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Old Apr 8, 2013 | 9:28 pm
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lwildernorva
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Originally Posted by wjb123
Trying to book a late May flight to Italy...NY-Rome-NY or NY-Florence/Rome-NY or NY-Pisa/Rome-NY...going to spend 4 days in Florence and 3 days in Rome. I have enough miles to use on either Delta, American, US Air or United miles...suggestions???
With some of the other posters here. You need to check the airlines themselves. Without providing more specifics, FT can't really give you exact answers. And, the information is fairly easy to get from the airlines' websites.

First off, fly into Rome. Rome has more options. FLR is more of a regional kind of airport. Take the high speed train from Rome to Florence. One hour, twenty minutes. Book at the right time (try http://trenitalia.com as soon as possible) and you might get lucky enough to book a roundtrip for 38 euro as I did in March. Wait too long, and you might pay as much as 39 euro each way. And there'll be little discernible difference between the seat on the train you have and the seat paid for at double the price--kind of like airfares.

If late May isn't locked in, keep in mind that AA still runs their 20K each way option to Europe until 5/15. I found a flight 5/14 to Rome from JFK at this level. Return on 5/22 at 30K, and you'll find flights for 50K RT and $231.10 in fees. As good as free travel? Of course not. But cheaper than almost anyone else you know will get to Rome.

Compare that (as you should have already) with US. Same dates, 107.5 DMs and $114. Or Delta: 60K and $84. Or UA: 110K and $63.20.

Sure you have enough miles in all of those programs? Or did you just look at the award charts?

Of course, if you're flexible, you can do better with US, DL, and UA. But that brings us back to the reason why you've got to do your own research.
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