OrangeBob

I was wondering if anyone would be able to help answer a long time lurkers question?

I've done a couple of ex-EU flights thanks to information I've found on this site but only as a flight only booking. As a UK resident am i allowed to book a package holiday ex-EU say from Dublin including car hire to the US? Even with the foreign exchange fees from euros to pounds its quite a saving over just booking the flights?

Its allowing me to complete the booking through to the payment page but will i be penalized for booking a ex-EU package holiday? Would i need a republic of Ireland driving licence to collect my car rental as its an Irish booking?

This may seem a somewhat amateurish question but if anyone has had any experience of booking something similar before without any difficulty that would be great to hear!

Thanks for your help in advance.

passy777

There should be no issues based on my own experience of booking an AMS - YVR 'holiday' - indeed, you also have the advantage of only having to pay a deposit with full payment due (iirc) 5 weeks prior to departure.

philipr

I'd be surprised if that were an issue. There could be all sorts of reasons for not having a driving licence from the country of booking. I've never had any problems with that and I lived with a non-UK driving licence in the UK for a few years, renting cars in various countries and booking using websites from various countries.

I now have a UK licence, but last year, I booked a NZ and AUS car rental on a German website and had no problems either.

I'd only recommend that you check whether you need an international driving licence. I've previously needed it in the U.S.

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/driving-abroad/idp
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/internat...driving-permit

Cris L

I've done 1 ex EU holiday booking, departing Stockholm, and had no trouble whatsoever.


I've currently got 2 more ex-EU holiday bookings in the pipeline! Departing AMS, and Stockholm and do not expect any trouble at all.
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Further that my passport and Driver's Licence nationality match, and I've had no problems whatsoever!

KeaneJohn

Was there not a post that that you don't get the bonus avios on ex-eu holidays or am I imagining this ?

Filthy Monkey

Done them many times with no issues. Book away and enjoy the savings!

rossmacd

Correct. Bonus Avios are only awarded on ex-UK holidays packages.

If you are lucky, then sometimes you do get the bonus avios for ex-EU holidays bookings, but this is an error.

corporate-wage-slave

Welcome to Flyertalk OrangeBob and welcome to the BA forum. It's good to see you take the plunge out of lurker life and I hope that we will see more of you.

I see no problem here, including with the driving licence. The rental company merely needs to know you have a licence of a sort they recognise, and that covers all EU licences. If you have a loyalty card with the company concerned then it's even quicker and easier.

Premier Owl

I have been taking advantage of ex-Euorpe tickets for several years now and have to admit to having saved considerable amounts of money.

However, ex-Europe package holidays is a very new concept to me.

Is anyone able to advise the level of savings for a package holiday ex-Europe, especially including car hire in Florida...?

kwisstan

I've not had a problem with any of my ex-EU holidays, including car rental. Avis are happy with my UK licence.

kwisstan

The saving is on the flights, so potentially substantial if you get the right ones. My saving was 3k for a family of 4, to Florida, after taking the positioning into account.

The last 3 years I've used the method. I normally fly into Fort Lauderdale or Miami.
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FrancisA

Remember that discriminating in the way that the OP described would be illegal under EU law. But of course the EU never does anything for us, so fortunately companies will be free to impose terms like that once we have reigned back these regulations that cripple business!!!

Premier Owl

What is the best departure point for ex-Europe package holiday flights and can these be for up to 6 - 8 weeks in the summer. Accommodation is not needed..

Cymro

Usually, it's the cheapest point for your destination: depends very much on where you're going and in which class. Dublin, Milan, Barcelona, the Norwegian cities (Stavanger or Bergen for convenience, Oslo for frequency) and Sweden tend to be very good but it can vary. BeNeLux are also good.

To make it a package you're probably going to need a car as well, if no accommodation is needed. You can also benefit from a cheaper point of sale on car hire too.

There are basically two sets of advantages here:

1. Long haul can be cheaper elsewhere in Europe, because BA does not have a dominant position (e.g., you can just as easily connect through FRA or AMS as LHR);
2. Car hire can also be priced differently when booked in different locations.

In addition:

1. Holidays can open up different fare buckets (e.g., a T-class WTP seat might not be available for a flight only booking, but might be available through BA holidays - the saving outweighs the cost of car hire); and

2. You can pay a deposit and effectively cancel an otherwise non cancellable fare with a much smaller penalty.

Premier Owl

@Cymro - thank you very much