Flying Brisbane to San Juan

[auspal]

We are taking a cruise from San Juan next year and wondering the best airline to use ? Its not a part of the world that I am familiar with. I would possibly like a stop over on the way there and back. We are flying from Brisbane or Gold Coast.

 

[Anna]

There are lots of choices, but I usually fly Qantas over the Pacific, then AA to Miami and San Juan (SJU).

AA also routes to SJU via other cities than MIA. I have done via CLT once because it had the best timing departing SJU.

My tip is not to try to fly all the way to SJU from Australia in one go - I could not move my neck properly for 3 days after doing that once. Now I take an overnight stop en route somewhere - sometimes in LA, sometimes in MIA.

After the cruise, assuming you are scheduled to dock at 6am, I wouldn't book a flight departing SJU earlier than 10am.

If you like quirky hotels, the Gallery Inn in SJU is really nice.

 

[auspal]

Thank you , that is very helpful and gives me somewhere to start.

 

[Anna]

You can book to SJU pretty easily on the QF website. You can use the multicity tool if you want to factor in stopovers along the way.

If you want to attempt a higher degree of difficulty, you could book your trans Pacific and your domestic US flights separately and take advantage of the AA discounted first class or business class fares for the extra SC earn for not much more than a Y fare. I wouldn't recommend this for a novice. If you attempt it, the main traps are that you won't be able to check bags all the way to your final destination so you have to allow plenty of time for rechecking bags between QF and AA sectors, and if there are delays on one airline the other airline will not necessarily help you out if you miss a connection. Also sometimes if you book on the AA website it does not ticket easily so you have to ring up to get it ticketed.

Another tip for flying in the US is do not lock your suitcases. Even if it is supposedly a TSA-friendly lock the TSA will just hack through them and damage them. Obviously this means don't pack anything you couldn't bear to lose in your suitcase!

Have a great cruise - please post in the cruise thread

 

[TomVexille]

You can book to SJU pretty easily on the QF website. You can use the multicity tool if you want to factor in stopovers along the way.

If you want to attempt a higher degree of difficulty, you could book your trans Pacific and your domestic US flights separately and take advantage of the AA discounted first class or business class fares for the extra SC earn for not much more than a Y fare. I wouldn't recommend this for a novice. If you attempt it, the main traps are that you won't be able to check bags all the way to your final destination so you have to allow plenty of time for rechecking bags between QF and AA sectors, and if there are delays on one airline the other airline will not necessarily help you out if you miss a connection. Also sometimes if you book on the AA website it does not ticket easily so you have to ring up to get it ticketed.

Another tip for flying in the US is do not lock your suitcases. Even if it is supposedly a TSA-friendly lock the TSA will just hack through them and damage them. Obviously this means don't pack anything you couldn't bear to lose in your suitcase!

Have a great cruise - please post in the cruise thread

That would work really well if the OP want's to stopover in LA both ways.

As for locks, I've had one go missing once, but they are rather flimsy. TSA are actually capable of opening locks and replacing them unbroken, even if the contents of your bag have been completely re-arranged.

 

[Anna]

TSA are actually capable of opening locks and replacing them unbroken, even if the contents of your bag have been completely re-arranged.

yes they are occasionally capable of that, but I've had enough damaged locks that I now just don't bother to lock at all. The TSA at PDX are the worst IME. Damage and/or small items missing almost every time - probably fell on to the floor as they rummaged through and not put back.

A relative who lives in the US and flies a lot told me that he thinks foreign bags that are locked are a red rag to the TSA

 

[TomVexille]

A relative who lives in the US and flies a lot told me that he thinks foreign bags that are locked are a red rag to the TSA

Certainly wouldn't surprise me

 

[auspal]

We are thinking of a stopover in Miami and one in LA so that would work well. I like the sound of the discounted AA airfares, but not the luggage issues.

 

[SYD]

I'm booked for March next year but QF J award to LAX (and back) then AA 1st to SJU. Still deciding what to do after our cruise.

I was looking at paid flights for a friend. Y+ out of SYD to SJU was coming up for ~$3000 Ret. Options via LAX and DFW. AA flights book into whY but all on same booking.

AY RTW fare is another option if you want to make a real trip out of it. AY RTW fares include AA sectors across the US. They have a seasonal flight MIA-HEL Oct thru Mar.

 

[auspal]

Thank you for the suggestions, our cruise isnt until Dec 2018 so plenty of time to look at options. Might consider the RTW idea.

 

[auspal]

Just looked at Finnair RTW business class, very reasonable !!

 

[SYD]

Just looked at Finnair RTW business class, very reasonable !!

Yes. Certainly compared to readily available OW / *A RTW fares (albeit they have greater coverage) and HEL is a breeze to transit!

AY is tad more than the other Euro carriers that do good RTW fares ex-OZ eg LH, LX and OS but you have to pay extra for QF trans Pacific and trans-America flights. So if you want a couple of stops in the USA, including SJU, it could work out good value - especially if a European Christmas works!

BNE <--> LAX on QF should be included plus AA across the US. Flights to/from Asia - usually via SIN, HKG and BKK. Depending on options ex-BNE.

All of carriers usually include a number of free stopovers. You then pay a fee for additional stopovers. Any descent TA can work out pricing - which can vary wildly depending on airport taxes.

 

[auspal]

Yes, I will be going to a TA for the booking, thanks for sharing your knowledge .