Alitalia777 From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 487 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 7 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 5183 times:
Hey everyone,
So I've been living in Germany for 1.5 months now and I'm loving it!! I have decided however that I do want to spend Christmas at home with my family. I've been on the prowl for the cheapest flights, and no matter what I'm going to be spending somewhere between 650-750 euros. Although I would love to fly Lufthansa, Swiss or Emirates so I would get miles with United, none of those are the cheapest option right now. The cheapest so far seems to be either Air France or KLM. I haven't flown either, so I guess both would be interesting. Can anyone recommend one over the other? I don't know the AF aircraft, but KLM is either a Fokker 70 from STR-AMS and then a 747M to ORD, or an A330 to ATL. How is it connecting in either AMS and CDG? Should I just wait a week or so in hopes that something else will be the new cheapest option, should I spend a little bit extra to take US Air so that I get my miles, or should I book with either AF or KLM? Also, how is Swiss? Are they were splurging for? I know there are a ton of questions here, but thanks for providing me with your insight!!!
AlexPorter From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (5 years 7 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 5182 times:
AF and KL have rather similar service standards, although AMS is a much nicer place to connect in than CDG. Have you looked into Singapore Airlines non-stop from Frankfurt to JFK? That is probably the best option overall across the Atlantic, but it may be expensive. If you are just choosing between KLM and Air France, I'd go with KLM to avoid CDG.
They get their job done, but allow 1.5 hours at CDG and 1+ hour at AMS for the connection. Of the two, AMS is the better airport to connect.
At CDG you will have to change concourses (using a bus on airside or by foot landside). In AMS you will do quite some walking, but you stay airside in one building (but a new security check cannot be avoided).
Quoting Alitalia777 (Thread starter): KLM is either a Fokker 70 from STR-AMS and then a 747M to ORD, or an A330 to ATL.
Seating is 10-abreast on the B74M (resp. 5-abreast in the first rows of Y) - no PTV; 8-abreast on the A332 with PTV.
Of the two, I would perfer A332 to ATL a) for the a/c and b) for the airport.
ORD and ATl are quite some distance from eachother - and with other people suggesting flights into JFK, it might be useful to have a clue where you are heading for. Makes no sense to save a couple of bucks on the Transatlantic flight when you get stranded at some U.S.-airport without proper onward travelling options.
Quoting Alitalia777 (Thread starter): Should I just wait a week or so in hopes that something else will be the new cheapest option
That would mean that fares at AF and KL have gone up ...
Have you considered to fly LT ? www.ltu.com
Quoting Alitalia777 (Thread starter): should I spend a little bit extra to take US Air so that I get my miles,
Yes, if US will fly you closer to your final destination this might be worth the extra $$$ alone.
Have flown them only in C longhaul sofar, but found this single (!) experience slightly below LH's standard. This includes the C-class seat on HB-JMG which is no match of LH's C-class seat.
Apart from that, they are reliable and don't let my comment scare you away from them.
Connecting in ZRH, you will have to change terminals; this will include a new security check in each direction.
-HT
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !
StefanPAD From Germany, joined Dec 2005, 282 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 years 7 months 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 5054 times:
Hi Alitalia777!
I heard a lot of nightmares about CDG, but I can't agree. Last year I flew AF HAJ-CDG-JFK and back. After reading some TRs here I decided to avoid connection troubles and chose a 4 hours instead of an 1 hour layover at CDG.
The result was, that we changed gates and passed security in less than 30 minutes both times. My only problem was a bored friend, who was annoyed, that I didn't chose the faster connection
The service on AF was fair, but nothing special and not that good as LH, but much cheaper. The only highlight was to fly on the upper deck on the 744 on the CDG-JFK leg. AF uses the upper deck for economy class.
Nevertheless AMS is an interesting airport, too, and for sure not a bad choice.
SandroZRH From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3382 posts, RR: 51 Reply 7, posted (5 years 7 months 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 5040 times:
Quoting HT (Reply 4): Have flown them only in C longhaul sofar, but found this single (!) experience slightly below LH's standard. This includes the C-class seat on HB-JMG which is no match of LH's C-class seat.
If he's going to JFK, chances are high that he'll end up on an A343. The A343s are well on par with LH and i find economy to be above LH standards, just alone for the PTVs.
Personally, I'd go KL via AMS. AMS is very convenient to connect through and backtracking to anything further south than MUC isn't worth it for a relatively short longhaul flight.
747fan From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 1165 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (5 years 7 months 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5008 times:
Quoting AlexPorter (Reply 1): Have you looked into Singapore Airlines non-stop from Frankfurt to JFK?
Yes, that would probably be the best option in terms of the onboard experience during the flight. But think about the airport you'll end up at: JFK. Actually, you'd probably have a decent experience arriving there as Terminal 4 is nice and the airport isn't too bad on the arriving end. But onward connections from JFK are quite limited since you aren't flying on DL or SkyTeam; you'd have to interline over to DL or maybe AA. The worst part about JFK, however, would be the outbound leg back to FRA. Unless you don't care about sitting in line out on the tarmac for over an hour, DO NOT fly out of JFK.
Alitalia777 From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 487 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (5 years 7 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 4996 times:
Hey everyone,
New question: US Airways STR-FRA-PHL on an A330-300, or KLM STR-AMS-ORD on a 747M (I think it's the M)? I do earn miles with Star Alliance, so that makes US appealing, as does the A330, but I have never been a huge fan of US and it might be kind of fun to fly with KLM. Thanks!! Oh yeah, prices are very comparable.
HT From Germany, joined May 2005, 6471 posts, RR: 27 Reply 10, posted (5 years 7 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4989 times:
Quoting Alitalia777 (Reply 9): US Airways STR-FRA-PHL on an A330-300, or KLM STR-AMS-ORD on a 747M
The US A333 has PTV and power outlets in Y; the KL B74M has only overhead TV.
Via AMS you would have to fly out of STR at 0620h and then have 2.5 hours to spend at AMS. LH-flight to FRA is considerably later in the morning, which I would prefer.
I have no experience with US longhaul nor with PHL, but that US-connection would be my preference by a small margin of the two offered options.
-HT
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !
Dimoko From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 307 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (5 years 7 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 4984 times:
i traveled from HAJ-FRA-IAD-CLE last month on UA. the food and service was ok, but even with the PTV, it is all looping videos, and they had some system problems with it, and had to restart a few times.
they do have gate to gate xm radio tho, which is very very nice.
I really enjoyed those flights. it was an A330, and they had AVOD, and detroit is a great airport to connect in, way better than IAD for your destination in the states.
hope this info helps, and the KLM you are talking about, may be a codeshare with NW
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -- Douglas Adams
Evan767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 2957 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (5 years 7 months 4 days ago) and read 4945 times:
Quoting Tennis69 (Reply 12):
Change your allegiance to Skyteam and you will have lots more options.
Skyteam is extremely strong in Europe with Delta (most destinations in Europe for a U.S. carrier), Continental (a close second to Delta, and flies to other diverse cites), Air France, and Northwest/KLM.
If you're in Asia or Australia your best bet is Star.
Africa is skyteam.
South America is dominated by neither. (OneWorld)
The proper term is "on final" not "on finals" bud...
Burnsie28 From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 7411 posts, RR: 9 Reply 16, posted (5 years 7 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 4906 times:
NW's A333's are amazing. KL's should just about be the same, so I would say give NW/KL your business.
"Some People Just Know How To Fly"- Best slogan ever, RIP NW 1926-2009
I've flown a KL 777 and a NW A333. IFE wise KL is better, but NW's seats are much comfier.
I'd highly recommend trying NW/KL via AMS.
It's an easy airport to connect in and the F70s are rare. I've flown (a KL) one and enjoyed every minute of it, even if it meant I had to be at VIE at the ungodly hour of 4 am.
HT From Germany, joined May 2005, 6471 posts, RR: 27 Reply 21, posted (5 years 7 months 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 4801 times:
Quoting BWE320 (Reply 19): Kuwait Airways has cheap flights from FRA to JFK, especially in C/class,
Could you provide a source for this ? (maybe the offer you saw had a feeder flight FRA-LHR before continuing on KU... )
Like Avianca pointed out, KU has no flights between FRA and JFK (or NYC) listed on amadeus.net and they also do not offer route FRA-NYC on their own website.
-HT
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !
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