Finally found reasonable airfare from U.S.!

[BShea]

After searching for the past couple of months, I found a site with low airfare prices (Justairticket.com). My fare from ONT to EAS (San Sebastian) leaving 26 April returning 8 June was $850 on American Airlines. Thought I'd pass the info along in case anyone else has been discouraged by the $1600 prices... My original fare of $811 didn't go through so I had to call them and they said it was because the fares had gone up which, of course, scared me. But it was only a price difference of $40 which I can handle, so I grabbed it. So, I am now committed to going.... Actually, I'll be walking Le Puy, so I'll bus to the start. It's going to be a long 5 months till then... Can't wait!

 

[Sailor]

Good prices. Just for the fun of it I entered the same airport codes and is giving me $811.16, changed airports to read from SAN to MAD and the quote was $963.67 which is not bad at all. Good luck with your trip, y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[waveprof]

The problem with flying into San Sebastian is that once there you are unlikely to want to leave to start walking

BTW that is undoubtedly a good fare, and thanks for sharing. But still sad cause it wasn't all that long ago that 850 would have been the "most" I was willing to consider paying. The times they are a changin'!

 

[BShea]

Yeah, those were the days when airfare was $500. And I still need to get from Mexico to California!!!

I know what you mean about leaving the Basque coast, but I'll have it to look forward to at the end!!!

 

[catnorth]

Thank you for the information! My daughter is going to meet me there next spring and she lives in West Covina so she could fly out of ONT. I live in Calgary so I will route a different way, Cheers!

 

[BShea]

Glad I could help... I think their fares out of LAX are even cheaper, but I avoid LAX whenever I can.

 

[billmclaughlin]

The downside of a good round rip fare in and out of San Sebastián is the cost and travel time of getting to and from San Sebastián to the start and end of one's hiking. Everyone has different options, of course, but I'd encourage at least exploring a round trip flight to London or Dublin, supplemented by one-way flights between either of those cities and someplace close to the beginning and end of a hike.

I'ved use London that way, and another time saved hundreds taking a bus from Boston and flying out of Montreal.

You have to have faith that patience is rewarded and if frustrated when searching out options just step away from the computer for a while. Come back and start fresh.

 

[BShea]

Hi Bill! I usually try to book a multi-city fare, but this time, everything I found was much, much more expensive. I then researched the ins and outs of several different airports. The flights from Southern California into Spain were the cheapest, but none had great connections to get me to Geneve, Lyon, or Paris in the afternoon of the same day (As a single woman, I don't like trying to get to my hotel at night in a big city.) My preference is to fly in and out of the smaller airports. I could have booked LAX to Paris for around the same price and I would have landed in Paris early enough to get a train to Le Puy, but getting to LAX by 4:00 a.m. is a huge imposition on friends willing to shuttle me to the airport. No matter where I landed in France, I would still have to spend from $30 - $50 to get into Le Puy. When I discovered that there is an overnight bus from Irun to St. Etienne for 78 euros, then 12 euros more into Le Puy, I grabbed the EAS flight. When you add up the cost of the additional airfare + hotel costs + the transport into Le Puy, in the end, this was the cheapest, most convenient route for me. I gave myself plenty of time to get to SJPP including rest days, but plan on continuing to Pamplona if time permits. San Sebastian is easily and cheaply accessible from wherever I end up, plus I can spend a few days at the beach before flying home!!!

Bill, where are you off to next?

 

[whariwharangi]

It might be cheaper to take the train from Irun/Hendaye. Schedule might be an issue though.

If you try SNCF site Hendaye to Le Puy you end up going via Paris and Lyon for twice the price given here.

SNCF TER

Hendaye Toulouse as low as 20 Euro
Toulouse Arvant as low as 47.80 Euro
Arvant Le Puy en Velay 15.70 Eur0

--- total --- 83.50 Euro

Bonjour la France SNCF map
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-map/sncf-map-large.htm

SNCF TER
http://www.sncf.com/en/tickets-timetables-reservations

 

[BShea]

Thanks @whariwharangi. Trains are always my first choice. I rechecked going through Toulouse using your suggestion, but I don't land until 13h30, so the connections wouldn't work. I wouldn't get to Le Puy until 20h05 the following day. So, I guess I'm going to stick with the bus.

 

[J F Gregory]

We rack up air miles on our credit card (paid off monthly) and my wife flies for her job. Total r/t from Seattle to Paris and home from Madrid in the spring for both of us is about $190.00. Thank you Alaska airlines for those mileage credits. We love our overseas holidays.

 

[Gilbert Sanchez]

After searching for the past couple of months, I found a site with low airfare prices (Justairticket.com). My fare from ONT to EAS (San Sebastian) leaving 26 April returning 8 June was $850 on American Airlines. Thought I'd pass the info along in case anyone else has been discouraged by the $1600 prices... My original fare of $811 didn't go through so I had to call them and they said it was because the fares had gone up which, of course, scared me. But it was only a price difference of $40 which I can handle, so I grabbed it. So, I am now committed to going.... Actually, I'll be walking Le Puy, so I'll bus to the start. It's going to be a long 5 months till then... Can't wait![/QUOTE

 

[Rob Pruitt]

I'm leaving a week before bshea and I got a $898 RT from Orlando to Miami to Madrid on American. I will take the train from Madrid to Irun to begin the Camino del Norte. I could have gotten the same trip for $880 today. Very hard to judge when the right time to buy. Buen Camino!