These days, “budget European travel” includes point-to-point flights within Europe. When I started traveling, no one spending their own money bought one-way air tickets within Europe. It was prohibitively expensive. Nowadays, before buying any long-distance train or bus ticket, I look into flying, and, routinely, it’s cheaper to fly than to make the trip on the ground, especially when you consider all the advantages of flying.
Here’s something my husband, David, and I learned on a 2012 trip to Europe: don’t be afraid of public transportation, even when you are pressed for time. There are times when it really is your best option.
Ever since November 2012, when Kayak.com — the long-used, independent travel search engine — was purchased by Priceline.com, I have no longer been depending on it as an independent source of the best airfares.
The information given at the time of the purchase said KAYAK would remain an independent unit of Priceline. And, indeed, KAYAK looks and works the same, but now when you “select” a ticket option on KAYAK, you are not always sent to that airline’s website. Kayak sometimes sends you to Priceline.com or other booking sites.
American Airlines and US Airways finalized their merger deal on Dec. 9, becoming the world’s biggest airline. Under the name American Airlines, it will offer 6,700 flights daily to 330 destinations in 50-plus countries.
US Airways’ shuttles may operate under the old name for up to two years, as it will take many months to merge the airlines’ booking and code-sharing systems and sort out routes and terminals. However, the frequent-flyer programs were expected to be merged in January, with members retaining flyer miles from both airlines.
In France, check out the cheap bus transportation between the Nice-Côte d’Azur airport and Riviera towns.
My husband, David, and I often visit my French mother in Juan-les-Pins, which is between Cannes and Nice. In the past, we took the No. 200 bus from the gare routière (bus station) at Nice’s Terminal 1, but that stop was discontinued.
The Cook Islands is a lovely vacation destination in the South Pacific, but in early April ’13 my companion and I used the Cooks as a stopover for three days, recovering from our 9-hour flight from Los Angeles before continuing on to New Zealand.
An added incentive from the airline, Air New Zealand — a business-class ticket with a Cooks stopover cost almost $1,700 less than a nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Auckland.
Wanda Bahde’s letter “Waterways of the Czars” (Feb. ’13, pg. 24), regarding her June 23-July 6, 2012, cruise-tour in Russia with Viking River Cruises (800/304-9616), was spot on. My wife, Paula, and I took the same cruise-tour (albeit in the opposite direction, from Moscow to St. Petersburg), May 17-29, 2013. I would like to supplement her excellent letter with some additional recommendations for those planning a similar trip.
by Steve Lopes; Lawrence, KS
Ouch! What a horrifying story (Nov. ’13, pgs. 2 & 66) — four-and-a-half days in transit from India to California! I commend the Burges for their self-restraint and resilience. Had I been in either of their shoes, I would now be awaiting trial in New York City for manslaughter. Maybe multiple counts of manslaughter.
Much of the Arrivals terminal of Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was destroyed by fire on Aug. 7, 2013. My spouse, sister-in-law, brother-in-law and I passed through the airport twice while visiting Kenya in late August and early September. I thought I would share our experience plus some tips.