Booking My Flight, Advice?

soulcompromise

Active Member
I just talked to triple A who does travel as well as my auto insurance. On a previous occasion, the agent I sat down with noted same as me that flights from LAX to IBZ are non-existent or prohibitively expensive (at least for me). We also noticed that there were amazingly long layovers for the flights; particularly on the way home. They would stop in Zurich or Paris or whatever for like 9 hours! I was astonished. I couldn't imagine spending that much time in an airport.

She said to me that I should avoid the layover by booking similar legs of the journey (example: LAX to BCN which is Barcelona, then BCN to IBZ). I figured that would be a cool way around the layover. I tried it a couple of times with different travel sites; the google one, the skyscanner, iberia, etc. What I found was that it worked out some of the time, but mostly I was either still going to be in the airport like 4 hours (that was the most recent) or that IBZ could get me to BCN, but not early in the morning when the optimal flight would be... stuff like that.

Long story short, I called AAA again. This time a different agent spoke to me. She said the complete opposite: It's better to book a direct flight. I told her it's too expensive, but she seemed to feel that I would be able to afford it; even without hearing my budget. So... is she pulling my chain?

And what's the best way to book your flight? Thanks.
 
Long layovers are a fact of life for those flying transatlantic. You will probably have even fewer alternatives flying from the west coast.

As for direct vs separate, that depends on the amount of risk and comfort you want measured against cost. You may save money by buying individual legs (flights) on different carriers, but if a flight is cancelled or even delayed by a few hours you miss your connection and will likely have to buy a new ticket and potentially spend the night at the airport or pay for a hotel.

I usually book separated flights and airlines, but I also try to eliminate some risk buy adding 4-5 hour (at least) buffer/ layover. My preference would be direct, but I am paying for multiple passengers and the savings are substantial.

If this is your first trip, and you are unsure, I would opt for direct with a single carrier.
 
Long layovers are a fact of life for those flying transatlantic. You will probably have even fewer alternatives flying from the west coast.

As for direct vs separate, that depends on the amount of risk and comfort you want measured against cost. You may save money by buying individual legs (flights) on different carriers, but if a flight is cancelled or even delayed by a few hours you miss your connection and will likely have to buy a new ticket and potentially spend the night at the airport or pay for a hotel.

I usually book separated flights and airlines, but I also try to eliminate some risk buy adding 4-5 hour (at least) buffer/ layover. My preference would be direct, but I am paying for multiple passengers and the savings are substantial.

If this is your first trip, and you are unsure, I would opt for direct with a single carrier.
Thanks. I'm going to do that if the travel agent doesn't set up something for me. I guess I'll just have to get used to the idea of spending a long time waiting in the airport. What do you do during layovers? I can see myself spending lots of money at the airport! o_O
 
Thanks. I'm going to do that if the travel agent doesn't set up something for me. I guess I'll just have to get used to the idea of spending a long time waiting in the airport. What do you do during layovers? I can see myself spending lots of money at the airport! o_O
check british airways they seem to have good connections, lax to lhr then on to ibz, with about 1 hour only in transit at lhr.

and if a layover is long enuff always head towards the city, little bit of sightseing or shopping is always fun.
 
Regarding the 4-hour layover in Barcelona - did you check terminals? If they're different, then you're going to need a good 2-hour buffer anyway. I guess it's all subjective, but 4 hours in an airport is my optimum. Enough time to get a drink down or two down without rushing and get into that holiday mindset.

Then again, I sometimes spent the best part of a day in and around airports when travelling, waiting for connections. After 6 it does become tedious.
 
it`s 1 hour and 5 minutes, same terminal, but in case you miss the connection they have to put you for free on the next flight at 15:00, then another few flights leaving from london city later on
 
it`s 1 hour and 5 minutes, same terminal, but in case you miss the connection they have to put you for free on the next flight at 15:00, then another few flights leaving from london city later on
Wow! That's great! You should be a travel agent. I wish I could book that one. I am still waiting for my passport to come in the mail before I actually put anything on a ticket.

Thanks, Pittley!

?
 
What do you do during layovers? I can see myself spending lots of money at the airport!

I have to chase small children... so its my own little hell. However, if I was traveling alone I would probably have a drink, read or watch a movie.

You are correct, it is expensive eating dry $15 ham and cheese sandwiches and drinking $4 bottled water, but think of it as getting acclimated to Ibiza prices. ?
 
I have to chase small children... so its my own little hell. However, if I was traveling alone I would probably have a drink, read or watch a movie.

You are correct, it is expensive eating dry $15 ham and cheese sandwiches and drinking $4 bottled water, but think of it as getting acclimated to Ibiza prices. ?
Excellent! Believe it or not, I don't drink alcohol! So, I will be sober as a judge sitting there. I will probably raid the magazine rack or something.
 
Wow! That's great! You should be a travel agent. I wish I could book that one. I am still waiting for my passport to come in the mail before I actually put anything on a ticket.

Thanks, Pittley!

?
:D a few years i used to work for an airline, (customer service officer) flight to ibz used to cost me like 30 euros, nowadays i pay like 350 euros
 
If you do have two separate airlines and a checked bag, this is only checked to your long distance arrival airport. You will have to exit via the arrivals route, collect your bag, exit landside, and re-check your bag for your next flight. Depending where you are, this can take quite some time and you might be happy to have a 4 hour layover.
 
If you do have two separate airlines and a checked bag, this is only checked to your long distance arrival airport. You will have to exit via the arrivals route, collect your bag, exit landside, and re-check your bag for your next flight. Depending where you are, this can take quite some time and you might be happy to have a 4 hour layover.
Thanks @Namaste. I'm hoping to carry on 2 items, but Lufthansa (one of my options) has some limits to the size of your second item and doesn't allow them at all on shorter flights. I may be checking a bag if fly with them which will mean I actually need a longer break between flights; one of the things I initially set out to avoid. How's that for irony! :) lol
 
Cant you just fly into Barcelona and spend a day or two there, or am I missing something?
I booked! :) I fly to Heathrow, then to Ibiza one way, then Palma Mallorca to Madrid to LAX the way back.

But yeah, I totally could have done that now that I think about it. The only drawback would be the cost of either booking additional nights or nights missed on Ibiza being in Barcelona instead.

I have wanted to go to Ibiza for some time. If it weren't so in the front of my brain I'd have realized that I'd love to visit other places in Spain as well; namely Barcelona or Madrid.
 
I have wanted to go to Ibiza for some time. If it weren't so in the front of my brain I'd have realized that I'd love to visit other places in Spain as well; namely Barcelona or Madrid.

Palma Mallorca is nice too. I had a many segment flight back last summer too (Ibiza->Palma->London->Washington DC), and a last minute schedule change gave me a five hour layover in Palma. I made the snap decision that I could allow myself a three hour visit during my layover and ended up with a really nice and unplanned bonus experience. Now I want to go back for a longer stay!
 
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