Question about flights -- when there will be stops

[ysolde]

Coming back from our TA, Regent will be flying us from Barcelona to Phoenix.  Now, I understand that they are supposed to fly us home in Business Class, but it is not clear to me whether that will only be for the international portion of the trip, or all the way home (since, AFAICT, there are no non-stop flights between BCN and PHX).  I mean, I imagine the trip will be something along the lines of BCN-MAD-DFW-PHX.  Or BCN-CDG-JFK-PHX.  Or BCN-CDG-LAX-PHX.  Or BCN-MAD-JFK-PHX.  The routes  are  endless, and if the last leg is in economy, if could be anything from a short hop to a fairly  long, rather uncomfortable few hours.   We have status  (low to mid-tier) with some airlines, none at all with others.  Would love to know whether we can expect to be sent home in business class all the way home, or only partway.  Not sure what to expect in this instance.

[NanJ0508]

We booked our air through Regent for our flights from SC to Vancouver for an Alaska cruise which sailed June 1. We paid extra for the upgrade to First Class and all legs of our flights were in First Class: Greenville/Spartanburg to Detroit to Toronto to Vancouver then on the return Anchorage to Chicago to GSP. This was our first cruise and one lesson we learned - pay for the "deviation" so you can hopefully get a better airline schedule. Waiting until Regent Air booked our flights (about 75 days out from sailing) meant our choices were non-existent to improve the schedule due to the current state of airline travel.

[Csphoenix]

We flew to Barcelona last year from Phoenix. We paid for the deviation and flew BA phx to London and then BA to Barcelona. The BA flight is great. 

[Go9ersjrh]

We are doing the opposite flight in August. LAX - BCN for a TA.  We got our flights yesterday and are flying 1st class LAX - ATL and then business class ATL - BCN.  I had the same question as you since there are no direct flights to or from BCN and the west coast.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Go9ersjrh

[GOARMY]

ysolde: 

 

Responding to your inquiry requires, as Dr. Evil opined in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery"

 

--Need more info.  Lots of variables come into play.  Like, how far out are you from that cruise?  As noted above, that makes a difference.  

 

If it is the same air carrier on ALL segments, whether going to, or returning from a cruise; and, if Regent has the requisite "contract" with that carrier--should be in Business Class, or the equivalent, on the domestic "leg" should you utilize Regent Air.  

 

But, again--we are back into that never-ending discussion--which has gone back FOR Years on CC.  Refer you to the first Thread--"Regent Flights - with or without Deviation", above.  This multi-year Thread may be of value as to whether to take the air credit, and be responsible for that element of a cruise; pay a Deviation Fee to Regent starting about 270 days from sail date; or wait for Regent to assign whatever is available (may require different carriers on the domestic segment) 75 days prior to sail.  

 

It "pays" to do your homework BEFORE going through your TA, or, given Regent's recently-announced procedure as to how it will handle air requests, putting this in Regent's hands.  At this point:  even a TA with good contacts with Regent Air cannot do much in the present environment.   Have at-least two options as to air carriers scoped-out should you decide to utilize Regent Air.  

 

Adding to the equation is--what we have recently experienced--airlines' continued habit of canceling flights, or rearranging schedules not allowing sufficient time to transition from one segment to the other.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2022 by GOARMY
Context

[ysolde]

7 minutes ago, GOARMY said:

ysolde: 

 

Responding to your inquiry requires, as Dr. Evil opined in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery"

 

--Need more info.  Lots of variables come into play.  Like, how far out are you from that cruise?  As noted above, that makes a difference.  

 

If it is the same air carrier on ALL segments, whether going to, or returning from a cruise; and, if Regent has the requisite "contract" with that carrier--should be in Business Class, or the equivalent, on the domestic "leg" should you utilize Regent Air.  

 

But, again--we are back into that never-ending discussion--which has gone back FOR Years on CC.  Refer you to the first Thread--"Regent Flights - with or without Deviation", above.  This multi-year Thread may be of value as to whether to take the air credit, and be responsible for that element of a cruise; pay a Deviation Fee to Regent starting about 270 days from sail date; or wait for Regent to assign whatever is available (may require different carriers on the domestic segment) 75 days prior to sail.  

 

It "pays" to do your homework BEFORE going through your TA, or, given Regent's recently-announced procedure as to how it will handle air requests, putting this in Regent's hands.  At this point:  even a TA with good contacts with Regent Air cannot do much in the present environment.   Have at-least two options as to air carriers scoped-out should you decide to utilize Regent Air.  

 

Adding to the equation is--what we have recently experienced--airlines' continued habit of canceling flights, or rearranging schedules not allowing sufficient time to transition from one segment to the other.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

Hi, GOARMY:  It's a TA in April 2023.  It leaves out of Miami, crosses the Atlantic, and ends up in Barcelona.  We live in Scottsdale.  We will be in economy on the PHX to MIA  log (unless we get upgraded -- not sure if we are eligible on a flight Regent arranges).  Anyhow, when we return, it's BCN back to PHX.  That's the leg we have questions about.  Will the entirety of the flight be in business class (Regent's website implies this), or only the first leg(s), the one(s) getting us from Europe to the US?

[Go9ersjrh]

Based on the flights I received yesterday, I believe your return flight home will be business(over the Atlantic) / 1st class (domestic).  I had the same question and decided to see what Regent would give us.  I'm very happy with our flights - 1st class to ATL from LAX then Business to Barcelona.  Our return flight from New York is economy which is what I expected.  The bonus is that the airline for the domestic flight is one that I have status on.  Overall a win for letting Regent do our air.

[ysolde]

22 minutes ago, Go9ersjrh said:

Based on the flights I received yesterday, I believe your return flight home will be business(over the Atlantic) / 1st class (domestic).  I had the same question and decided to see what Regent would give us.  I'm very happy with our flights - 1st class to ATL from LAX then Business to Barcelona.  Our return flight from New York is economy which is what I expected.  The bonus is that the airline for the domestic flight is one that I have status on.  Overall a win for letting Regent do our air.

I suspect this is what we will be getting (in the other direction): economy from PHX to MIA (probably on an airline on which we have status) Business BCN to US, then F US domestic.  It should be a lovely end to a really great cruise.

[2012_Alaska_bound]

I did the TA this past April. Paid for a deviation so I could go a day early to Miami, and come home 15 days later after the cruise. Traveled in Spain and Portugal before returning home. Learned you are allowed to deviate up to 30 days with Regent air deviation, and they had no problem booking me from an entirely different city. Very nice.

 

I had Economy to Miami on American.

 

Regent put me on Iberia Business class for all flights home! I happened to go Porto (was on a river cruise after the TA) to Madrid to LAX to Tucson. Both my Porto to Madrid and my LAX to Tucson (AA) were business class which I wasn't expecting!

I really like Iberia (great 1-2-1 flatbed setup with very good food and wine), but I would look for at least a 3 hour layover in Madrid to change planes. 2 hours was barely enough.

Edited June 11, 2022 by 2012_Alaska_bound
updated info

[mrstanley]

Hi Alaska Bound,

 

You mentioned u stayed 15 days abroad after your cruise and flew home from a different city from where u disembarked.

 

I always thought u had to return to the port of disembarkation to fly home. 
 

No problem with Regent doing your return flight from a different city?

[2012_Alaska_bound]

1 minute ago, mrstanley said:

Hi Alaska Bound,

 

You mentioned u stayed 15 days abroad after your cruise and flew home from a different city from where u disembarked.

 

I always thought u had to return to the port of disembarkation to fly home. 
 

No problem with Regent doing your return flight from a different city?

 

 

No problem, all I can think is because we had done the deviation which covers the non gateway part! We were surprised too! Especially surprised when they told us the 30 day plus or minus rule.

[ysolde]

2 hours ago, 2012_Alaska_bound said:

I did the TA this past April. Paid for a deviation so I could go a day early to Miami, and come home 15 days later after the cruise. Traveled in Spain and Portugal before returning home. Learned you are allowed to deviate up to 30 days with Regent air deviation, and they had no problem booking me from an entirely different city. Very nice.

 

I had Economy to Miami on American.

 

Regent put me on Iberia Business class for all flights home! I happened to go Porto (was on a river cruise after the TA) to Madrid to LAX to Tucson. Both my Porto to Madrid and my LAX to Tucson (AA) were business class which I wasn't expecting!

I really like Iberia (great 1-2-1 flatbed setup with very good food and wine), but I would look for at least a 3 hour layover in Madrid to change planes. 2 hours was barely enough.

We had a five hour layover in MAD going from JFK to TLV a few years ago (just before the pandemic), which was perfect to go to the lounge, get something to eat, freshen up, and even nap a little.  And I agree that Iberia's long-haul business class seats are quite comfortable these days.

[Brownie54]

When you deviate, your travel can begin up to 30 days before your cruise begins, AND can extend up to 30 days after you disembark, or at least that is what we’ve been told.

We were on the Splendor TA this spring and disembarked in Trieste, traveled in Italy for 12 days, and flew home on Regent Air from Milan to London to Baltimore, all in Business class on British Airways. Yes, we love that British Airways  flight from Heathrow to BWI!

[ssawjo]

YSOLE:  FYI, we received our flights just yesterday for a cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town in November.  Our routing is British Airways to LHR and BA to Lisbon.  Our return is CPT to LHR via BA and then LHR to Phoenix via American, all four segments are non-stops.  You can get anywhere in the world it seems from Heathrow via BA.  My guess is your return itinerary will be basically the same, except a flight from BCN.   

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, mrstanley said:

Hi Alaska Bound,

 

You mentioned u stayed 15 days abroad after your cruise and flew home from a different city from where u disembarked.

 

I always thought u had to return to the port of disembarkation to fly home. 
 

No problem with Regent doing your return flight from a different city?

I can concur with this.  We had a cruise end in Lima, and had Regent fly us back from Guyaquil in Ecuador, about ten days later.

[Steve Q]

We sailed the transatlantic in March from Miami to Rome. The return flights were business class from Rome to JFK and first class from JFK to Dallas. Both flights were on Delta.