Economy Air to Europe

Hello all. We are going to be flying from Chicago to Europe in an Economy class seat. How bad is it really? We don't want to shell out the extra cash for Business, we want to use it for our cruise instead. Any info would be helpful.

Hello all. We are going to be flying from Chicago to Europe in an Economy class seat. How bad is it really? We don't want to shell out the extra cash for Business, we want to use it for our cruise instead. Any info would be helpful.

First off, Chicago to Europe isn't really all that long, depending on where you are going. Chicago to Dublin or London is in the air for something like 8 hours, which isn't as bad as it sounds. A couple more to places like Rome, Helsinki, etc. If you can figure out a way to sleep or have access to movies, it goes by even quicker.

That being said, the airline really does matter. Not all airlines are the same. Even within an airline, not all aircraft are the same. Example: American Airlines has personal TVs on 777s, but not on 767s. Both of those fly to Europe from Chicago.

We need more details like where you are going, and then we might be able to recommend an airline that offers more comfort and/or better service. Often European airlines are slightly better...but not always (Iberia and Alitalia are, in my personal opinion, terrible airlines).

Don't waste your money on business class. The flight is relatively short and those thousands of dollars can go a long way to making your sea and land-based adventures more enjoyable.

Thank you for the reply. We are flying to Copenhagen on hopefully an overnight flight. This is our first time overseas and our longest flight has been about 2 hours so we have nothing to compare to.

Thank you for the reply. We are flying to Copenhagen on hopefully an overnight flight. This is our first time overseas and our longest flight has been about 2 hours so we have nothing to compare to.

There are no day flights to Copenhagen, so it will be an overnight with one possible exception that I will explain later.

The quickest and easiest way is the nonstop on Scandinavian Airlines (aka SAS) from ORD to CPH. This is an overnight flight that operates 7x weekly, I believe (one flight each night).

Other options are overnight flights from Chicago to Frankfurt or Munich (United or Lufthansa), Stockholm (SAS), Dublin (Aer Lingus), Paris (Air France) or Zurich (Swiss), connecting on to Copenhagen. They are all solid airlines that offer fine products. Out of all of those, with comfort and service being key, I would either take the nonstop on SAS or the Swiss flight via Zurich.

So the exception to the overnight rule is this - take the day time AA flight from Chicago to London, overnight in London (at an airport hotel), and catch a flight the next day to Copenhagen on British Airways (they partner). You can do it all on one ticket, and the day flight from Chicago to London can really help with any possible jet lag. You wake up in Chicago, catch a flight, get to London at night, and fall asleep at a normal hour. Wake up the next morning (or afternoon) and catch a flight to Denmark. Just another idea to consider. However, you do incur a hotel night in London.

I fly Chicago to Manchester, UK, on AA about every 18 mths in an economy aisle seat--and have done so for about 20 years. I take an inflatable pillow for extra lumbar support and a neck pillow that is flat in the back. I don't watch the movies and try to doze between meals--sometimes I manage to fall asleep. I also now take an eye mask and ear plugs that help with sleeping. Meals are okay --had a delicious basil pasta dish on the last flight. Take a bottle of water to stay fully hydrated; Air on a plane is quite dry. While I would love to be in the wider seats in business class I simply cannot afford to do so. Economy is tolerable if you go prepared.

I'm of the opposite opinion. Starting off a vacation feeling like a pretzel and sleep deprived just doesn't work for me. I'd gladly pay the added cost for a business class ticket--particularly if you can get the lay flat beds which will give you a good 5-6 hours of sleep.

In my opinion if you're spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, the investment of a couple thousand more to start the trip on the wrong foot is the right way to go.

I'm of the opposite opinion. Starting off a vacation feeling like a pretzel and sleep deprived just doesn't work for me. I'd gladly pay the added cost for a business class ticket--particularly if you can get the lay flat beds which will give you a good 5-6 hours of sleep.

 

In my opinion if you're spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, the investment of a couple thousand more to start the trip on the wrong foot is the right way to go.

To each their own. If I have the option of spending thousands to get a nicer room (for example) on a 7-day cruise or thousands to get a larger seat on a 16-hour roundtrip...well, the MBA in me says the dollar:hour ratio makes it a very easy decision.

But hey...we all get to decide what we do with our own money.

Hello all. We are going to be flying from Chicago to Europe in an Economy class seat. How bad is it really? We don't want to shell out the extra cash for Business, we want to use it for our cruise instead. Any info would be helpful.

I don't know your travel dates, but look at flying Icelandair if you want to save money. You'd have to start on an AC flight to probably Toronto (YYZ), but then connect to Icelandair in Iceland (KEF) and you could break up your journey with an overnight or longer there.

Economy isn't fun on any airline, and I like business when I can upgrade at no charge, but I'm not going to pay cash for it!

I don't know your travel dates, but look at flying Icelandair if you want to save money. You'd have to start on an AC flight to probably Toronto (YYZ), but then connect to Icelandair in Iceland (KEF) and you could break up your journey with an overnight or longer there.

 

Economy isn't fun on any airline, and I like business when I can upgrade at no charge, but I'm not going to pay cash for it!

I would avoid going through Toronto. You will then incur Canadian taxes which can be quite high. If OP absolutely wants to take Icelandair, there are several cities in the US they fly out of, thus avoiding the extra costs of going via Canada.

That being said, it does add an extra stop (2 stops instead of 1) to go through Iceland.

I would avoid going through Toronto. You will then incur Canadian taxes which can be quite high. If OP absolutely wants to take Icelandair, there are several cities in the US they fly out of, thus avoiding the extra costs of going via Canada.

 

That being said, it does add an extra stop (2 stops instead of 1) to go through Iceland.

Yes, but no gateway city is particularly close to ORD. OP will have to check his/her dates. Some dates, Icelandair is lower than SAS, some dates it's higher.

IIRC, you can take Icelandair from MSP.

IIRC, you can take Icelandair from MSP.

You can. Summer seasonal, I believe. Same as Washington Dulles.

Boston and NYC are year-round and about the same distance as Toronto from Chicago (not much further in reality), and it would avoid the Canadian taxes.

To each their own. If I have the option of spending thousands to get a nicer room (for example) on a 7-day cruise or thousands to get a larger seat on a 16-hour roundtrip...well, the MBA in me says the dollar:hour ratio makes it a very easy decision.

 

But hey...we all get to decide what we do with our own money.

For port intensive European cruises I'll take the cheap seats as long as they've got a queen bed and portholes. We were only in the cabin to sleep and shower. In the Caribbean I agree, I wouldn't sail without a balcony. But I'd also be more inclined to accept an economy seat on a four hour daytime flight than an eight+ hour overnight flight.

Just as a general comment. There are many flights to Europe from the US and the overwhelming number of passengers fly economy. The vast majority of these by far make it without any problems. So unless you have a some special case economy should be no problem

We've done both thanks to frequent upgrades and of course business class is preferred, but if I'm paying, it's economy. I think of it as someone paying me $300 an hour to sit back there ;). Drinks are still free :)

We've done both thanks to frequent upgrades and of course business class is preferred, but if I'm paying, it's economy. I think of it as someone paying me $300 an hour to sit back there ;). Drinks are still free :)

On the American flagged airlines the drinks (if you mean alcohol) aren't free in economy (aka steerage) to Europe. :D

On the American flagged airlines the drinks (if you mean alcohol) aren't free in economy (aka steerage) to Europe. :D

Delta offers it to Europe - "On international flights of approximately six hours or longer, beer, wine and sake are complimentary. On all intra-Asia flights, we offer complementary beer, wine and sake." http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/economy_class/dining.jsp

I thought American started it earlier this year too, but I cannot find proof on their website (granted I didn't look long). It was a big deal earlier this year, and I thought was going to start in February or March 2012.

Delta offers it to Europe - "On international flights of approximately six hours or longer, beer, wine and sake are complimentary. On all intra-Asia flights, we offer complementary beer, wine and sake." http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/economy_class/dining.jsp

 

I thought American started it earlier this year too, but I cannot find proof on their website (granted I didn't look long). It was a big deal earlier this year, and I thought was going to start in February or March 2012.

You are correct--American did start offering complimentary beer and wine in the main cabin on international flights in Feb 2012. Here is link http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/intl_beer-wine.jsp?anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=beerandwine

The few $$'s extra we usually pay for "economy comfort" if offered by the carrier we're using is well worth it..A little bit better than just economy on an International flight....JMHO ;)

Even better, though, to buy true premium economy, which is a real step up in the overall experience from economy but still only a fraction of the price of business class.

If its an overnight flight in cattle class then hopefully everyone will have dinner, watch a movie and then try to settle down sitting almost upright with knees tucked under their chin and no screaming child kicking the back of their seat while oblivious mommy gets quietly, and then loudly blitzed. Can you spot the voice of experience here? :). Seriously, unless you are one of those freaks who can fall fast asleep while the flight attendants are still strapped in after takeoff and wakes up again when they strap in again for landing (ie, our son) then at least take some good earplugs - the foamy ones that mould to your ear canal are the best - and some good blackout eye shades. Personally I prefer to start my cruise as a more or less functioning human being, not a sleep deprived zombie so for long haul I spring for Business or at least Premium Economy (if available). But of course it's a personal choice and everyone has one.

I have never flown first class and probably never will, so I don't know what I'm missing. :)

With that said, I have flown 8 times overseas and 4 times to South America in Economy and don't have a problem with that. DH is 6'4" and thin and does need to get up and stretch often, but you should do that anyway. We do not sleep soundly, but cat nap. If we are cruising, we always go a day before and use that to catch up on our rest.

We can do so much more with our travel funds than pay for first class seats. So, I guess you have to decide for yourself, what your comfort level is and how much you are willing to spend.

OP... good advice has been given about ear plugs, eye masks, etc.. I also take some snacks, if you don't like the meal and I take a small blanket because I'm always cold.