Spring Break 2018 - Paris
Jun 19, 2017, 6:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 406
Spring Break 2018 - Paris
Is it too early to book for award booking via United for Spring Break 2018?
Travel time - Mar 23 - March 31
Will be flying out of LAX to Paris
Via United (60K +taxes) for RT Coach.
Two adult
Two children (ages 4 & 6)
Am I overlooking other airlines or savings? I am also open to flying one way Business and one way economy if 400k from Chase allows for it.
Points :
400K Chase
120k SPG (can convert for the air + hotel package for United miles)
Thanks all!
Travel time - Mar 23 - March 31
Will be flying out of LAX to Paris
Via United (60K +taxes) for RT Coach.
Two adult
Two children (ages 4 & 6)
Am I overlooking other airlines or savings? I am also open to flying one way Business and one way economy if 400k from Chase allows for it.
Points :
400K Chase
120k SPG (can convert for the air + hotel package for United miles)
Thanks all!
Jun 19, 2017, 6:36 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Not too early. You can book using UA miles starting at T-331 so those seats began accepting bookings at the end of April.
On your dates I see one-hops on the outbound available via Lufthansa (LAX - FRA - CDG) with either a quite short layover (1 hour 10 minutes) or a longer layover (5.5 hours).
Return it looks like one-hops are available with either LH (via FRA) or LX (via ZRH).
I don't see any J availability in any direction at the moment but might be worth locking in the 4x Y seats since your dates are fixed and there is Saver Y availability at the moment.
On your dates I see one-hops on the outbound available via Lufthansa (LAX - FRA - CDG) with either a quite short layover (1 hour 10 minutes) or a longer layover (5.5 hours).
Return it looks like one-hops are available with either LH (via FRA) or LX (via ZRH).
I don't see any J availability in any direction at the moment but might be worth locking in the 4x Y seats since your dates are fixed and there is Saver Y availability at the moment.
Jun 20, 2017, 2:06 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
That's something only you can decide. I absolutely love London and have been there numerous times throughout my life (first went at age 12, later lived there for 3.5 months, and have been back multiple times in my adult life). There's lots to do, lots to eat, lots to explore.
I've been to Paris a couple times but don't speak an French so I found the visits more difficult. I enjoyed seeing the major Paris sights (Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, a couple art museums, etc.) but I certainly found it challenging as a non-French speaker in Paris (mainly due to the attitude of the people I encountered).
If you haven't been to either, I would tend to say London is a better place for the young kids unless they speak French. They'll be able to understand what's going on a little better and perhaps one less thing to worry about when navigating a city with 2 young kids (assuming you don't speak French).
That said I'm sure there are others on the board who would argue strongly against me in favor of Paris.
I've been to Paris a couple times but don't speak an French so I found the visits more difficult. I enjoyed seeing the major Paris sights (Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, a couple art museums, etc.) but I certainly found it challenging as a non-French speaker in Paris (mainly due to the attitude of the people I encountered).
If you haven't been to either, I would tend to say London is a better place for the young kids unless they speak French. They'll be able to understand what's going on a little better and perhaps one less thing to worry about when navigating a city with 2 young kids (assuming you don't speak French).
That said I'm sure there are others on the board who would argue strongly against me in favor of Paris.
Jun 21, 2017, 10:05 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
I've been to Paris a couple times but don't speak an French so I found the visits more difficult. I enjoyed seeing the major Paris sights (Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, a couple art museums, etc.) but I certainly found it challenging as a non-French speaker in Paris (mainly due to the attitude of the people I encountered).
So I'll echo the recommendation for London. Fewer things to worry about, and more for the kids to do. Especially if they get hit by the Harry Potter bug.
Jun 22, 2017, 12:20 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,114
The main sites in Paris are closer together and it takes less time to navigate. You can typically see several sites in a day. Children are free at most museums, etc. You could visit another city in Europe (Brussels/Antwerp/Rotterdam) overnight. It is fairly food/museum focused - but my kids very much love it.
London is very spread out and you can typically do only one or two mayor sites each day with kids that age. There are some great side-trips you can do in one/two days - many accessible by train. There are more kid-specific attractions in London.
Both are fantastic and you can't go wrong. So it depends on what you feel like.
London is very spread out and you can typically do only one or two mayor sites each day with kids that age. There are some great side-trips you can do in one/two days - many accessible by train. There are more kid-specific attractions in London.
Both are fantastic and you can't go wrong. So it depends on what you feel like.
Jun 24, 2017, 6:41 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
I've been to France several times, different areas but including quite a bit of time in Paris. Taken older grandkids. I don't speak French, but simply never had a problem. In fact, several instances of people genuinely going out of their way to be helpful. Maybe I've been lucky. But for your trip, at least start out positive.
Definitely nail those tickets now if you can find them. I spent a couple months once checking every morning for the latest offering out the 330 days. Eventually scored MSP-VIE.
Four tickets are harder to find than smaller quantities. I have learned that there may be a couple out there, but not necessarily four. I also know that if somebody takes the two, the next day the airline might put out a couple more. United probably has a 24 hour cancellation policy, which might translate to midnight of the second day (that is how Delta's works). So all this would suggest that if you only find two tickets one day, you could score them, then try for the other two the next day. If no luck, bust the first two and keep trying.
Paris does have McDonalds. Interestingly enough, with the French caring more about food than we do in the US, their salads are surprisingly good.
You know your kids, so know what intrigues them. But trains, escalators, water fountains, boats, swings, buses, snails, dogs, cats, crawling things, butterflies, grassy areas ... Paris has all that stuff. If you keep them rested and fed and tended to, and mom and dad are having a happy time, they will have a happy time. Pretty much wherever they are. The 4-year-old might pick up a "bon jour" if in Paris.
Definitely nail those tickets now if you can find them. I spent a couple months once checking every morning for the latest offering out the 330 days. Eventually scored MSP-VIE.
Four tickets are harder to find than smaller quantities. I have learned that there may be a couple out there, but not necessarily four. I also know that if somebody takes the two, the next day the airline might put out a couple more. United probably has a 24 hour cancellation policy, which might translate to midnight of the second day (that is how Delta's works). So all this would suggest that if you only find two tickets one day, you could score them, then try for the other two the next day. If no luck, bust the first two and keep trying.
Paris does have McDonalds. Interestingly enough, with the French caring more about food than we do in the US, their salads are surprisingly good.
You know your kids, so know what intrigues them. But trains, escalators, water fountains, boats, swings, buses, snails, dogs, cats, crawling things, butterflies, grassy areas ... Paris has all that stuff. If you keep them rested and fed and tended to, and mom and dad are having a happy time, they will have a happy time. Pretty much wherever they are. The 4-year-old might pick up a "bon jour" if in Paris.
Last edited by Romelle; Jun 24, 2017 at 12:29 pm
Jun 24, 2017, 9:30 pm
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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Posts: 62,948
Returning from London / the U. K. you'll also have to pay the United (sic) Kingdom Air Passenger Duty, so if you decide to do both - quite easy using Eurostar high speed rail,186 MPH - start in London and fly back from Paris.