Flying out of ATH on Sat. is often expensive, especially on some dates (e.g. X'mas). When do you fly? With that really high price for the outgoing segment, I'd wait a while. Of course, I doubt that it will ever become much cheaper... :(

Have you thought of flying to Chania instead? It may be cheaper that particular day and you could also fly Ryanair (yakh, I know).

The main issue for me is that I haven't heard of them. I've found over the years that paying a bit extra for Avis or Hertz is well worth it. No hassles, especially if you sign up for their programs and use an American Express card or some other card that provides international rental insurance.

Know what ?

Ryanair!

Great airline.
Have a read of this,old cock.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/co...-31521321.html

Yes, great for flying from A to B for a very low price. But I'm thinking of what goes with it. But let's leave that discussion for a different thread in a different forum. :)

Chania would be a 2.5 hr drive to the hotel, I don't think it would be worth it.

We decided to book the flight. Of course, the flight cost has dropped a bit now (89 euro vs 106). I doubt this airline gives refunds?

:D Great sense of humour! :D

When we bought the tickets to Greece, we did ORD - ATH. I had checked to see what the cost would be to do ORD - HER and it was a few hundred more and the ATH-HER flights were not ideal. The flight swe wanted were even more expensive. The ORD-ATH price was great so we grabbed them and planned on buying the ATH-HER flights separately.

We are flying A3 from MUC to ATH and the hops to and from HER are on A3 as well - but my flights are obviously not linked. I can't imagine this being a issue. Flight is due to land at 2:40pm and the ATH-HER flight is at 4:10pm.

We will have 1 small bag each but will likely check them. (I'll already have a smaller carryon and don't , want the extra bag to juggle.) We start out on United - and will tell them about the extra leg that was booked after the original ticket. Is this enough time for everything? I think we'll have to get our bags and then I take them on the plane for this last leg, if United can't link them when we check in.

Any comments or concerns that I am not aware of?

I would certainly OLCI your last leg (you can do that at -48 hours), print your BP and with this in hand and hoping for an open-minded check-in agent at UA (ORD), ask for your luggage to be checked to your final destination (i.e. HER). They can do that, I recently did that flying CUN-PTY-MEX-MUC-ATH-HER on three separate tickets with three different *A airlines.

If they don't do that and your flight into ATH is delayed, you'll be screwed (you'll be screwed anyway, with or without checked luggage if very late because the last leg is on a different ticket) so checking the luggage to Crete is not a lifesaver, but it helps easing your transfer.

On the other hand, one definite advantage for not checking the bag for the domestic leg on A3 is that, depending go how many flights arrived at HER at the same time like yours, you may have to wait for long at the small and disorganised arrival hall for your stuff to be delivered (unless priority-tagged).

Other than the above, no worries. Most things in ATH go very fast. Transfer, assuming no need to check your bag, should take no more than ~30 minutes from deplaning to the new gate, even if being bussed to the terminal building. You can save yourself a little time by using the elevator up rather than the escalator (about 20 m to your left when exiting the luggage collecting area). If the luggage has been checked through to HER, though, just take the first shortcut to the upper floor (escalator, steps, elevator), before getting into the luggage area.

Hurry up! The weather is supposed to get a little worse next week ;)

Back to the car. Do I need an International Driver Permit?

No.

Agreed. We have US Drivers licences and had no problems renting without an international licence in August.

I would contact your car rental agency to ask if a International DL is needed. Legally it is..... and if you get stopped and asked for one and don't have it.... it can lead to some issues.

I have rented a car in Greece and Crete a dozen times over the last few decades and have never left home without a IDL just to play it safe. ( We were stopped by traffic police once outside Delphi and they asked for it!)

I also would not necessarily go with Avis or Hertz in Crete to rent a car. Just cause they have the big names does not mean the local branches offer great service.

There are two local companies that get VERY good consistent reviews:

http://www.athenscars-crete.gr

http://autorentals-crete.gr

I've been renting all over the world for about 20 years now and have never been asked for an IDP by the rental companies nor the police. But if you feel more comfortable with an IDP, more power to you.

And the reason for choosing Avis or Hertz has nothing to do with a big name and everything to do with corporate or credit card discounts and credit card covered insurance. Or in other words it can be a lot cheaper. And if you have elite status you get a nice upgrade and no hassles from these companies if there is an accident or some scratches.