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Another option...although not a very attractive one if budget is a main consideration...would be to purchase a more expensive plane ticket which gives flexibility to make changes, either without penalty or limited penalty.What precautions do I have to
take to book my flight, so if I need to cancel I can do so without
losing a bunch of money. I need to be ready in case something happens with my mom
and I need to cancel my flight.
From what I am seeing, I would be taking a flight from Chicago to Madrid then
a train from Madrid to Pamplona. Then a bus to St Jean. The main reason
I would fly into Madrid is that it seems like it is less expensive than flying into Paris.
In my experience from Canada, a "fully flexible" ticket costs twice as much as a ticket with more limited flexibility.You could still book same dates, same route, same airline but take their 'fully flexible' fare for peace of mind.
Yes, definitely more expensive (mercifully not double, airline depending, when flying from Oz) but there are also 'steps' of fares between rock bottom & fully flexible...Todd may find one of them will give him the wriggle room he needs.In my experience from Canada, a "fully flexible" ticket costs twice as much as a ticket with more limited flexibility.
Hi Todd. I pretty much just fly United because of where I live in Colorado. There are RT flights from MKE to MAD right now for $1269 in basic economy. A fully refundable economy seat is $1649. That $400 difference sounds pretty reasonable to me. I have always had travel insurance--mostly for evacuation--and although there might be a policy that covers your situation, it's probably unlikely.Hi Everyone
I am Todd from Wisconsin
I am 63 years old and I have a rather frail mother
that I watch over. She had an illness in August and
was in the Hospital and Nursing home for the whole
month of Sept. She's home now and is pretty much
taking care of herself.
I plan on retiring this spring and hiking the Camino Frances
in Sept 2022. Here's my question. What precautions do I have to
take to book my flight, so if I need to cancel I can do so without
losing a bunch of money. I have hiked aplenty in the Midwest, etc.
But the logistics of getting a flight and traveling to a foreign country
is new to me. I need to be ready in case something happens with my mom
and I need to cancel my flight.
From what I am seeing, I would be taking a flight from Chicago to Madrid then
a train from Madrid to Pamplona. Then a bus to St Jean. The main reason
I would fly into Madrid is that it seems like it is less expensive than flying into Paris.
Thanks, Todd, www.tmanshikes.com
Oh, and the dates I checked were 9/1 to 10/10.Hi Todd. I pretty much just fly United because of where I live in Colorado. There are RT flights from MKE to MAD right now for $1269 in basic economy. A fully refundable economy seat is $1649. That $400 difference sounds pretty reasonable to me. I have always had travel insurance--mostly for evacuation--and although there might be a policy that covers your situation, it's probably unlikely.
Yes, travel insurance is a must for peace of mind. Also, I buy my plane ticket that make my travel as convenient as possible. You can find some great deals but 3 stops and 2 days later you are where you need to be. Is that worth it for a trip of a life time?Hi Everyone
I am Todd from Wisconsin
I am 63 years old and I have a rather frail mother
that I watch over. She had an illness in August and
was in the Hospital and Nursing home for the whole
month of Sept. She's home now and is pretty much
taking care of herself.
I plan on retiring this spring and hiking the Camino Frances
in Sept 2022. Here's my question. What precautions do I have to
take to book my flight, so if I need to cancel I can do so without
losing a bunch of money. I have hiked aplenty in the Midwest, etc.
But the logistics of getting a flight and traveling to a foreign country
is new to me. I need to be ready in case something happens with my mom
and I need to cancel my flight.
From what I am seeing, I would be taking a flight from Chicago to Madrid then
a train from Madrid to Pamplona. Then a bus to St Jean. The main reason
I would fly into Madrid is that it seems like it is less expensive than flying into Paris.
Thanks, Todd, www.tmanshikes.com
The insurance recommendation might be a good idea but in your case I would stay away from budget flights that lock you in. Purchase your tickets directly with the airline and make sure they are modifiable. Compare the cost with insurance. Most insurance companies reimburse you after you justify your action to them. Wherr you are at the mercy of their definition of an emergency. Additional note: The bus station in Pamplona is underground with no obvious markings at ground level. I wandered all around a pill box of a building with an escalator going down not realizing it was the entrance to the bus station. Finally I saw a bus barreling down the street and dip down into a tunnel which gave very the clue to try the escalator.Hi Everyone
I am Todd from Wisconsin
I am 63 years old and I have a rather frail mother
that I watch over. She had an illness in August and
was in the Hospital and Nursing home for the whole
month of Sept. She's home now and is pretty much
taking care of herself.
I plan on retiring this spring and hiking the Camino Frances
in Sept 2022. Here's my question. What precautions do I have to
take to book my flight, so if I need to cancel I can do so without
losing a bunch of money. I have hiked aplenty in the Midwest, etc.
But the logistics of getting a flight and traveling to a foreign country
is new to me. I need to be ready in case something happens with my mom
and I need to cancel my flight.
From what I am seeing, I would be taking a flight from Chicago to Madrid then
a train from Madrid to Pamplona. Then a bus to St Jean. The main reason
I would fly into Madrid is that it seems like it is less expensive than flying into Paris.
Thanks, Todd, www.tmanshikes.com
It is, sadly, useful to keep in mind when buying insurance that the primary goal of insurance companies is to make money so there is a indeed a tendency to refuse benefits or make it very difficult to approve claims. Others have advised taking a magnifying glass to the fine print on policies - do it and work with an agent who can help you find what you need. Definitions are tricky. I bought pricey coverage for a trip to Egypt and Jordan. We landed on their "Day of Rage" during the Arab Spring and weren't even allowed out of the airport. Everything for a 3+ week vacation had to be cancelled, including flights, and not everything was refunded. Our insurance paid nothing. Not a cent. Why? While I thought it would be covered under trip interruption/cancellation it was not. They don't cover civil unrest. Apparently I didn't read the fine print.Hi Todd. it is good to read what you say about minding your mother. What goes around, comes around. I too had some opportunities to mind both my parents, when they needed me.
Already, you have the wisdom of above posters in relation to your questions.
Here, I kick in with the cynic in me. A young friend worked with an insurance company, and she saw how the first line of attack is: refuse benefits.
I am aware this is anecdotal. Therefore, I can only underline what is clear in all recommendations: take a huge magnifying glass to the fine print.
It is so much more of an investment for those of you living at greater distances on the circumference from Santiago... I wish you well and hope your mother is thriving!
I guess I am more worried about buying the ticket early and
not being able to go. Once I fly over to Spain, I'm not that worried
about flying back early. If my mom dies suddenly, then we will just
have the funeral when I get back.
My husband and I just walked in Sept and Oct. When we were on the trail our flight home was cancelled. Iceland Air refunded our money but we were worried how much it would cost us to book another flight on ~2 weeks notice. It ended up being way cheaper for us. I know that is not always the case but if you're flexible and traveling single you have more options. Supply and demand also works into the equation though. When we flew, the US was not allowing tourists due to Covid. Next fall Europe could be a popular destination.I guess I am more worried about buying the ticket early and
not being able to go. Once I fly over to Spain, I'm not that worried
about flying back early. If my mom dies suddenly, then we will just
have the funeral when I get back.
That is the situation where you can have problems if you have not booked all flights on the same ticket. Airline #1 cancels/changes your flight, or it is late, so you miss the separately-booked flight. Airline #1 does not owe you anything related to the second flight unless it was booked on the same ticket.Another option to consider is to fly to the least expensive major European city (flight cost) then use regional carriers to get as close as possible to your starting point.
Thanks for your thoughts.That is the situation where you can have problems if you have not booked all flights on the same ticket. Airline #1 cancels/changes your flight, or it is late, so you miss the separately-booked flight. Airline #1 does not owe you anything related to the second flight unless it was booked on the same ticket.
This rationale works best on the way into Spain, but on the way out of Spain, if your regional flight is delayed or cancelled you’ve got a much bigger problem. I remember once in the Madrid airport when a young traveler missed her flight to the US because the regional flight from Athens to Madrid was late (on a separate ticket). Not only did she lose her ticket home, but she also had to buy a last minute one way ticket to the US, which was, she said, more than she had spent on her round trip ticket to Madrid. Staff was sympathetic and polite but wouldn’t budge.Thanks for your thoughts.
Since most of the regional flights are relatively inexpensive (< €100) compared to the typically much higher cost of direct flights, I think of it as a small gamble (part of the adventure). Works for me, but guess it's not for everyone...
Take train to Pamplona. Important: All persons +60 are entitled to buy a Gold Card (Carta Dorada) for 6 euros. It will give you 25% (!) discount on all train travels (Edit: In Spain) for a whole year.
This rationale works best on the way into Spain, but on the way out of Spain, if your regional flight is delayed or cancelled you’ve got a much bigger problem. I remember once in the Madrid airport when a young traveler missed her flight to the US because the regional flight from Athens to Madrid was late (on a separate ticket). Not only did she lose her ticket home, but she also had to buy a last minute one way ticket to the US, which was, she said, more than she had spent on her round trip ticket to Madrid. Staff was sympathetic and polite but wouldn’t budge.
So if your cheap Madrid-LHR (or wherever) flight gets cancelled or is delayed you will have a much bigger loss than the cost of the regional flight.
Hope that never happens to you!
Such tickets are not true connections, but completely separate, and as you said, if you miss flight B because flight A was late, you have no recourse except to purchase a new ticket.Quite often we buy a ticket with an airline, and then buy a connection ticket with another airline. Each airline is unaware of the other. You arrive late and miss your connecting flight, you do your dough normally.
I do the same, and would never consider purchasing a ticket from a third party. They often advertise low fares or prices from $XXX, but when you actually go to book the flight those cheap fares disappear.I always buy my ticket online, on the website of a major airline, and I buy the entire air ticket on a single transaction, choosing from the connections that the airline offers.
This rationale works best on the way into Spain, but on the way out of Spain, if your regional flight is delayed or cancelled you’ve got a much bigger problem. I remember once in the Madrid airport when a young traveler missed her flight to the US because the regional flight from Athens to Madrid was late (on a separate ticket).
I allow a couple of extra days in Madrid on the way home. I can always find interesting things to do in Madrid and so this strategy let's me explore a great city while not having to worry about delays on internal flights/train or bus trips into Madrid.So if your cheap Madrid-LHR (or wherever) flight gets cancelled or is delayed you will have a much bigger loss than the cost of the regional flight.
From Madrid you can book a flight to Pamplona. Train is slow and exhausting, especially when you arrive with jetlag.Hi Everyone
I am Todd from Wisconsin
I am 63 years old and I have a rather frail mother
that I watch over. She had an illness in August and
was in the Hospital and Nursing home for the whole
month of Sept. She's home now and is pretty much
taking care of herself.
I plan on retiring this spring and hiking the Camino Frances
in Sept 2022. Here's my question. What precautions do I have to
take to book my flight, so if I need to cancel I can do so without
losing a bunch of money. I have hiked aplenty in the Midwest, etc.
But the logistics of getting a flight and traveling to a foreign country
is new to me. I need to be ready in case something happens with my mom
and I need to cancel my flight.
From what I am seeing, I would be taking a flight from Chicago to Madrid then
a train from Madrid to Pamplona. Then a bus to St Jean. The main reason
I would fly into Madrid is that it seems like it is less expensive than flying into Paris.
Thanks, Todd, www.tmanshikes.com
Train travel in Spain is a pleasure: cheap, 200+ kms/hour, a restaurant coach with a glass of red, looking at the passing landscapes, preparing you for the walk through it. Go to Spain, and slow down.From Madrid you can book a flight to Pamplona. Train is slow and exhausting, especially when you arrive with jetlag.
Yes the Dorada card is a good thing. It pays off in just one trip. Even 40% discount on some lines. Also a student ID (I take a course or two from a nearby community college, gets you discount in museums, zoo etc.Here's what I would do:
Fly as direct as possible (Madrid). Avoid transit countries.
Book a cheap hotel and explore Madrid 1-2 days. Will take away the jetlag.
Take train to Pamplona. Important: All persons +60 are entitled to buy a Gold Card (Carta Dorada) for 6 euros. It will give you 25% (!) discount on all train travels (Edit: In Spain) for a whole year. Good to have for going back from SdC to Madrid. You buy it at the rail station and then you buy the ticket.
Pamplona-SJpdP: Several options.
Buen Camino!
Isn't there a ALSA bus to Pamplona right outside the T4 terminal?From Madrid you can book a flight to Pamplona. Train is slow and exhausting, especially when you arrive with jetlag.
Yes, correct. See details here:Isn't there a ALSA bus to Pamplona right outside the T4 terminal?
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