alfaman

i just found out my daughter's choir is going to europe (singing in rome) in late june early july....my wife and younger daughter hope to meet her in rome,
(we're in los angeles)...looking to stay approx 2.5 wks

was wondering if i could ask advice of some of of you?

1. i applied for the british airway visa card...currrently have 50,000 points in my account and my wife's seperate account...we should have 100,000 points each in the next couple of months

i know it's high season...but in your opinion, do you think i have a chance for award tickets?...i ,of course, will call british airways and inquire.....any tips in this regard?...just wanted an opinion here from those you have done it.

2. do you believe it is possible to fly into rome and out back home from paris...if so, any advice would be appreciated..i realize this would probably
increase our cost..maybe there are days of the week that are less expensive
to fly then others

(we have "award stays" at the hilton in rome, venice, florence and possibly paris...)....the smartest thing i could do is just to fly into and out of rome...and just stay in italy, but i sure would like to show my wife paris!


we really can't afford this trip...but between the hilton award stays and possibly using british airways (or partner airlines), we may be able to do it.

thanks in advance

chad3

If you're booking reward flights, you can book them as singles. I've only ever booked reward flights ex UK so I have no idea about what the rates are for flights ex the USA but with BA, I'm thinking that (for coach rewards) you'll need to transit LHR so you may be looking at bigger mileages to get out of London and on to Italy. Can you get any value for your miles on AA?
Regarding the reward stays, Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice is great but rewards are hard to come by there. In Rome, dont be tempted to use the Hilton at the airport, its unremarkable and very noisy
Did you consider trains between any of the points? Could be an experience...

bernardd

I thought you could see the availability on line. You won't be able to make a resevation until you have enough miles but the BA calendar view will show you which days are presently available. I would have guessed you'll be able to find some dates that will work if you have a little flexibility and can make the reservation this far in advance.


Into Rome, out of Paris on BA assumes you'll connect both ways in London. As chad3 suggested, look at using the train between the Italian cities, and possibly also to get to Paris - it's a long day on the train from Northen Italy but it's possible. Another alternative might be to deliberately build in a night in another City enroute. Something like {Italian City} - Nice - Paris or maybe a stop in Geneva? Both have convenient train services to Paris.

If you're going to fly from Italy to Paris then look at budget carriers like Easyjet which won't show up in travel agent and online searches.

In general though it sounds like a fine way to spend a couple of weeks.

FlyerTalker6245

What class of travel are you wanting ?? !

There seems to be plenty of availability in WT for LAX to FCO (via LHR), less so WTP, plenty in CW and plenty in F.

WT, each way, costs 30000 miles plus £110 per person.
F, each way, costs 90000 miles plus £180 per person.

It looks very do-able! ^^^^^ :-:

alfaman

thank you all for taking the time to reply.....you've all been very helpful and i am exited that we may be able to do this....

i looked aruund on the b.a. site to find the availability..somehow i can't seem to find it...could you give me a point in the right direction ?
(sorry, i know it's in front of me somewhere, but i can't seem to find it)

i don't know the difference between the abbeviations you've listed, but am sure i can find them through this thread...again...thanks for giving me hope!

by the way...we've been luuky enough to book the hilton in venice


thanks and i hope someday to give you some helpful information on some trip you all might be planning
(as you've done for us!)

Flying Winemaker

Click here

chad3

USA - you know
BA - you can guess
LHR - London Heathrow
AA - American airlines
WT - World Traveller = coach
LAX and FCO - Los Angeles and Rome respectively (You knew the first one)
WTP - World Traveller plus = premium economy - bigger seats and more legroom
CW - Club World = Business
F - First = a whole different world

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...g/public/en_gb

well done on getting the Venice rooms - you will enjoy. My tip if you want to make the trip really special is in Venice, take a water taxi to the hotel. Its expensive - between $100 and $150 but you take a short walk from the arrivals hall to a jetty and then rocket out across the lagoon to the hotel and you'll arive in no time - my wife loved it! (bear in mind that you cannot drive to the Venice Hilton Hotel so the alternative is a water bus - brilliant service but very slow in comparison and a different type of style)

alfaman

thanks very much!..thanks to all of you i have a better chance to put this trip together

alfaman

just wanted to give you an update...was unable to use the award
(they had openings in but no award availablity the dates i needed back)

ended up paying $690 each into rome roundtrip...i contacted my friend (who is going as well), but by the time he tried to book (1.5 hours later),the fare almost doubled to around $1200 per person...

i am ending my trip in london and am using my ba miles to fly my family of four into rome (the day before we fly back home)...cost was bout $300 for the entire family...plus about 9000 ba points each...i was able to create an
"open jaw" type ticket this way...so am satisfied....

so fly into rome...stay 3 nights free at hilton (daughter singing at vatican)
go to venice for 2 free nights at hilton...

need to plan middle of the trip, but tuscany, italian or french riviera, possbly lourdes

end the trip with 4 free nights at the hilton in paris and
2 to 3 nights in london

thanks again for all the help....looks like i can make the trip without breaking the bank

BingBongBoy

WOW! Quite a trip!

You may have the pleasure of having me onboard one of your flights whilst hopping around Europe!

Hope you have a wonderful time, sounds like you got quite a good price for the flights too...!

alfaman

yes..that would indeed be a pleasure!

as you can see, the middle part is yet unplanned..think tuscany might be too hot...will probably go to the coast in either italy or france...and may use some more ba miles from tolouse to paris (if we go to lourdes), by the way..loved your last trip report!

BingBongBoy

*blush*... Thanks...