SOU or LHR?

[jeb_bud]

We recently booked a Southampton to Southampton cruise for 2025.  The included air on the guest statement has us flying in and out of SOU(Southampton). Nobody ever mentions SOU when discussing cruises to/from Southampton. Does Regent actually book flights using SOU or is LHR the airport they default to?

 

I just looked at the confirmation for an Alaska cruise this June and they have SWD as the departure airport from Alaska.  Obviously in that case they are just using the port code for Seward even though the actual flight home will be from ANC.  I am assuming that's why SOU is shown as the airport for our Southampton flights, but I'm a little uncertain because SOU is an actual airport. The flights starting in SOU are not very attractive to me but they do exist.  Has anyone on this board actually used SOU for their flights?

[eroller]

21 minutes ago, jeb_bud said:

We recently booked a Southampton to Southampton cruise for 2025.  The included air on the guest statement has us flying in and out of SOU(Southampton). Nobody ever mentions SOU when discussing cruises to/from Southampton. Does Regent actually book flights using SOU or is LHR the airport they default to?

 

I just looked at the confirmation for an Alaska cruise this June and they have SWD as the departure airport from Alaska.  Obviously in that case they are just using the port code for Seward even though the actual flight home will be from ANC.  I am assuming that's why SOU is shown as the airport for our Southampton flights, but I'm a little uncertain because SOU is an actual airport. The flights starting in SOU are not very attractive to me but they do exist.  Has anyone on this board actually used SOU for their flights?

 

I suppose it depends on where you’re coming from.  There are inter-Europe flights into SOU the airport.  It’s a small airport so nothing long haul.  
 

If you’re flying from the US you will be flying into LHR for sure, then taking a shuttle to SOU the port (about 1.5 hours).  

[jeb_bud]

Thanks @eroller  it would have saved us both some time if I had done this before but I looked at SOU on Google Maps and yes, a tiny airport. 

[welshfamily]

I have tried to research this for you.
Who are you flying with?

If it’s a direct flight from the US it’s very unlikely that you will fly into Southampton.

However both KLM and British airways ( amongst others…less well known airlines) fly into Southampton usually from Amsterdam, Barcelona etc.

We looked into an Oceania cruise from Barcelona to Southampton on the Vista and would have driven to Southampton and then flown to Barcelona. We booked with Regent instead but it was do..able.

Flights also arrive from Edinburgh and Glasgow but not often if at all from Heathrow
Try taking a look at the arrivals board at Southampton airport.

Hope this helps

 

[jeb_bud]

Thanks @welshfamily  given a choice I fly United, or Star Alliance. I’ve spent most of my life living in towns where United was the easiest airline to arrange. My home town was the destination for United’s first flight so they definitely had a foothold by the time I started traveling. But if another airline is better for a particular routing then so be it.