JCC So I'm fantasy vacationing on expedia....

So if I fly from Boston to Munich, I can fly nonstop on Lufthansa for about $1250 round trip.

But if I want to go to Poland from from Boston, there are no nonstop flights, but I can fly a Boston-Munich-Krakow 1 stop flight that costs $1050 AND the Boston-Munich leg is literally the same flight numbers as those in the the above scenario.

Okay, I get it: nonstop flights get to be more expense because no one likes stopovers. This isn't anything new to me.

But what I've always wanted to know is -- if I really wanted to go to Munich as my final destination -- could I theoretically buy the $1050 Boston to Krakow ticket, and then just get off at Munich (and back on again there when returning)? I feel like there would be some kind of sneaky way the airlines would prevent this but I'm curious.

 

Wait, are you saying you want to go to Munich and Krakow?

 

Hi! If you want cheap-ass flight routings, you've come to the right place...

First, as to the last part: you don't want to do that. Getting off at Munich and not continuing to Krakow will typically void the rest of your journey. It's a totally valid strategy in some cases, but these are either a) one-way tickets where you never have any intention of continuing on to the final destination or b) a round-trip where you do it on the return-leg because you want to end up in a different city than you started (or just did some funky routing).

Second, when do you want to go? Are you flexible with your dates? Are you traveling alone? Are you willing to make stops? If so, how many? etc.

 

Two Lesbians. Probably sisters. I'm just watching.

 

Can I hear more from Gareth, please?

 

Okay this makes sense. So basically I could get off at Munich all well and good, but not continuing on to Krakow voids the rest of the ticket (including the return trip)? Like, I'd show up and they wouldn't give me my boarding passes?.[/quote]

Oh this is purely hypothetical. I have no money atm. (Although I was choosing Poland because it's on my to see list). But I've wondered about this sort of strategy on and off for a while because I know how nonstop flights get jacked up.

 

Yes, becoming a no-show for any portion of your itinerary will usually result in the cancellation of the rest of your itinerary, which is why you only do it on a return-leg of a round-trip or on a one-way fare where the through-fare is less (rarer these days, but still happens on occasion; usually on routing through hubs).

 

I had a feeling it was too good to be true!

 

Also, consider that you don't need to fly between somewhere like Munich and Poland; look into getting trains if cost is an issue on an international flight. Travelling by train in Europe is the best.

 

Trains are awesome. Now that I'm not a student, I want to try some non-budget overnight train options in Europe.

 

Such as Venice Simplon-Orient-Express options?

 

For sure, but even something simpler like the Moscow-St. Petersberg overnight which I've done before, or something like London to Eastern Europe via Switzerland.

 

It beyond silly how they charge you less to further sometimes.
Like DP said, you can take advantage of it sometimes.

 

I got a 1st class train from Amsterdam to Köln and it's just shy of 3hrs. Same as Roma to Firenze.

It's the best.

 

I'm doing Acela tomorrow from NYC to BOS, so will be interesting.

 

My parents are travelling in Europe end of August. They won't bring me. Wah wah wah.

 

I did this already, boring trip.

(I'm sure you'll be in the high roller car with Peter King, I was not.)

 

Jello, the train option is better. Not everyone can afford a private jet like you!

 

Ya really enjoy the trains although I'm flying from Vienna to Amsterdam in a few weeks.

 

Don't go via the Ukraine.

 

I'm good at landing in cities following a national tragedy. I did that in Oslo a few summers ago and it was awkward.

 

I want to hear Jabba-wocky 's views on travelling via train. I suspect the excitement of steam travel was big in the 1800s, when he was alive.