FCO-SFO United vs Lufthansa

[BEAV]

Flying back to the US from a Transatlantic cruise we can do one of the following:

 

$410 booking directly w/United. Itinerary is FCO-ORD-SFO w/3 hr layover at O'Hare. 767's all the way.

 

$630 Consolidator fare on Lufthansa. Routing is FCO-MUC-SFO w/2 1/2 hr layover in MUC. A340 on the Transatlantic flight.

 

Aware of the risks of consolidator fares, we are still tempted to choose Lufthansa even though it's a higher fare simply to avoid the hassle of going through Customs/Immigration at O'Hare and then having to reboard for another 4 hours on to SFO.

 

What would the cruise air professionals do?

[CruiserBruce]

Did you look at FCO-FRA-SFO? We are doing that. United has business/first class sales going on right now. The FRA-FCO leg is on Lufthansa, the SFO-FRA leg can be on either United or Lufthansa.

 

I don't you will find any good reason to use a consolidator, including lower cost.

[BEAV]

Did you look at FCO-FRA-SFO? We are doing that. United has business/first class sales going on right now. The FRA-FCO leg is on Lufthansa, the SFO-FRA leg can be on either United or Lufthansa.

 

I don't you will find any good reason to use a consolidator, including lower cost.

 

Like most sales, does it require round trip purchase? We are only flying one way back to the States following a Transatlantic cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

I don't think so, but you can try booking.

 

If you don't like the FCO-FRA-SFO route, I think I would definitely take the FCO-MUC-SFO route. In fact we considered that.

[BEAV]

.

 

If you don't like the FCO-FRA-SFO route, I think I would definitely take the FCO-MUC-SFO route. In fact we considered that.

 

Even though the FCO-MUC-SFO route is through the consolidator? (Celebrity "Choice Air" to be exact).

[6rugrats]

Flying back to the US from a Transatlantic cruise we can do one of the following:

 

$410 booking directly w/United. Itinerary is FCO-ORD-SFO w/3 hr layover at O'Hare. 767's all the way.

 

$630 Consolidator fare on Lufthansa. Routing is FCO-MUC-SFO w/2 1/2 hr layover in MUC. A340 on the Transatlantic flight.

 

Aware of the risks of consolidator fares, we are still tempted to choose Lufthansa even though it's a higher fare simply to avoid the hassle of going through Customs/Immigration at O'Hare and then having to reboard for another 4 hours on to SFO.

 

What would the cruise air professionals do?

 

You found a one way ticket from FCO-SFO for $410??

 

There is no way I'd take this flight in economy on LH. Space is tight. With the money I saved by not taking the LH flight, I'd book on UA and purchase the yearly E+ access. I have never found Customs/Immigration at ORD to be that bad. MUC is a nice airport, but you are still going to have to get off and reboard another plane.

[CruiserBruce]

Even though the FCO-MUC-SFO route is through the consolidator? (Celebrity "Choice Air" to be exact).

 

I missed that the route was the consolidator ticket. How is the standard fare? It sounds like a route they are pushing, as it was suggested to us as well. It is also the one United wanted us to use if we used FF miles.

[BEAV]

You found a one way ticket from FCO-SFO for $410??

 

Yes and no! It's a throw-away return ticket EWR-LHR.

 

Oops, I lied. At the moment it's down to $405!

 

 

 

Fare (A1): UA ROMSFO LKNNZIA fare (rules) , psgr type ADT €139.50

Fare (A2): UA EWRLON LLXNNZGB fare (rules) , psgr type ADT £43.00

Tax: USDA APHIS Fee $5.00

Tax: US Immigration Fee $7.00

Tax: US Customs Fee $5.50

Tax: Italian Embarkation Tax €7.57

Tax: Italian Security Charge €1.81

Tax: Italian Security Bag Charge €2.05

Tax: Italian Council City Tax €4.50

Tax: Italian Passenger Service Charge €0.69

Tax: US International Arrival Tax $16.10

Tax: UA YQ surcharge $58.00

Tax: US International Departure Tax $16.10

Tax: US September 11th Security Fee $5.00

Tax: US Passenger Facility Charge $9.00

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Total for 1 adult passenger: $405.90

 

There is no way I'd take this flight in economy on LH. Space is tight. With the money I saved by not taking the LH flight, I'd book on UA and purchase the yearly E+ access. I have never found Customs/Immigration at ORD to be that bad. MUC is a nice airport, but you are still going to have to get off and reboard another plane.

 

Thanks for the feedback on LH. While we don't mind the change of planes in MUC, we just like our first point of entry back into the US to be our final destination! We have gone through Customs/Immigration twice in ATL and always hate having reboard for another 4-5 hours back to SFO. But I think we'll take your advice and buy up to E+ on UA.

[kenish]

Connecting at ORD is far better than in Europe. Why?? If something goes wrong (e.g. a missed connection due to the first flight arriving late) you have a lot more options getting home from ORD.

 

I realize there's a "mental" element to arriving in the US at your home airport....but a connection is a connection and being pragmatic the ORD connection is better.

[Globaliser]

I realize there's a "mental" element to arriving in the US at your home airport....but a connection is a connection and being pragmatic the ORD connection is better.

I don't agree. An international -> domestic connection at ORD followed by a domestic arrival at the home airport may well be significantly more hassle and time-consuming overall, when compared to a connection at a European airport followed by an international arrival at the home airport.

 

This is because most people will want to allow a lot of margin for immigration and customs clearance at ORD - you probably won't need all of the margin, but who knows what might happen on the day? - and then there may be a need to change terminals as well.

 

In contrast, a connection at FRA or MUC will be inside the same terminal, with no formalities other than security clearance. And then when you arrive at the home airport, as soon as you can get through immigration and customs you are on your way home.

 

The point you make about there being more backup if you misconnect at ORD is a good one, and points in the opposite direction. But these are all factors that one needs to weigh up in making a decision.

[AZjohn]

Connecting at ORD is far better than in Europe. Why?? If something goes wrong (e.g. a missed connection due to the first flight arriving late) you have a lot more options getting home from ORD.

I don't agree also, too general as a comment

 

I don't agree. An international -> domestic connection at ORD followed by a domestic arrival at the home airport may well be significantly more hassle and time-consuming overall, when compared to a connection at a European airport followed by an international arrival at the home airport.

Agree. I mean a missed connection anywhere is a huge pain, but it has happend to me too many times. I personaly have found better options getting home to the US from a missed connection in Europe than I have being stuck in the east coast.

 

I understand what you maybe trying to say about more flights intracontinental, but too many times those flights have been completly overbooked and still had to spend the night in some hotel without my luggage.

 

Best advise is to do your homework and figure out different flights for plan B and plan C.