Flights from UK to Alaska (anyway)

[Louand66]

Hi all,

 

I wonder if some kind person could help me a little.

 

We are doing a Land Cruise from Fairbank and then a cruise which finishes in Vancouver.

 

So basically we need to get from London to Fairbanks via somewhere and then Vancouver to London.

 

Just wondered if anybody had done this journey and could advice in any way.

 

Head Spinning with so many options and Im getting nowhere.

 

Any help greatly apprechated.

 

Many thanks

 

 

[6rugrats]

Dates?  Class of service?

[Tapi]

Doing a quick search for flights this summer, it seems like your best bet may be Delta Air Lines. 
 

They fly from London Heathrow to Seattle and then on to Fairbanks. 
 

For the return both British Airways and Air Canada fly nonstop from Vancouver to London Heathrow.

 

If mixing and matching airlines is too expensive, you can price the entire trip on Delta. On the way there you can fly London-Seattle-Fairbanks, and then for the return you can fly Vancouver-Seattle-London.

[FlyerTalker]

Many other options.

 

I suggest that you do some searches with ITA Matrix:

 

matrix.itasoftware.com

 

Delta itineraries seem to be running the cheapest, but if you are wanting to collect Avios, then you can easily fly American/British in/out of Seattle, with connections to their OneWorld partner Alaska.

 

Don't make this harder than it really is.

 

 

[Gardyloo]

Well if it was me I'd fly from Newquay to Dublin, connecting to Aer Lingus' nonstop to Seattle.  Note this year (not sure when you're traveling) that might entail an overnight in Dublin, owing to the arrival times of the daily flight from NQY and the departure time for the Seattle flight (too close together) but that might change by next year.  You'd likely have to spend a night near Heathrow, anyway, if you flew to North America from there.  

 

One benefit of flying out of Dublin is that you pre-clear US border controls (immigration and customs) at DUB, so when you arrive in the US it's like you're on a domestic flight.  You could spend the night in Seattle, or connect on Alaska Airlines (an Aer Lingus and BA partner) up to Anchorage or Fairbanks right away.  Your bags would be checked through; you'd just go to the departing gate at SEA and off you go.  Mind you, that's a long day of travel, but it's a long way.  

 

Coming back, I'd probably do something similar in reverse, Vancouver > Seattle > Dublin > Newquay.  Not sure on the timing, but probably it would involve another night in Dublin owing to the connection details for DUB-NQY.  Still, you'd avoid Heathrow, which in the peak season would be worth something to me.  

[Louand66]

On 2/7/2023 at 4:36 PM, Gardyloo said:

Assuming you're flying out of London, then flying to Seattle (nonstop on British Airways, American Airlines, Delta, or Virgin Atlantic) will let you connect to direct flights to Fairbanks easily (operated by Alaska Airlines, a BA partner, or Delta, which is also a Virgin Atlantic partner.)

 

However if you want to fly out of Plymouth instead of schlepping to London, you might consider Aer Lingus to Dublin, connecting to Aer Lingus' nonstop to Seattle.  One advantage of going via Dublin is that one "pre-clears" US immigration and customs at Dublin airport, so that when you arrive in the US it's just like coming off a domestic flight - collect bags and off you go, or if you're continuing to Alaska, your bags will be checked through so you'd just go to the connecting flight.  

 

Now all that said, can I comment on your overall plan, and make a (big) suggestion?

 

Do the trip in reverse.  Fly nonstop to Vancouver (British Airways, Air Canada) and cruise northbound. 

 

Why?  A couple of reasons.  First, the weather in interior Alaska (Fairbanks, Denali) will have more time to improve.  June is still pretty early for those parts of the state.

 

Second and more importantly (IMO) is the time change factor.  Flying across nine time zones and landing in Fairbanks in June, when it really doesn't get dark at all, then climbing on a tour bus and get herded about, is not my idea of a relaxing time.  You'll be staring out the bus windows through bleary eyes, and the scheduling of stops and excursions will be pretty hard on your jetlagged systems.  

 

Instead, fly into Vancouver (8 hours difference) and when you get on the cruise ship, the first couple of days don't involve any stops; you'll be sailing through beautiful Inside Passage waters.  If you want to nap, fine, nothing to stop you.  You'll arrive in Alaska more rested and ready to hit the streets with more energy.  

 

Do think about it, okay?

 

On 4/2/2023 at 7:51 PM, 6rugrats said:

Dates?  Class of service?