Cheapest flights/routes from USA to SCQ?

[sjf]

I'll be walking from Sarria in October and I'm trying to figure out the least expensive way to get to SCQ from the east coast of the US. When I search for return flights to SCQ, they're coming in at $1500+. If I search for flights to Madrid, return is $800, and a return MAD-SCQ is $200 or so. That's a lot closer to what I was hoping to pay!

Can anyone tell me which European cities are the main transfer points for direct flights to SCQ? As I search for flights, do I have any options other than Madrid? And am I missing an obvious connection?

I don't mind if the trip takes a while, but. I'm on a limited budget. Where should I look for inexpensive flights? Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[mspath]

From the east cost of the US have you considered flying to Paris and then taking another connecting flight from Paris to Santiago. Check out some different departures ie Boston, Washington, NYC and transport possibilities on
www.cheapflights.com to see various companies/destinations/prices.

Happy planning, Bon voyage and Buen camino

 

[Jersey]

I'm heading to Spain in a few weeks. This is my second year in a row traveling to Spain so I've spent a decent amount of time looking at flights. ( direct flights are a priority for me )
I'm in North Jersey & my best option is a direct flight out of JFK to Madrid.
The train between Madrid & Santiago is around five hours & about $35-$45
The Spanish trains are much nicer than our's here in the USA.
plenty of room, clean, very scenic ride & the snack bar is pretty decent.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Haul yourself on a super bargain, first come first get, Ryanair flight from Santiago to Madrid. Or a bus to Madrid. Train option varries with hotel train or not.

 

[sjf]

Thank you all! I'll look into Paris and also price out the train from Madrid. I was there earlier this year and it was an easy and gentle transfer from MAD to Atocha to Sevilla. For some reason, I thought the journey to Santiago was a lot more than 5 hours. Your suggestions are great and very much appreciated,

 

[nycwalking]

Check Norwegian Air. They are advertising cheap flights USA to Madrid. Bus or train to Sarria is fine. Buses in Spain are very clean and trains as well.
Good luck.
Buen camino.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Travel time can change based on transport mode: it's a plain, a train ...google rome2rio

 

[Jersey]

Haul yourself on a super bargain, first come first get, Ryanair flight from Santiago to Madrid. Or a bus to Madrid. Train option varries with hotel train or not.

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention the hotel train.
Excellent option if you are not in a hurry.
11 maybe 12 hours overnight. I took it last year La Coruna to Madrid.
I think it was 80 or 90 Euros.

 

[Jersey]

Thank you all! I'll look into Paris and also price out the train from Madrid. I was there earlier this year and it was an easy and gentle transfer from MAD to Atocha to Sevilla. For some reason, I thought the journey to Santiago was a lot more than 5 hours. Your suggestions are great and very much appreciated,

It's right around 5 hours.

 

[KinkyOne]

I'll be walking from Sarria in October and I'm trying to figure out the least expensive way to get to SCQ from the east coast of the US. When I search for return flights to SCQ, they're coming in at $1500+. If I search for flights to Madrid, return is $800, and a return MAD-SCQ is $200 or so. That's a lot closer to what I was hoping to pay!

Can anyone tell me which European cities are the main transfer points for direct flights to SCQ? As I search for flights, do I have any options other than Madrid? And am I missing an obvious connection?

I don't mind if the trip takes a while, but. I'm on a limited budget. Where should I look for inexpensive flights? Thanks for any suggestions!

Don't know where you got that prices and exactly where you want to fly from but skyscanner.com gave me much cheaper flights from (example) SF & LA to Europe. For September that is!!!

 

[hotelmedicis]

Fly to Madrid (check airfare on skyscanner.net ) and then train to Santiago.

 

[linkster]

@sjf checkout google flights. You can track flights etc. I find it very helpful.

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

I'll be walking from Sarria in October and I'm trying to figure out the least expensive way to get to SCQ from the east coast of the US. When I search for return flights to SCQ, they're coming in at $1500+. If I search for flights to Madrid, return is $800, and a return MAD-SCQ is $200 or so. That's a lot closer to what I was hoping to pay!

Can anyone tell me which European cities are the main transfer points for direct flights to SCQ? As I search for flights, do I have any options other than Madrid? And am I missing an obvious connection?

I don't mind if the trip takes a while, but. I'm on a limited budget. Where should I look for inexpensive flights? Thanks for any suggestions!

Check your prices again in August when the fall fares begin to appear. FYI, in May, I flew round trip Boston to Santiago on Iberia for $440. I think you will find that flying to Santiago, if you book that as your destination, is cheaper than bus or train in terms of money and time.

 

[sjf]

Thanks, all. I'll keep checking and wait for the august fall flight release. I did discover that if I adjust my departure by 2 days, I can save up to $300, so that may be the way to go.

 

[OTH86]

Hey @sjf - If you live near the Canadian border, think about flying from there. I agree, SkyScanner and Google Flights (which will also give you lower prices if you are flexible by a few days) are the best!! Try AirTransat from Canada to London or Madrid and Ryan Air from London to SCQ. Ryan Air is cheap and efficient IF YOU READ ABOUT ALL THE ADD-ON FEES - they really aren't that bad!! But BOOK NOW!!! I've gotten Vancouver, BC to London return for US $600 + London to SCQ (on RyanAir) return WITH 1 checked bag both ways for US $130 (for Sept/Oct). But, again, BOOK NOW!

The above prices are what I've paid for trips this year (Apr/Jun) and Sep/Oct) using Goolge flights (and I don't usually advocate for Google!!!)

Train from MAD to SCQ - BOOK NOW!! Wait - the Oct prices may not be available yet, but keep watching the renfe dot com website (you'll get much better deals from them - there is an ENglish page) - for the Oct prices. And be sure to open ALL classes for the prices - you can sometimes get a very low fare in Preferente - lower than in Turista (sp?) - I paid € 26 preferente from Leon to Madrid Chamartin for travel on 18 June this year - I bought the ticket on-line in May.

PM me if you need help or more tips.
Good luck & Buen Camino!
Terry

 

[rector]

On the way I have met several people who have flown Aer Lingus to Dublin and Aer Lingus to Santiago and if it is all booked together it is very reasonable They fly almost every day

 

[SYates]

https://www.norwegian.com/us/ might be worth a look at. Buen Camino, SY

 

[JillGat]

My strategy is to use an airline Frequent Flyer credit card for all my regular expenses all year. I pay it off monthly and rack up points for a free ticket to Spain every year.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention the hotel train.
Excellent option if you are not in a hurry.
11 maybe 12 hours overnight. I took it last year La Coruna to Madrid.
I think it was 80 or 90 Euros.

I did the hotel train once... only once.
I thought it sucked.
Didn't sleep all night.

I prefer flying into Madrid. $1200 round trip, never more.
Then I bus (or RyanAir) to wherever I want to start.

 

[andycohn]

Take Norwegian from New York non-stop to London Gatwick, then switch to an Easy Jet or Ryan air flight non-stop to Santiago, also leaving from Gatwick. I just did a search for a random date in early August, and the Norwegian price was $259 one-way. Didn't check Easy Jet or Ryan Air prices, but you can pay as little as $29 one-way from Gatwick to Santiago on either of these airlines. (We reserved a week in advance in June to go Santiago to Gatwick on Easy Jet and paid $55, then switched. to Norwegian flight back home to San Francisco).

 

[Anna Russell]

We are from Canada and opted for. Heaper flightscinto Paris and then booked the TGV and a local train to SJPdP where we will start. On our return we booked an express bus back to Paris for 59€ because there were no cheap flights available.

 

[SLOChick]

I love all of these suggestions! Helping me feel like I can figure this out to get to the Pilgrim office in SJPdP. YET, where does the train from Madrid stop you off in Santiago... how do you get to the pilgrim office from there? Same question if flying into Santiago?
Thank you for your time everyone!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I love all of these suggestions! Helping me feel like I can figure this out to get to the Pilgrim office in SJPdP. YET, where does the train from Madrid stop you offj in Santiago... how do you get to the pilgrim office from there? Same question if flying into Santiago?
Thank you for your time everyone!

Train stops at train station. Ask for a map of the city oe you get there. It's a 10-15 minute walk to the cathedral. There are taxis at the door as well.

Visit
Airport is in Lavacolla, some 15 minutes by car when there is no traffic. Visit the airport's website for information about public transport to and from it. Link is on the page. Doesn't get much easier. You could get off at Plaza Galicia and walk to the PO from there. Ask for a map at the aiport. Or look for one online now.

http://www.aena.es/es/aeropuerto-santiago/index.html

This is the map the tourism kiosks hand out. Just google: santiago de compostela city map, with the map option, or not.

http://www.santiagoturismo.com/files/full/2016/03/planoscq.jpg

 

[SLOChick]

Anemone, thank you thank you thank you for this information! Each time I read, inquire and receive helpful ideas I get so excited about my Camino next Aug/Sept and the nice people I will meet!

 

[Jersey]

I did the hotel train once... only once.
I thought it sucked.
Didn't sleep all night.

I prefer flying into Madrid. $1200 round trip, never more.
Then I bus (or RyanAir) to wherever I want to start.

Why didn't you like the tren hotel?
I loved it. Slept like a baby. Loved the room came with a shower

 

[C clearly]

I took the hotel train once. It seems like a great idea - get a good night's sleep while crossing the country. However, if you are a bad sleeper like me, it doesn't necessary work so well.

 

[KinkyOne]

I love all of these suggestions! Helping me feel like I can figure this out to get to the Pilgrim office in SJPdP. YET, where does the train from Madrid stop you off in Santiago... how do you get to the pilgrim office from there? Same question if flying into Santiago?
Thank you for your time everyone!

Hola, SLOChick,

As Anemone already mentioned from airport you can take bus which runs regularly, taxi or even walk on Camino itself. If you take the bus you can either get off it at Bus station and walk to Pilgrims office:
https://www.google.si/maps/dir/Estación+de+Autobuses+de+Santiago+de+Compostela,+Praza+de+Camilo+Díaz+Baliño,+Santiago+de+Compostela,+Španija/Oficina+de+Acollida+ao+Peregrino,+Rúa+das+Carretas,+33,+15705+Santiago+de+Compostela,+A+Coruña,+Španija/@42.8853993,-8.5443456,16z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe5184a7e241:0x2f46d14420d98f55!2m2!1d-8.5336186!2d42.8875255!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe46ae83167d:0x938aa67f458269d8!2m2!1d-8.5468076!2d42.882068!3e2?hl=sl
I like to take the lower/right hand route that takes me to the Praza do Obradoiro where the Cathedral is. Anyway when you step outside the bus station and descend down the street you will soon see pilgrims coming from the left. Just follow them to the center.
If you take a bus ride to Praza Galicia it's even shorter:
https://www.google.si/maps/dir/Santiago+(Plaza+de+Galicia),+Santiago+de+Compostela,+Galicia,+Španija/Oficina+de+Acollida+ao+Peregrino,+Rúa+das+Carretas,+33,+15705+Santiago+de+Compostela,+A+Coruña,+Španija/@42.8786043,-8.5505672,16z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe4735181d6d:0xa72e0c8fa50e3cb0!2m2!1d-8.5445974!2d42.8763516!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe46ae83167d:0x938aa67f458269d8!2m2!1d-8.5468076!2d42.882068!3e2?hl=sl
Or if you walk from the train station it's really easy because you don't have to deal with a maze of small and winding streets as if walking from bus station:
https://www.google.si/maps/dir/Estacion+Renfe+Santiago,+Avenida+de+Lugo,+Santiago+de+Compostela,+Španija/Oficina+de+Acollida+ao+Peregrino,+Rúa+das+Carretas,+33,+15705+Santiago+de+Compostela,+A+Coruña,+Španija/@42.8768032,-8.5544869,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe3ead59b74f:0x4a6a91c50ef29635!2m2!1d-8.5444214!2d42.8715076!1m5!1m1!1s0xd2efe46ae83167d:0x938aa67f458269d8!2m2!1d-8.5468076!2d42.882068!3e2?hl=sl

And the Pilgrims Office web page:
https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/pilgrims-reception-office/

Happy planning!

PS (BTW are you SLO(venia)Chick?)

 

[dt93103]

I'll be walking from Sarria in October and I'm trying to figure out the least expensive way to get to SCQ from the east coast of the US. When I search for return flights to SCQ, they're coming in at $1500+. If I search for flights to Madrid, return is $800, and a return MAD-SCQ is $200 or so. That's a lot closer to what I was hoping to pay!

Can anyone tell me which European cities are the main transfer points for direct flights to SCQ? As I search for flights, do I have any options other than Madrid? And am I missing an obvious connection?

I don't mind if the trip takes a while, but. I'm on a limited budget. Where should I look for inexpensive flights? Thanks for any suggestions!

You can fly Norwegian Air to London/Gatwick and EasyJet from there to Santiago