Internal flights in Europe

[Jude Starr]

Ok, so we are off to Europe in September (flying SQ). We will be travelling internally mainly by train, however there is one leg (Vienna to Berlin) that we would like to fly. I have never booked internal flights in Europe before, so I would like to pick the well travelled brains here to see what the best way/website to book the flights in question.

 

[ShaneN]

I suggest Cheap Flights, Discount Hotels and Package Holiday Deals on ZUJI.com.au

 

[Flashback]

Check out Cheap flights | Free flight comparison at Skyscanner.com.au and Travel Deals: Flights, Hotels and Holidays - Travel with Expedia to get an idea for who does the routes.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Sky scanner is best in my opinion. On that route, try Germanwings or Air Berlin for cheap flights.

 

[Jude Starr]

Awesome! I knew you guys could help me! Thanx!

 

[drewbles]

Can highly recommend Air Berlin (and you'll earn points on Oneworld FF programs too, booking class dependent). Every flight with them has been a joy (and a brilliant display of typical German efficiency!).

 

[Alanslegal]

Just a tip; I know you only require a one way fare, but when doing your search ... search one way, and then also search return fares. You can be surprised, very surprised! I have booked quite a few return fares and thrown away the return leg purely because I could save more than 50% than buying a single one way

 

[Jude Starr]

Hmmm, interesting. Thanx for the tip...will check it out.

 

[drewbles]

Just a tip; I know you only require a one way fare, but when doing your search ... search one way, and then also search return fares. You can be surprised, very surprised! I have booked quite a few return fares and thrown away the return leg purely because I could save more than 50% than buying a single one way

BA, AF, AB and other low cost carriers will do excursion (eg, one way) fares. Most other EU carriers still have the old 7/14/21 day advance, must-be-3-days-away-and-include-a-saturday-night mentality.

Unfortunately, it sucks. I found that when I was looking at hopping around Europe; I ended up on the train as the OP is. Train travel in Europe, in First. What a totally blissful way to travel (and something I want to do far far more of!).

 

[Jude Starr]

Totally agree about the trains. However this time we are travelling with my 70+ in-laws, and the Vienna-Berlin leg would, I feel, just be a bit long on the train. I have tried to keep all the intercity train trips less than 5 hours, which worked out well for the itinerary we want to do, except for the Vienna-Berlin bit. A flight will sort the problem.

 

[xt_20]

I took 3 Air Berlin flights a couple of years ago and they were excellent. Booked online from their website and paid using my Aussie credit card.
They even gave us the exit row for one of the flights without us asking (or having any status).
They gave some juice and biscuit on the flight (all flights were 45 mins to 1 hr). There was no english magazine/newspaper to read on board, but the flight attendants do speak english.

 

[whatmeworry]

Yeah go for Air Berlin. Much better experience then Germanwings and as said you can maybe earn points and SC's and perhaps enjoy some perks if you have status with a oneworld carrier.

 

[Flashback]

Yeah go for Air Berlin. Much better experience then Germanwings and as said you can maybe earn points and SC's and perhaps enjoy some perks if you have status with a oneworld carrier.

Just don't mention the war...:!:

 

[whatmeworry]

Uhhh the germans!!!

[video=youtube;VRTngtsOY8Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRTngtsOY8Q[/video]

 

[Balwyn3103]

You may not want to get off and on trains anymore nor do any more overnights but a delightful train journey is Vienna to Prague (about 5 hours) and then Prague to Berlin (about 5 hours). I've done both legs and loved it

 

[Jude Starr]

We did consider Prague, but to be honest none of us has a great interest in it, so we'd just be doing it for the sake of it. I'd rather have the extra day in Berlin.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I've used EasyJet, Malev (defunct), Sky Europe (defunct), BA and RyanAir a number of times for short hops. I'd base my flights on timings and price (not for earning miles/status, unless the 2nd option is very close to the cheapest). Most of Intra-Europe is a short hop, under ~2 hours. Book as early as possible, because prices do go up quickly (mainly during summer).
I had a German friend tell me that GermanWings is getting folded into LH and that LH is going to launch another LCC.

Will you be flying into the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport?

 

[Jude Starr]

OK, so I think we will be booking Berlin Air - good reports etc - not worried about points. Not sure it matters which airport we fly into...is this something I should think about in terms of where the airports are in relation to the city?

 

[Duffa]

Ok, so we are off to Europe in September (flying SQ). We will be travelling internally mainly by train, however there is one leg (Vienna to Berlin) that we would like to fly. I have never booked internal flights in Europe before, so I would like to pick the well travelled brains here to see what the best way/website to book the flights in question.

Just a query, but why are you thinking about trains? Last time we did intra-Europe (2009) the flights were less than HALF the train fares!!
Even within Germany, Berlin to Cologne was half the price, even including the fact that kids travelled free on the trains!!

Good luck

p.s. Skycanner is the best flight searcher.

 

[Jude Starr]

My husband and I travelled quite extensively by train on our last European trip and we quite like the trains - comfy seats in first class ( better than being crammed in economy class on a plane anyway) with the added bonus of seeing the countryside as we travel through it. We are planning quite a few stops (8 I think) which would mean a lot of time spent hanging around in airports if we did them all by air. With the Eurail pass it works out quite affordable. But, as they say, different stroke for different folks.