Need routes recommendation for travel to India
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston
Programs: AA Plat Exec
Posts: 447
Need routes recommendation for travel to India
Hi there – I have flown AA for only a year and do not have any international experience flying with the OneWorld Alliance (I used to fly SkyTeam).
I am going to fly to India for the first time. Selected class fare is business. Dates and routing are:
- Departure CLT to DEL: 3/31 (preferred) or 4/1
- Return BLR to CLT: 4/15 or 4/16
For the details, I have Plat Exec status, EU citizenship, green card holder, and 4 SWU awards available.
I am looking for recommendation for routes for the above itinerary and dates. I am looking (ideally) for routes with the shortest overall flight duration (and with no more than 2 connections) but wanted to know if there were specific routes that you would recommend (as far as airlines, types of planes are concerned for business class) and/or avoid (because of visa issues if layover is greater than X hours, etc…). Price is a decision factor, but not the main one (unless it is 2x more expensive that the cheapest route).
Thanks for the tips!!
I am going to fly to India for the first time. Selected class fare is business. Dates and routing are:
- Departure CLT to DEL: 3/31 (preferred) or 4/1
- Return BLR to CLT: 4/15 or 4/16
For the details, I have Plat Exec status, EU citizenship, green card holder, and 4 SWU awards available.
I am looking for recommendation for routes for the above itinerary and dates. I am looking (ideally) for routes with the shortest overall flight duration (and with no more than 2 connections) but wanted to know if there were specific routes that you would recommend (as far as airlines, types of planes are concerned for business class) and/or avoid (because of visa issues if layover is greater than X hours, etc…). Price is a decision factor, but not the main one (unless it is 2x more expensive that the cheapest route).
Thanks for the tips!!
Last edited by sorka; Mar 14, 2017 at 5:48 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: Mucci, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 587
I visit India every year, and have done so for the past 14 years. My primary recommendation is to schedule in a "transit day" in Europe before you go to India. Your jet lag will be be quite diminished. BA to Delhi or Bangalore is generally good (not great). Lufthansa is also great, through Frankfurt.
#3
Join Date: May 2001
Location: PHL
Programs: AA CK, DL GM, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH DIA
Posts: 187
I visit India every year, and have done so for the past 14 years. My primary recommendation is to schedule in a "transit day" in Europe before you go to India. Your jet lag will be be quite diminished. BA to Delhi or Bangalore is generally good (not great). Lufthansa is also great, through Frankfurt.
#4
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA Million Mile, Mileage Plus Premier 1K, SkyMiles Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 875
I am assuming you mean DEL and not DEI.
For traveling to DEL, I would go CLT-LHR-DEL. It's an easy 2.5 hour connection, arriving at LHR at 8 am and leaving at 10:30 am. Coming back from BLR is a little more complicated because the BA flight arrives too late to make a LHR-CLT flight. So, you will have to make 2 stops unless you want to spend ~21 hours in London. BLR-DOH-ORD-CLT on Qatar/AA or BLR-HKG-ORD-CLT on Cathay/AA are your two best options.
For traveling to DEL, I would go CLT-LHR-DEL. It's an easy 2.5 hour connection, arriving at LHR at 8 am and leaving at 10:30 am. Coming back from BLR is a little more complicated because the BA flight arrives too late to make a LHR-CLT flight. So, you will have to make 2 stops unless you want to spend ~21 hours in London. BLR-DOH-ORD-CLT on Qatar/AA or BLR-HKG-ORD-CLT on Cathay/AA are your two best options.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston
Programs: AA Plat Exec
Posts: 447
Seems like CLT-LHR-DEL is the best option on the way to india.
On the way back, i noticed there an an Etihad flight that stops by CDG (and then there is a direct CDG-CLT). If i stay in CDG but for a connection < 24hrs, does that count as an extra leg?
Thanks for the tips. I wish i could have tried the A380 but does not seem there are any good flights for that.
On the way back, i noticed there an an Etihad flight that stops by CDG (and then there is a direct CDG-CLT). If i stay in CDG but for a connection < 24hrs, does that count as an extra leg?
Thanks for the tips. I wish i could have tried the A380 but does not seem there are any good flights for that.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009
I always take Emirates through DXB. Through JFK so it's on the A380. Seat 23K.
On long flights like this, airline loyalty/status takes a back seat to better seats/sleep/lounges etc.
On long flights like this, airline loyalty/status takes a back seat to better seats/sleep/lounges etc.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
Kayak and other sites will sort your trips by total trip time, so you don't need to ask here for that. In general, a 1-stop will take less time than a 2-stop and also reduce the risk of misconnections and lost luggage.
Other than that, it is not clear what considerations are important to you. Flying to India is not that different from flying to anywhere else. Some of the above posts are recommending non-OW airlines, but I assume you want to stick to OW. Do you want the best J seat for sleeping on the plane? (CX; some QR aircraft; BA only if window seats.) Do you want the best food and service? (QR; avoid CX like the plague.) Are you more obsessed, as many on FT are, by lounge access? (There's no huge difference..)
If an AA partner, i.e. EY, will work also, then there are more options.
Other than that, it is not clear what considerations are important to you. Flying to India is not that different from flying to anywhere else. Some of the above posts are recommending non-OW airlines, but I assume you want to stick to OW. Do you want the best J seat for sleeping on the plane? (CX; some QR aircraft; BA only if window seats.) Do you want the best food and service? (QR; avoid CX like the plague.) Are you more obsessed, as many on FT are, by lounge access? (There's no huge difference..)
If an AA partner, i.e. EY, will work also, then there are more options.
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Take a Middle Eastern carrier, rather than connecting in Europe. This way you will complete the vast majority of your trip in one shot, and that makes jet-lag easier to deal with rather than making a connection mid-trip in Europe.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: PIT
Posts: 759
Just a note, since you are traveling in Business Class, with Qatar, you should qualify for a complimentary Hotel in DOHA if your connection time is at least 8 hours. This applies to both directions. A break in US-DEL is not an unwise strategy.
#10
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
That doesn't look like a cheap trip!
The best I can see on OW is $6300 via JFK and HEL outbound (12 hours in HEL) and via HKG and ORD on the return. Anything else looks like being in the $10k+ range.
SWUs might help a little but I doubt they'd be great, since they'll only work on AA flights (getting you to LHR or HKG maybe). If you want to travel Business class, then DEL return will be cheaper - $4000 on Finnair via Helsinki looks far and away the cheapest.
The best I can see on OW is $6300 via JFK and HEL outbound (12 hours in HEL) and via HKG and ORD on the return. Anything else looks like being in the $10k+ range.
SWUs might help a little but I doubt they'd be great, since they'll only work on AA flights (getting you to LHR or HKG maybe). If you want to travel Business class, then DEL return will be cheaper - $4000 on Finnair via Helsinki looks far and away the cheapest.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009
True, but I wouldn't agree it's better than EK on a 380. But QR would be a second choice - both are about the same price. EK is about $8 more, and can save an hour. In the big picture, those aren't meaningful.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
I was taking in OW elite qualification in as a factor as the OP seemed to value the alliance.