I would only bring walking shoes (on her feet, in plane) and a pair of sturdy sandals.  She can also wear a 3 season waterproof jacket on the plane, as well as a base layer like a fleece vest.  

 

For us, I'm finding the cheapest fare on Delta to be $1188 (ATL-BCN) and if we fly through JFK with two round trip tickets (ATL-JFK then JFK-BCN), the cheapest combined cost is $639.  We've got to get exact dates to see if we could make these cheapest rates work.  I will say in our case that $1188 flight is non-stop, so this will add a good bit of time to our trip.

 

On the other hand, neither ds nor I have ever seen NYC so it may be cool.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Joules

[Lanny]

@Joules  Post #35     For that price differential, and for 2 passengers, I would do it ONLY IF you can go to NYC a couple of days before your flight from   NYC to Spain.  Spend some of the price differential on a quick glimpse of The Big Apple...  On the way back if you get screwed up, it is not a big problem, but on the way over, it could be a gigantic problem.  So, take some of the $ you save by buying 2 completely different tickets, which makes it 2 completely different trips, and spend 2 or 3 nights in NYC before you go to Spain. 

 

I would do the 2 separate tickets for DD, if there is a ~500 USD differential if she goes to Texas during June. 

 

ETA:   Also, I would suggest that you look at splitting up the airlines, and return on a different airline,  if there is a big price differential, as long as you are happy with a less expensive airline and whatever baggage and other fees that might entail.

 

The most desirable flight will fill up first. That's the Nonstop you mentioned. That will entail the highest fare, unless you are incredibly lucky and there is a last minute fare war and they have a lot of seats that are not sold.

 

The most desirable flight for DD to go to Texas, on the day I think she would travel, is apparently sold out now and it is approximately 90 days before that date. We are not sure that she will be going, so I am just watching the fares increase as it gets closer to departure...

Edited March 18, 2018 by Lanny

[Bootsie]

For us, I'm finding the cheapest fare on Delta to be $1188 (ATL-BCN) and if we fly through JFK with two round trip tickets (ATL-JFK then JFK-BCN), the cheapest combined cost is $639.  We've got to get exact dates to see if we could make these cheapest rates work.  I will say in our case that $1188 flight is non-stop, so this will add a good bit of time to our trip.

 

On the other hand, neither ds nor I have ever seen NYC so it may be cool.

If it is the difference in a direct flight from ATL to your destination and a lengthy layover at JFK, I would choose the direct flight.  

 

I would rather go through customs on the return flight in ATL than have to go through that at JFK and then get another flight to ATL.

 

I have had a 12 hour layover at JFK before an international flight and did go into Manhattan, but that was because I was meeting some colleagues for a business meeting.  I knew where I was going and had a car arranged to meet me.  You would not want to go into the city with carry-on bags for several hours.  

[Lanny]

OP and other posters and anyone reading this.  Try not to get too creative with your desire to save money.  I am watching the fare for a trip DD may take in approximately 90 days go up, and we can't book now because we are not sure if she will be accepted to the camp and exactly when she will need to be there, if she is one of those selected.

 

When I was young, I was an airline employee for 5 years and then worked for a Travel Agency for one year. So, I am in the truly skeptical group with regard to airline fares that are much lower than others... 

 

Tonight I was searching and ran into SmartFares.  Interesting, because one of their routings from Cali to Houston involved going, via Business Class, to Lima, Peru and then up to Houston.    Lima is way to our South. Probably 3  hours in a nonstop jet.  That was the lowest fare they showed for that route on the day I am searching for.

 

Then, I searched for Reviews about SmartFares.  On this BBB web page, they have an A+ rating, but the Reviews I read, that were submitted in 2018, were all extremely Negative. The same for Reviews I read on TripAdvisor.com

 

https://www.bbb.org/sdoc/business-reviews/travel-agency/smartfares-in-san-diego-ca-172001653/reviews-and-complaints

 

So, I suggest that you either book directly on the web site of the airline(s) involved, or, on the web site of a reputable OTA (Online Travel Agency) such as Expedia.

[Ann.without.an.e]

OP and other posters and anyone reading this.  Try not to get too creative with your desire to save money.  I am watching the fare for a trip DD may take in approximately 90 days go up, and we can't book now because we are not sure if she will be accepted to the camp and exactly when she will need to be there, if she is one of those selected.

 

When I was young, I was an airline employee for 5 years and then worked for a Travel Agency for one year. So, I am in the truly skeptical group with regard to airline fares that are much lower than others... 

 

Tonight I was searching and ran into SmartFares.  Interesting, because one of their routings from Cali to Houston involved going, via Business Class, to Lima, Peru and then up to Houston.    Lima is way to our South. Probably 3  hours in a nonstop jet.  That was the lowest fare they showed for that route on the day I am searching for.

 

Then, I searched for Reviews about SmartFares.  On this BBB web page, they have an A+ rating, but the Reviews I read, that were submitted in 2018, were all extremely Negative. The same for Reviews I read on TripAdvisor.com

 

https://www.bbb.org/sdoc/business-reviews/travel-agency/smartfares-in-san-diego-ca-172001653/reviews-and-complaints

 

So, I suggest that you either book directly on the web site of the airline(s) involved, or, on the web site of a reputable OTA (Online Travel Agency) such as Expedia.

 

 

Many of her friends have used Student Universe.  They have the same flights and about the same prices as Expedia.  She is just such a penny pincher.  She has a flight booked to NYC with 9 hours if I remember correctly?) until her flight to Spain.  I told her it was a risk.  This is the kid who would go hungry before spending money on food.  She is ridiculously tight.  She has a $1900 allotment for the ticket given to her by her scholarship.  But she wants to save every penny of it she can and go with a cheaper flight.  I warned her that if she got in a pinch and had to rebook a different flight in NYC, she could be looking at a 3,000 ticket.  

Edited March 19, 2018 by Attolia

[Ann.without.an.e]

I want to add, it isn't just about the money.  She knew the flight she wanted.  It is a 15 hour flight when most of others are 25-35 with tons of stops.  She was eyeing this flight forever and then the option to book it from Charlotte disappeared.  The only other flights with this short of a flight time are 2-3,000.  If she flies to NYC, she can still get the flight she wants for $460.

[Lanny]

Hopefully her trip will go perfectly.   I will check out StudentUniverse... I was floored last night that SmartFares has a BBB A+ rating. I think   *all* of the Reviews people wrote on the BBB web site about SmartFares are Negative and all complain about the same Bait and Switch. 

 

The trip I hope my DD will take to Texas, in mid-June, there are 3 possible airports. One of them is the small destination city.  That's the most expensive.  Houston is another possibility. Austin is the other one.  It is out of the way, but one of the routings goes up to Washington Dulles airport (Chantilly VA) to go to Austin. This morning, that's the least expensive for getting my DD near to her destination.  The spread is about 350 dollars as I recall and that's for a one way ticket. That's on Expedia and airlines I would be happy to have my DD fly with. 

 

If your DD confines her stuff to what she can Carry On, especially on the flight to NYC, she will probably be just fine.  Checked luggage could be difficult, if things go awry.  Weather shouldn't be an issue, unless the origin or destination airport airport in NYC is clobbered by a severe thunderstorm when her flight is scheduled to depart or arrive.

[Ann.without.an.e]

 

 

If your DD confines her stuff to what she can Carry On, especially on the flight to NYC, she will probably be just fine.  Checked luggage could be difficult, if things go awry.  Weather shouldn't be an issue, unless the origin or destination airport airport in NYC is clobbered by a severe thunderstorm when her flight is scheduled to depart or arrive.

 

 

She's hoping she can do it with a small backpack (as her personal bag) and a carry on.  She wants to browse pinterest for ideas.  I am so hopeful this doesn't end up bad for her.  It ended up leading to an interesting conversation about adult life and the balance between risk and cost (insurance companies, etc).  These calls aren't always easy to make.

[Alessandra]

She's hoping she can do it with a small backpack (as her personal bag) and a carry on. She wants to browse pinterest for ideas. I am so hopeful this doesn't end up bad for her. It ended up leading to an interesting conversation about adult life and the balance between risk and cost (insurance companies, etc). These calls aren't always easy to make.

One idea -- Ds has a top loading pack that squashes down when not full. For going through the gate, he can remove a sweater and/or coat from it, put on the article of clothing, squash down the pack to make it smaller, and then restuff the pack once he has boarded. Hay way, the pack doesn't count as a carry on.

[Lanny]

Many of her friends have used Student Universe.  They have the same flights and about the same prices as Expedia.  She is just such a penny pincher.  She has a flight booked to NYC with 9 hours if I remember correctly?) until her flight to Spain.  I told her it was a risk.  This is the kid who would go hungry before spending money on food.  She is ridiculously tight.  She has a $1900 allotment for the ticket given to her by her scholarship.  But she wants to save every penny of it she can and go with a cheaper flight.  I warned her that if she got in a pinch and had to rebook a different flight in NYC, she could be looking at a 3,000 ticket.  

 

I just looked on StudentUniverse for the mid June date to Texas for my DD.  They have a much better routing to Austin than what I found on Expedia earlier this morning.  On Expedia, my DD would need to go all the way up to Washington DC (IAD) and then down to Austin.  On Student Universe, they have a fare that goes on a nonstop from Bogota to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Much more direct and approximately the same fare. DD is a High School student so I am going to send an email to StudentUniverse and ask them if she is eligible to buy from them. Thanks!

[Lanny]

She's hoping she can do it with a small backpack (as her personal bag) and a carry on.  She wants to browse pinterest for ideas.  I am so hopeful this doesn't end up bad for her.  It ended up leading to an interesting conversation about adult life and the balance between risk and cost (insurance companies, etc).  These calls aren't always easy to make.

 

She will need to check out the baggage rules for each of the airlines involved, for the routes she is taking.  One airline may charge for Carry On. One airline may permit free checked luggage. It depends on the route and the airline and the fare basis.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I just looked on StudentUniverse for the mid June date to Texas for my DD.  They have a much better routing to Austin than what I found on Expedia earlier this morning.  On Expedia, my DD would need to go all the way up to Washington DC (IAD) and then down to Austin.  On Student Universe, they have a fare that goes on a nonstop from Bogota to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Much more direct and approximately the same fare. DD is a High School student so I am going to send an email to StudentUniverse and ask them if she is eligible to buy from them. Thanks!

 

 

 

DD is flying from US - Spain - Southern Germany - Berlin - US this summer.  We got an incredible deal on the flight from Berlin back to the States.  A high rated flight with only 1 short stop in Chicago.  The flight was 2500 on Expedia but she booked in on Student universe for only $600. I know you have to be a student but I would think that a high school student would count?  Definitely worth asking.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Attolia

[Alessandra]

Attolia

 

I just saw this article about services that let you check your luggage in major cities, so that you can go sightseeing hands free.

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/travel/getaway-luggage-storage.html?recid=1240kuNzpLaUKhGJDYZwXUhjEIF&sl_rec=personalized_weighted&contentCollection=smarter-living&mData=articles%255B%255D%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2018%252F03%252F19%252Fsmarter-living%252F4-easy-ways-to-cut-down-your-sugar-intake.html%253Frecid%253D1240kuNzpLaUKhGJDYZwXUhjEIF%2526sl_l%253D1%2526sl_rec%253Dpersonalized_weighted%26articles%255B%255D%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2018%252F03%252F02%252Ftravel%252Fgetaway-luggage-storage.html%253Frecid%253D1240kuNzpLaUKhGJDYZwXUhjEIF%2526sl_rec%253Dpersonalized_weighted&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=smarterLiving-promo-region&region=smarterLiving-promo-region&WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region

[Joules]

We booked last night.  With the upgrade to Main Cabin (so we could pick seats) it was a little less than $800 for the two round trip tickets.  The price would have been $1400 direct.  We'll use that extra money for a couple of nights and some good meals in NYC! 

 

ETA: We are all three going, so we won't really use it all in NYC!  But the difference made it where I can actually go along too!

Edited March 20, 2018 by Joules