any advice for flights from tpa to copenhagen?

[skateycat]

considering a cruise to the norwegian fjords next may on ncl. we live halfway between tpa and ft myers. looking at flights, even a year out...man, the flights are going to cost about the same as a cruise. is this always the case? any advice? we have never flown to europe before.

[iancal]

You might want to check out Norwegian Airlines. They sometimes have very good fares between Florida and Scandinavia.

[FlyerTalker]

Advice? Well, I definitely think that flights are a faster way to get there.

 

Oh...you probably wanted to say "how do I get a cheaper ticket?"

 

Now that we have that out of the way....for those who only fly USA domestic flights, there is some sticker shock when looking at flights to Europe. Especially during cruise season, which is a higher demand time (equaling higher pricing).

 

First off....get the "about the same as the cruise" out of your head. The two have NO bearing on each other and are like apples and coconuts.

 

Next...do your research. May flights should be showing up in GDS systems soon (you don't mention a date) so look for what pricing is and keep tabs on it. Be flexible...if you can save $$ by going a day earlier or return a day later, be open to that. Other flexibility....look at pricing from MIA, FLL, MCO and other cities. Think about combining a TPA-NYC (or other gateway) ticket with at TATL ticket - but be SURE to leave yourself plenty of cushion (aka at least a day) to make sure you make the second flight.

 

Also, remember there is more to an airline ticket than just the price. You may find highly discounted tickets that have severe restrictions. They may come back to bite you if you have irregular operations and have delayed or cancelled flights.

 

The good news....you have many months before you fly. The bad news is that you need to make some value decisions in that time.

 

Write if you have more detailed/specific questions.

[skateycat]

i felt it was a given that i was looking for a cheaper flight. a bit snarky, no? and all the advice you just gave? i already knew that. but thanks for the lesson. not everyone here is friendly.

[CruiserBruce]

Sorry, but none of us know what you already know...

 

Perhaps some reading on this board, then some far more focused questions? You will find a ton of advice by reading- such as the pluses and minuses of consolidator fares, using ita matrix, etc.

Edited May 31, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[TruckerDave]

i felt it was a given that i was looking for a cheaper flight. a bit snarky, no? and all the advice you just gave? i already knew that. but thanks for the lesson. not everyone here is friendly.

 

Going through life with a little sense of humor is not a bad thing. :rolleyes: He gave you good advice, but obviously you didn't want that so maybe you could tell us exactly what it is you want to know. Of course Mr Flyertalker is one of the most knowledgeable people who post in this section so you "might" want to listen to him.

[waterbug123]

flights are going to cost about the same as a cruise. is this always the case? any advice? we have never flown to europe before.

 

and all the advice you just gave? i already knew that. but thanks for the lesson

 

You expressed sticker shock and asked for advice. Flyertalker had no way of knowing that you already knew to consider different flight dates, and to consider flying in or out of alternate cities, and to look at combining tickets?

Perhaps if you could be more specific about exactly what kind of advice you are looking for, you will get some answers you are happier with. :)

 

As for your original "Is this always the case?" question, no, flights are not always about the same cost as the cruise. Sometimes they are a LOT more, and sometimes they are a LOT less. Cruise prices vary a lot, airline prices vary a lot, and in both cases the variance is due to many, many different factors. Depending on exactly which cruise ticket you choose and exactly which airline ticket you choose, there's no telling how the two will compare.

[CantanaLobo]

A quick check on ITA for a random date in April TPA-CPH shows $1200-$1300. Doesn't seem unusual to me for the new normal in airline pricing. I think under $1000 would be a bargain (and a miracle). What are you seeing that you consider expensive? If you have a cruise in the $1000-1300 range, yes, air to Europe will cost as much as the cruise. The obvious solution to air costing as much as the cruise is to book a more expensive cruise :).

 

(Actual numbers are useful (and dates and city pairs). 'Costs too much' is too vague to provide any useful information. So you got general answers.)

Edited May 31, 2015 by CantanaLobo

[skateycat]

the cruise i am looking at is may 1 to 8 leaving from copenhagen. the cruise right now for the class of room we want is about $3000 for the two of us. right now any flights that i see between tampa or ft myers to copenhagen are going to cost about $1200 a piece. ($2400 for us both) my original question (which apparently is only clear to me) is that i am wondering if it costs around $1000 a piece to fly to europe from here. yes, i could fly to nyc or chicago, but most of the domestic (or maybe they are called US owned...i dunno...i am not as versed in travel lingo) airlines already go through chicago or nyc from down here. i really do NOT want to drive 3 hrs to miami or 3 hrs to orlando (so yeah, i'd pay more for the hassle factor). i also am seeing there is an airport in malmo, sweden which is just across a bridge from copenhagen. i have several friends in great britain who use easy jet when travelling within europe. some have suggested perhaps flying into gatwick and then taking easy jet. maybe i am asking too many questions with trying to get the best airline deal. we are NOT experienced travellers. i can search and get good prices within the US, but dealing overseas is another thing altogether. i have looked at breaking it up, but again with hassle factor there is not much difference. sometimes i see deals on travelzoo that offer trips to ireland and such for about $500 a piece. maybe that is totally unrealistic, who knows. well, YOU all know, i do not....lol. which is why i am trying to find out. sorry i do not share a sense of humor the same as some...i feel attacked and stupid. this is not what i come here for. but if you all feel my questions are out of line, i'd like to just delete all this and be done.

[thinfool]

I'll try to help here a little.

 

Airfare to Europe is what it is. Prices over $1000 are common in 'high' season. Even though oil prices and jet fuel are way down, the dollar is currently very strong, the airlines have happily continued to sap comsumers with unchanged airfares.

 

As for the Gatwick to Malmo idea....we have actually done that a few years ago...tho we used LHR rather than GTW. It worked, but if you pursue it know that the land trip from Malmo to Copenhagen is rather long and cannot be cheap. We were in private transportation so I have no idea what a shuttle or bus would cost. Easyjet worked, but we learned that the 'low cost' airlines in Europe are brutal when it comes to weight limits on baggage. We literally moved things from carry-ons to checked bags on the floor of the ticket line to comply with their weight limits. Easyjet, in a word, is austere.

Edited June 1, 2015 by thinfool

[skateycat]

ah, thank you, thinfool. so is may high season? my original thinking was that going in may would mean lower airfare. my friends in great britain tell me they pay a bit less to get over here, but that mostly their tickets are in that range as well. guess this is a huge sticker shock for me. i was really (seriously) thinking that i would pay between 500-700 per ticket. yep. pure newb here. this might be the thing that puts a hold on the entire trip. just to do the trip looks like about $5000 just for a week. that is without hotel. wow. ha ha ha. well, better have a plan b then, i guess. :eek:

[RVRoadie]

Norwegian Airlines flys a 787 from Orlando for about $400 each way, but they only fly onece a week. We are on your cruise and will be taking this flight. We are flexible and want to use the extra time in Denmark and Germany. Too early to buy right now.

[alcpa1]

Skateycat,

A flight in the $1,200 range from many airports in the southern U S. has been the norm for the last couple of years. We have flown to CPH twice within the last three years.

As you consider airfares do your homework even more closely because taxes and fees vary by continents too.

Copenhagen is a wonderful city and should you bite the bullet do plan time there before your cruise. It is a moderately expensive city hotelwise but well worth it.

You can see the long bridge to Malmo from the Copenhagen airport and I'd imagine a huge chunk of your savings with a low cost airline would be consumed by transportation between the cities. If nothing else the hassle of finding a shuttle, train or taxi would be exhausting after your long journey.

Before you book any air please come back here for advice from travelers familiar with European gateway airports, connection times, foreign carriers, luggage requirements etc. We can also help with flight times for embarkation and disembarkation.

[waterbug123]

so is may high season? my original thinking was that going in may would mean lower airfare.... i was really (seriously) thinking that i would pay between 500-700 per ticket.

 

Technically, May is considered "shoulder season," but more and more the prices will be closer to those of peak season, which for Europe is summer. We have flown to Europe several times recently during May or October (also shoulder season) and prices are typically in the $1300 range. So yes, what you're seeing is fairly normal. There are ways to get a cheaper ticket, but beware- if you see a ticket for $700 that is selling for $1300 on the airline's own website, that ticket probably comes with a lot of rules and restrictions that won't be apparent up front. If however, you have a flight that gets seriously delayed or canceled, you may find out just how different that ticket is. If you fully understand the potential risks and have cushion time built into your schedule, it might be ok. Do a search for "consolidator tickets" if you want to know more.

As for Easy Jet for intra-Europe travel, I'd be very wary. You could well find out that what you packed for your transatlantic flight is WAY too much to check or carry on to Easy Jet and it will cost you a fortune in bag fees.

 

Norwegian Airlines flys a 787 from Orlando for about $400 each way, but they only fly onece a week. We are on your cruise and will be taking this flight. We are flexible and want to use the extra time in Denmark and Germany. Too early to buy right now.

 

What is your plan B if something happens and your flight is canceled at the last minute, or severely delayed?

[skateycat]

rvroadie....will look forward to meeting you on the cruise! i have neither booked the cruise nor the flight at this point. am waiting (on the advice of my TA) until we get a bit closer...she is keeping an eye on the deals. we will be cruising in october on ncl and am trying to wait until on the cruise to book to get a better deal with obc or whatnot. and meg...thanks for re-iterating some of my concerns. we travel (believe it or not) with only a rolling carry on and a backpack each.(this is why we use ncl...no formal packing needed) my european friends have also warned me about the luggage thing on easy jet. it has also been brought to my attention that using an airline such as United that has lots of flights can be a better choice since if there are cancellations or delays there is a better chance of getting there in time. i am planning on arriving a day or two ahead of time. is that enough? plan on booking a room at the hilton right at the airport so we can just crash there. i am reading that transportation in copenhagen via trains and buses is very convenient and easy to use. getting to the pier will be another thing as i am reading that there is no easy way to use public transport to get there (that is a whole other thread, though.) thanks for all the advice thusfar.

[RVRoadie]

What is your plan B if something happens and your flight is canceled at the last minute, or severely delayed?

 

We are retired, so very flexible. Norwegian Air has 8 Dreamliners, so not too worried. They'll figure it out. Will definitely book the return flight and don't have to worry about delays. Will wait until February to book passage to Copenhagen. May take the Star from Tampa if prices come down, otherwise will book Norwegian Air and spend week in Germany before cruise.

 

Last month we flew a Norwegian Air Dreamliner Copenhagen to Orlando. Left at 5:15pm and arrived early at 8:30pm. Two meals, reserved seats, on demand TV, and two free checked bags. $325 each. Only complaint, no wifi.

 

I get a travel policy from Insure and Go, primarily for medical evacuation, but it also includes trip interruption insurance. Around $300 for a month long trip.

Edited June 1, 2015 by RVRoadie

[skf]

You could check into Icelandair. They fly from Orlando (MCO) and it looks to be in the area of $650/700 RT depending of course on the dates.

[Zach1213]

You could check into Icelandair. They fly from Orlando (MCO) and it looks to be in the area of $650/700 RT depending of course on the dates.

 

Definitely something to check out. Icelandair is a fairly basic airline, but tends to offer good deals and runs an efficient hub in Keflavik connecting North America and Europe.

[waterbug123]

i am planning on arriving a day or two ahead of time. is that enough?

 

For me, the absolute minimum for a European cruise would be arriving the day before the ship sails. That gives you a full one day cushion in case of problems. However, if possible, I'd arrive 2 days ahead so really give you some time to sightsee in the embarkation city.

 

We are retired, so very flexible. Norwegian Air has 8 Dreamliners, so not too worried. They'll figure it out.

 

While chances are you won't have any problems, the fact that they have 8 dreamliners isn't much insurance. Those other planes all have their own booked itineraries that they need to fly, so if there is a problem with your flight, it's not like they will just cancel some other flight and send that plane to replace yours. ;)

[wowzz]

Personally I'd plump for the BA direct flight from Tampa to London Gatwick, and then take the EasyJet flight to Copenhagen. Depending on the amount of time between flights, I'd use the Yotel in Gatwick for a few hours sleep if necessary.

EasyJet are one of the better LoCo's. You get 20kg of checked in baggage [of course you have to pay for this] plus there is no weight limit on hand luggage, as long as the case is the correct size. I always pre-book emergency exit rows, so as to board first.

The BA flight will be expensive, but at least your drinks are free, and the EasyJet flight will be relatively cheap.

Norwegian could be an alternative, but I would be worried about delays/cancellations, given their small fleet size.

[Zach1213]

Personally I'd plump for the BA direct flight from Tampa to London Gatwick, and then take the EasyJet flight to Copenhagen. Depending on the amount of time between flights, I'd use the Yotel in Gatwick for a few hours sleep if necessary.

EasyJet are one of the better LoCo's. You get 20kg of checked in baggage [of course you have to pay for this] plus there is no weight limit on hand luggage, as long as the case is the correct size. I always pre-book emergency exit rows, so as to board first.

The BA flight will be expensive, but at least your drinks are free, and the EasyJet flight will be relatively cheap.

Norwegian could be an alternative, but I would be worried about delays/cancellations, given their small fleet size.

 

I've had good experiences with Easyjet. Their Flexi fares can be really good deals - it includes seat assignment (including extra legroom seats like exit rows), a checked bag, fast track check-in and security (where available), and a bit more flexibility as far as making changes.

[RVRoadie]

I have also had good luck with Norwegian Air within the EU. Flew Barcelona to Copenhagen for $110, including checked bag and reserved seat. Better than the Vueling deal I had last year. Also, my son joined us and got a $56 walk on fare just a couple of days before the flight. They fly the latest version 737 and included free wifi. Very nice.

 

One aggravation, the 50lb weight limit we are used to is only 20 kilo in EU. Had to do some repacking at the counter.

[wowzz]

I have also had good luck with Norwegian Air within the EU. Flew Barcelona to Copenhagen for $110, including checked bag and reserved seat. Better than the Vueling deal I had last year. Also, my son joined us and got a $56 walk on fare just a couple of days before the flight. They fly the latest version 737 and included free wifi. Very nice.

 

One aggravation, the 50lb weight limit we are used to is only 20 kilo in EU. Had to do some repacking at the counter.

 

They also fly the 'older' 737 version as well. Flew to the Canaries in a 'new' one earlier this year - very nice. Unfortunately, the return journey was on the older model - OK, but not as swish.

[skateycat]

getting some great advice here. i booked the cruise whilst on the gem this past week. now to book the flight. i am looking at british airways and iceland air so far. thanks for letting me know there is a direct flight between tampa and london. i still have almost 6.5 months before this cruise and am hopeful flight prices will continue to come down. driving 3 hrs to orlando is not something we wish to do. i want low price low hassle low hours in the air. will i find this? nope. and i know it. just having to figure out my "pain threshold" for all of it. factoring in the price of the airfare may just get this trip cancelled ultimately but it is nice to think i might be able to swing it.:p

[6rugrats]

Leaving from TPA really increases the cost. I see fares as low as $972 on Turkish if you could fly MIA-CPH depart 29 April, return 8 May. If you could leave from FLL, you could fly Norwegian, depart 29 April, return 8 May for $549.30 RT:

 

Outbound

 

Florida-Fort Lauderdale/Miami -

Oslo-Gardermoen

Friday 29. Apr 2016 10:00 PM - Terminal: 3

Flight DY7032 - LowFare

 

Oslo-Gardermoen - Copenhagen

Saturday 30. Apr 2016 4:50 PM

Flight DY948 - LowFare

 

1 Adult $324.40

 

Return

 

Copenhagen - Florida-Fort Lauderdale/Miami

Sunday 8. May 2016 4:05 PM - Terminal: 2

Flight DY7041 - LowFare

 

1 Adult $224.90

 

Total price

incl. all taxes and surcharges $549.30

If you are looking for lowest price, even paying the checked bag fees and for a car service to get to/from the airport, this fare is a winner.

Edited October 13, 2015 by 6rugrats