Your Thoughts Please: BOS, JFK, ATL or EWR

[MustBCruzn]

DH and I will be flying RT to Rome for a cruise next June. In doing mock bookings, it appears prices for business class are very similiar for Non-stop flights from BOS, JFK, and EWR...with flights from ATL quite a bit more. We will be flying in from COS the day before and spending the night in a hotel near the airport. Do you frequent flyers have a preference among these departure airports? With all the airport horror stories right now, I'd really appreciate your input.

[Gardyloo]

I personally don't like staying overnight near JFK.  The hotel choices (in my experience, but others might disagree) are poor and overpriced.  Of the three, I'd go with Boston, but I'd also pay attention to the carrier.  I assume Boston - Rome will be on Delta, which offers a solid business class product.

 

Transatlantic flights from the US northeast tend to leave around dinnertime and arrive in Europe in the morning.  If you're flying in the day before, you'll have most of a whole day at leisure in the departure city.  That being the case, being stuck in Queens (JFK) or Newark (EWR) for the day wouldn't be much to my liking, while staying close to BOS would allow you to take the subway into the city for a pleasant half day or so.  

[Zach1213]

I would second Boston for the main reason of having access to the city very easily and very cheaply...and you can even just stay in the city. It's not even a competition to me - Boston winds hands down over NYC or ATL. 

 

Two things to consider, though I would put less weight in them - quality of the flight itself (what airline, what aircraft type, etc.) and quality of the lounge(s) at each airport. But, I would personally even be willing to take a knock on both of those to give myself some time to explore a great city like Boston along the way. 

[MustBCruzn]

Thank you both, Gardyloo and Zach1213. Boston it is. Tthis is exactly the information I was looking for. I really appreciate it.

[FlyerTalker]

I wouldn't be so fast to book Boston, @MustBCruzn.

 

How about thinking a little bit differently - with your break in Europe instead.

 

For example, you could fly out of Denver on AF through Paris.  Leave Denver at 5:20pm, arrive Paris at 10:40am.  Utilizing the 24 hour connection rule, you could then fly the next day to Rome at 9:15am arriving at 11:20am.  This would give you a single through fare from DEN to FCO without breaking it with a stopover that would result in separate prices to Boston then Boston to FCO.

 

Another option would be through London.  BA leaves DEN at 7:35pm arriving LHR at 11:30am.  You could then fly the next morning at 10:35am arriving FCO at 2:25pm.  Again, just a single through fare DEN to FCO.  And if you need to get to Rome earlier, there are earlier flights leaving LHR -- I just picked this one to give you the max time in London.

 

In addition to the possible fare advantages, you also get to experience the business class flight for a bit longer duration, thus maximizing sleep.  Both LHR and CDG has train service from the airport to the city.

 

Just food for additional thought.

 

[MustBCruzn]

13 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

I wouldn't be so fast to book Boston, @MustBCruzn.

 

How about thinking a little bit differently - with your break in Europe instead.

 

For example, you could fly out of Denver on AF through Paris.  Leave Denver at 5:20pm, arrive Paris at 10:40am.  Utilizing the 24 hour connection rule, you could then fly the next day to Rome at 9:15am arriving at 11:20am.  This would give you a single through fare from DEN to FCO without breaking it with a stopover that would result in separate prices to Boston then Boston to FCO.

 

Another option would be through London.  BA leaves DEN at 7:35pm arriving LHR at 11:30am.  You could then fly the next morning at 10:35am arriving FCO at 2:25pm.  Again, just a single through fare DEN to FCO.  And if you need to get to Rome earlier, there are earlier flights leaving LHR -- I just picked this one to give you the max time in London.

 

In addition to the possible fare advantages, you also get to experience the business class flight for a bit longer duration, thus maximizing sleep.  Both LHR and CDG has train service from the airport to the city.

 

Just food for additional thought.

 

 

Wow! Thank you. This is excellent information. I'll play with those options.

[FlyerTalker]

One more that I missed....Lufthansa through either Frankfurt or Munich.

 

If you have questions on how this works, feel free to ask.