Flight only to USA

jackieblack

lr1277 wrote: »

1) Bags for liquids etc. Either supply your own or get them free at Heathrow. I would imagine this is the same at other UK airports. US airports charge for the plastic bags.

Which airports have you been charged at?
(I've never been charged for a plastic bag at any airport in the USA :huh:)

lr1277

jackieblack wrote: »

Which airports have you been charged at?
(I've never been charged for a plastic bag at any airport in the USA :huh:)

Well LAX definitely, but that was 10 years ago. Technically they didn't charge, but they didn't hand them out for free like at Heathrow. So I had to go into the nearby airport shop and buy them and then rejoin the security queue (at the start).

Have returned from Albany and JFK since then, and to be absolutely honest I don't remember. There is the possibility that I was so annoyed by my experience at LAX, that I may have kept the plastic bags for the return journey ever since then.

However the OP indicated they had never travelled to the US before, so I thought I would mention it.

securityguy

It's 3 hours 40 from Seattle to Portland, OR by train on the Cascades, 4h15m on the Coast Starlight, five trains per day (four Cascades, one Starlight), $26 each in (perfectly comfortable) normal class, a bit more if you want to get fancy. Nice views, too, particularly on the Starlight.

Fly to Seattle (BA operate direct with their own flights, VA is a Delta code-share as others have pointed out). Spend the night, or a couple of nights, there, because it's a nice place. Get the train. Sorted.

I had cause to do a similar trip a couple of years ago when I couldn't get a direct flight to Vancouver at sensible money so flew to Seattle, spent a weekend there and got the train north. And very nice it was too.

patgc

Thank you for that. Will keep a copy with each passport just in case.

securityguy

Or, of course, fly to San Francisco, for which you have huge choices, and then get the train north.

FunTime

patgc wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and advice. You have all been a great help to. Now to try and make a decision Direct/Economy, or 1 stop Premium Economy.

If you are going Premium Economy, this would be my choice;





Specifically to include BA 283/BA 282 outbound/inbound as that is on the A380 to and from LAX. World Traveller Plus is upstairs. So should be quiet and comfortable and perhaps a new experience for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znHHXjN42b8 PE starts at 1:54

Virgin's Premium Economy may offer better service and a more comfortable seat, but is a couple of hundred pounds more:

dzug1

The airline will check you have an ESTA or visa when you check in - at least in theory you can't leave for the US without one.


No printout needed

securityguy

"World Traveller Plus is upstairs"

Is it? I flew WTP a couple of weeks ago on a 747-400 and it was downstairs, between Club and Y.

SW17

dzug1 wrote: »

The airline will check you have an ESTA or visa when you check in - at least in theory you can't leave for the US without one.


No printout needed

In theory? In what circumstances are you aware that an airline would allow you to board a flight to the USA without the necessary paperwork?

The printout is not required, but it's useful to have. It's helped me on 2 occasions (out of dozens of entries since the ESTA came in). Both times I'm sure I would have got through without the printout, but a lot of time was saved by having it.

richardw

securityguy wrote: »

"World Traveller Plus is upstairs"

Is it?

Yes on BA A380 aircraft.
No on BA B747 aircraft.