buffalotravelman

Hello,

I am planning our (my wife and I) first trip abroad to Italy during the first week of October of this year. We will be flying into Rome and then flying out of Venice on the return home). I am located in Buffalo, but I am planning to fly out of Toronto (2 hour drive) to save on cost. We will be doing a Trafalgar tour so I am wondering if we should plan to arrive one day before the tour starts in case there are travel delays?

We are planning to do non-stop flights to avoid the hassle of changing planes even though I know this will cost more.

I am hoping to spend less than $2,000 per ticket if possible, but would pay a bit more for some additional comfort

Any advice that anyone can provide related to the following would be much appreciated:

1) Which airlines would be best ( we want to avoid any budget airlines that may provide a bad experience).
2) Which type of ticket is worth purchasing as far as additional comfort without breaking the bank (premium economy vs economy light vs economy flex vs economy).
3) Best website to book airfare
4)Thoughts on best way to travel from Buffalo to Toronto airport (car rental, train,etc.)
5) Your reports from your experiences
6) Any other tips

Thank you!!!

Traveler_Nick

Giving yourself an extra day or two on each end will let you deal with jet lag. It'll also give you a buffer in case something goes wrong.

Book directly with the airlines.

If you're flying out of Pearson isn't AC the main option?

Sassafrass

Definitely give yourself an extra day in Rome before the trip and I would give two.
Even one delay or cancellation could throw things off. The first day can be really jet lagged and not enjoyable. The trip costs a lot in money and time. Best to start the tour somewhat relaxed and not too tired.

It is always nice to have more time in a city like Rome that has enough to see and do for years. You are already spending a lot for airfare and the tour. So, a little more to give extra time there is buying a bonus.
Look at what you will be doing on the tour. Then pick a couple of other things in which you have a special interest, to visit before the tour. If you share here what you will see on the tour, people can offer suggestions for your personal time.
I would also add an extra day at the end in Venice, just so I wouldn’t feel too rushed at the end of the trip. Most tours kind of rush through Venice and there is so much more to Venice than most people get to see. Just a short trip to the islands is lovely. Taking in a concert in one of the churches is wonderful. Just walking in the evening is magical. Getting away from the crowds of San Marco is satisfying. The Ghetto is very, very interesting and tours never go there,

k_marie

Arriving a few days early in Rome will allow you to acclimate and adjust to the time zone change. Do a bit of reading about jet lag and plan accordingly.

Have you ever driven the stretch of the QEW from a border crossing to the Toronto area? Traffic is heavy and it seems construction has been going on for years. I would not drive it myself. Train would be less stressful but, I think, very time-consuming with several changes. I would investigate shuttle services from the Buffalo area to the Toronto airport. Google. You will find a number of listings but you will need to call to inquire for details. ( When I lived in the Buffalo area—a long time ago!—I used a van service to the Toronto airport for several European trips. It worked well.)

Enjoy the planning and enjoy your first adventure in Italy!

FTOttawa

Having tried Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Transat for flights to Europe, I will always book Air Transat if possible. Okay, the inflight meals in economy are unspeakable, but the other two airlines are not much better, and AT has marginally more seat width and noticeably more legroom.

At your price point, and in October, you may be able to afford their Club Class. Have not experienced it (other than walking past those already-seated passengers with their fine beverages) but it is clearly a Premium Economy.

But if it were a choice between upgrading to Club and spending 3-4 extra nights in Rome, I’d go for the extra time in Rome.

AnselmAdorne

You can look at various options on googleflights.com, but if you really want non-stops flights, it looks like Air Canada Toronto-Rome and then Air Canada Venice-Toronto is your only option. (To research on Google Flights, select the "multi-city" option, which allows you to input your Toronto-Rome/Venice-Toronto itinerary. You can also filter your search to show only non-stop flights.)

As I live in Nova Scotia, Air Canada is my usual airline to go to Europe. I am far from a member of their fan club, but they have proven their reliability for me on countless trips over the years. Economy seating is pretty tight, and I can't really advise you on what fare option to choose. You have to weigh what's important fro you, such as baggage included, free seat selection, refunds if cancelled, and change fees.

Whatever routing and airline you ultimately select, book directly on the airline's website. If you choose Air Canada, they have a US website that prices in US dollars. Their website also offers a "multi-city/stopover" button so that you can price and book Toronto to Rome and home from Venice.

I agree with everyone else's advice about going at least a day early; we have hiking trips booked in England and Italy this year and plan to arrive at least 24 hours before our first walk.

k-marie makes a good point about the highway from Niagara to Toronto Pearson. I last drove it in October, and found it stressful, but then again I'm getting old and usually drive on empty roads. There must be a shuttle service between Buffalo and Pearson.

janisj

OK -- I'll just throw this out for possible consideration. You could fly to JFK or EWR and have more options for non-stops to-from Italy.

coral22

This sounds like a wonderful trip!
I can appreciate your desire for a nonstop flight to not have the hassle of changing flights, but to me you are exchanging one hassle for another. You mentioned renting a car or taking a train to Toronto, and that incurs time and expense and any traffic, breakdowns or cancellations would require you to handle on your own. Also, it is probably not complicated, but you have to deal with customs going into Canada.

I looked up some sample flights, and on Delta, October 2-16, you can fly Buffalo-JFK-Rome and return Venice-JFK-Buffalo in regular economy for $1236 and their premium economy for $2015. I would prefer having one ticket to cover me from start to finish and with any cancellations or problems, the airline would be handling the arrangements.

I also recommend going 2 days early to acclimate to the time change and fit in something not covered, and more importantly, to not miss any of your tour. At the end, Venice is such a lovely place, I would stay another 2 days to relax and enjoy and unwind from a fairly hectic tour. Enjoy!