PHL-Europe Trip
Oct 28, 2004, 7:29 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: US CP, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 199
PHL-Europe Trip
I would like to plan a trip to Europe sometime next fall. I have enough miles to fly Envoy and want to make the trip sometime next September-October. Mrs PHL INTL TERMINAL and I would like to leave on a Friday night and return on the following Sunday. I was hoping for some US FT suggestions. I want to fly direct from PHL, but don't care where I fly in or out of in Europe. And would prefer not to hear the comments about the fact that US will not be around for me to actually fly...I know the risks and the only thing we care about is flying DIRECT from PHL on both legs. We would prefer to fly on the 330 and not the 767.
So...we don't want to go to UK, France or Ireland. We're thinking some kind of road trip (e.g. starting out in Italy and ending up in Germany...or starting out in Germany and ending up in Amsterdam). Does anyone have thoughts on what we should do??? I'm also a SPG Plat with a ton of points if that also helps on locations to visit.
Thanks for your thoughts!
So...we don't want to go to UK, France or Ireland. We're thinking some kind of road trip (e.g. starting out in Italy and ending up in Germany...or starting out in Germany and ending up in Amsterdam). Does anyone have thoughts on what we should do??? I'm also a SPG Plat with a ton of points if that also helps on locations to visit.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Oct 28, 2004, 10:44 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,638
I would go into FCO and out of FRA, or CDG if you want to make it a longer trip. You could drive or take the trains, and there's a lot between those cities that's good to see and do. I'd have suggested AMS, but I believe that's only the 767.
Oct 29, 2004, 6:46 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MAD
Posts: 105
PHL-MAD is one of the shorter trans-atlantic flights, if you don't want to spend to much time in the air. For the Summer schedule, it is a 330. In the Winter it reverts back to a 767.
From Madrid, you can take an overnight train (12h) to Paris, and fly back from CDG.
From Madrid, you can take an overnight train (12h) to Paris, and fly back from CDG.
Oct 29, 2004, 11:19 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
If you don't want to hit UK, France etc, and you want the 330, I think your best options are either to fly to FCO or to MAD.
The weather will be better (warmer) in Southern Europe than in Northern Europe at that time of year. Early September you should be fine but by October you could easily get cold rain many places.
Keep in mind that a week (arrive Saturday morning, departing the following Sunday) isn't THAT much time to take a huge road trip if you want to see things. Additionally, renting cars in one country and returning them in another country is extremely expensive -- enough so that it isn't worth it.
With 1 week, I'd stick to one country -- i.e. 1 week in Spain (flying into and out of Madrid) or 1 week in Italy (flying into and out of Rome). You should be able to hit several spots and soak up the culture of the country you are visiting rather than spending all your time on the road getting from point A to point B. Having spent a bunch of time in Spain in the past few years, I can't recommend it enough. 1 week would be enough time to hit Madrid, Barcelona and one other place, OR to start in Madrid and go South to Seville, Granada, and Cordoba. Both great options but don't try to do it all.
If you DO want to hit multiple countries, flying into Rome and traveling by train up through Italy and Switzerland to Germany is another option, returning from FRA (or MUC if you can handle the 767). Or, if you can handle the 767, fly into AMS, spend a few days there, down to Brugges and Brussels in Belgium, then over to FRA to finish the trip.
Good luck!
The weather will be better (warmer) in Southern Europe than in Northern Europe at that time of year. Early September you should be fine but by October you could easily get cold rain many places.
Keep in mind that a week (arrive Saturday morning, departing the following Sunday) isn't THAT much time to take a huge road trip if you want to see things. Additionally, renting cars in one country and returning them in another country is extremely expensive -- enough so that it isn't worth it.
With 1 week, I'd stick to one country -- i.e. 1 week in Spain (flying into and out of Madrid) or 1 week in Italy (flying into and out of Rome). You should be able to hit several spots and soak up the culture of the country you are visiting rather than spending all your time on the road getting from point A to point B. Having spent a bunch of time in Spain in the past few years, I can't recommend it enough. 1 week would be enough time to hit Madrid, Barcelona and one other place, OR to start in Madrid and go South to Seville, Granada, and Cordoba. Both great options but don't try to do it all.
If you DO want to hit multiple countries, flying into Rome and traveling by train up through Italy and Switzerland to Germany is another option, returning from FRA (or MUC if you can handle the 767). Or, if you can handle the 767, fly into AMS, spend a few days there, down to Brugges and Brussels in Belgium, then over to FRA to finish the trip.
Good luck!