I'm having a difficult time finding a flight from CPH to MCO on a reasonable fare departing CPH on 24, 25 or 26 March (Easter weekend). One of the flights that comes up is CPH to EWR arriving EWR 15.00, transfering to LGA for an 18.32 flight to MCO on AA. (FYI, we want to return 9 April.)

I think this sounds like a very iffy and stressful connection, considering we have to clear immigration at EWR, collect luggage, find transportation (assume taxi is best/quickest?) and get to LGA in time for check-in, TSA, etc.

What do FT'ers think? Can it be done? Is it worth the stress? What is the best way to make the transfer from EWR to LGA?

Thanks for any advice,
Susan

Susan,

I think your word fits this best. Iffy.

You have several things to be concerned about here.
Customs in EWR - Hit or miss. Could be long lines, could be fast, but I'd allow at least 1 hour to collect bags and get through customs.

Traffic-You would be stepping out into NYC rush hour. EWR into the city would technically be against the major flow of traffic, but they reverse many lanes of the river crossings to handle the rush, so you will still get caught. Then you have to get out the other side to Queens.

Check in at LGA- again lines. Could be long check in or security lines.

If everything goes perfectly, you could have plenty of time, but if everything doesn't, you'd have no chance....

Also keep in mind that a Taxi or Car from EWR to LGA will cost you more than $100 each way. That's enough to really figure into the total ticket price.

There are several ways to get between the airports that have been written about here at length and people will probably add, but if you have luggage, a taxi really would be the only reasonable way, but I would really try to avoid this transfer. There's got to be a better way...

In fact, here's one-
For a price similar to the SAS flight, there are a couple of other options.

AA is selling a fare via ZRH to JFK, where you could get onto Jetblue to MCO

It's got a layover in ZRH, but total price is very close to the SAS with the EWR/LGA connection and your connection is spent sitting in one place instead of schlepping around NYC at rush hour.

Thanks, Remy, that was pretty much what I thought. I've been looking at all kinds of options for the last many hours, and we are getting close to a solution. There is one option via Wideroe that requires 2 connecting flights on the way over (CPH-IAD-CLT-MCO) that doesn't look too bad. Also, AmEx travel service just called back with a CPH-ORD-MCO flight that gets us in to MCO at 00.36 but looks better to me than changing NY airports.

I find it frustrating that it is no longer possible to find all options in one place (or maybe it never was). Different options are available depending on whether you call the airline or use their website, and some flights are available on a partner's site that aren't even available on the site of the airline whose flight it is.

Susan

I was taking a look. I am finding about 730 US dollars for 3/25 to 4/9. Double connection though. Travel on DL. Post a reply if you want more specifics.

Do you know about ITA?

You're right that no site has everything, but they have very good search capabilities.

I don't see the DL combo that Hindukid is talking about, but you can look at some very intreresting possibilites.

Keep in mind that Europe to NYC is often the cheapest fare offered and there is heavy competition on the NYC/BOS-FLA routes. I don't know if those fares combine with others, so you might do better buying CPH-JFK, then Jetblue, Delta (Song) or AA down to MCO.

Have fun.

I built this on Expedia. You can save $18 buy connecting at JFK on the way back with a few hours longer layover.

$746.20


Pick a different flight
6:45 am Depart Copenhagen (CPH)
Arrive New York (JFK) 1:20 pm Fri 25-Mar
Duration: 12hr 35mn SAS 2551
Delta 81
Connect in Amsterdam (AMS)





Pick a different flight
5:40 pm Depart New York (JFK)
Arrive Orlando (MCO) 10:36 pm Fri 25-Mar
Duration: 4hr 56mn Delta 5300 / 5417
Connect in Nashville (BNA)





Pick a different flight
11:55 am Depart Orlando (MCO)
Arrive Boston (BOS) 2:45 pm Sat 9-Apr
Duration: 2hr 50mn Delta 2016
Nonstop flight





Pick a different flight
5:35 pm Depart Boston (BOS)
Arrive Copenhagen (CPH) 9:10 am +1 day Sat 9-Apr
Duration: 9hr 35mn Delta 8303
Air France 1750
Connect in Paris (CDG)



Details and purchase options

Wow, thanks for the help everyone. We have a tentative booking for CPH-MCO via ORD in both directions for $972, decent connections with reasonable layovers (the late arrival in MCO is the only inconvenience, but we can live with it).

I'll look at those other options to save a bit more. We're not too comfortable with booking separate tickets because if something happens on one flight and we miss a connection, we're out of luck. I've sat on runways plenty of times (twice in the last three months for one and three hours) to know that anything can go wrong.

Appreciate the help. The ITA site brings up a ton of options!

Susan