Flights between Europe and the DR

[DrNoob]

Swiss Air has a direct flight from Zurich to Puerto Plata on Thursdays which is popular with a British friend of mine.

It is actually Edelweiss (with LHR/LCY to ZRH on Swiss) and it is seasonal, with A340s being used (to be replaced with A350s soon). It is also usually one day a week when they do operate that route ( No flights from early May to late October). Plus they also let you take your surfboard with your for free ! So I am thankful for this option from London.

However, they have this routine where when you arrive at POP, everyone has to get out, then people departing back to ZRH and people continuing to Montego Bay get back in (with a security check ?). Then in Montego Bay everyone gets out and then people getting back to ZRH (from POP and new ones joining in MBJ) get back in and then the flight goes back to Zurich. It is a bit tiring on the return leg to have to get out and go through security again late at night.

Service is quite good even and changing at Zurich is easy.

Holidays in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic | Edelweiss

Travel with Edelweiss to Puerto Plata: surfing, diving or relaxing on the Caribbean beaches of the Dominican Republic.

www.flyedelweiss.com

 

[josh2203]

Just commenting that I'm sure there are many routing options between the EU and the DR aside from the mentioned, I've been only talking about certain direct routings due to the restrictions we have, namely that we can only be within Schengen or the DR. Obviously, we could apply for transit visa for my wife or something, but that's a hassle we currently don't have energy for. When I first traveled to the DR alone, I always went with the absolute cheapest option (I was a student in my early 20s), sometimes sleeping in the departure/arrival lounge at Heathrow or JFK due to overnight layover... And one cheap connection included 4 separate flights (first from Scandinavia to Heathrow, then from Heathrow to JFK where I spent the night, then a 5 am morning flight with AA to MIA and then finally with AA MIA-POP...) and took me 2.5 days, but that didn't matter back then... It was just fun...

 

[DrNoob]

Just commenting that I'm sure there are many routing options between the EU and the DR aside from the mentioned, I've been only talking about certain direct routings due to the restrictions we have, namely that we can only be within Schengen or the DR. Obviously, we could apply for transit visa for my wife or something, but that's a hassle we currently don't have energy for. When I first traveled to the DR alone, I always went with the absolute cheapest option (I was a student in my early 20s), sometimes sleeping in the departure/arrival lounge at Heathrow or JFK due to overnight layover... And one cheap connection included 4 separate flights (first from Scandinavia to Heathrow, then from Heathrow to JFK where I spent the night, then a 5 am morning flight with AA to MIA and then finally with AA MIA-POP...) and took me 2.5 days, but that didn't matter back then... It was just fun...

I agree, I was only pointing out North coast options, which are not many and is cheaper to fly to Santiago. I might consider PUJ if I can find a reliable taxi that is not going to cost more than the fare difference. Would you mind telling me how much you pay for the ride from PUJ to Puerto Plata ? Thanks !

 

[drstock]

There is BA Gatwick to Punta Cana. I think from Manchester too.

That's right and the flight between Punta Cana and Gatwick is the one I am taking. The point I was making was that you can't go from POP to UK direct.

And I have checked flights via Canada and Switzerland to UK from POP and reached the conclusion that going to Punta Cana and then flying direct is the best option for me. The cost, including getting to and from Punta Cana from the North Coast is similar or less, and you don't have to hang around in a stopover airport in the way. Last year, I went from Las Americas to London via Madrid, and because of a delay leaving SDQ my luggage didn't arrive with me in London. With a direct flight that can't happen.

 

[DrNoob]

That's right and the flight between Punta Cana and Gatwick is the one I am taking. The point I was making was that you can't go from POP to UK direct.

And I have checked flights via Canada and Switzerland to UK from POP and reached the conclusion that going to Punta Cana and then flying direct is the best option for me. The cost, including getting to and from Punta Cana from the North Coast is similar or less, and you don't have to hang around in a stopover airport in the way. Last year, I went from Las Americas to London via Madrid, and because of a delay leaving SDQ my luggage didn't arrive with me in London. With a direct flight that can't happen.

I am closer to Heathrow and can do London City but Gatwick is too long a drive but the rail options are cheap but 1.45 hours each way. So I tend to pick options from Heathrow where possible. BA is direct from LGW to PUJ but it only makes sense for longer trips. So UK options are :

LHR-JFK-STI (3.5-5 hours layover, otherwise risky) - Delta and Jetblue, nice schedule in summer where one can takeoff at 8 AM in LHR and land at 8 PM in STI
LGW-MAD-STI - Air Europa

LHR-FRA-PUJ - Condor ?
LGW-PUJ - BA

LHR-ZRH-POP (2-5 hrs layovers) - similar to above, leave in the morning and be in POP by dinner time.
LHR-FRA-POP - Condor
LHR-JFK-POP with Jetblue or LHR-MIA-POP with BA/American - Both requiring an overnight stay
LHR-EWR-POP with United
LHR-MIA-POP with BA/American
LHR-ATL-POP with Delta (seasonal)


LHR-MAD-SDQ with BA/Iberia
LHR-BOG-SDQ with Avianca (about 4 hrs in BOG)
LGW-MAD-SDQ with Air Europa

LHR-YYZ-AZS with Air Canada and a long layover
LHR-MIA-LRM with BA/American (Seasonal ?)

Notes:
For some reason, Jetblue tickets are available if you go their website via Google Flights only

 

[aarhus]

I am closer to Heathrow and can do London City but Gatwick is too long a drive but the rail options are cheap but 1.45 hours each way. So I tend to pick options from Heathrow where possible. BA is direct from LGW to PUJ but it only makes sense for longer trips. So UK options are :

LHR-JFK-STI (3.5-5 hours layover, otherwise risky) - Delta and Jetblue, nice schedule in summer where one can takeoff at 8 AM in LHR and land at 8 PM in STI
LGW-MAD-STI - Air Europa

LHR-FRA-PUJ - Condor ?
LGW-PUJ - BA

LHR-ZRH-POP (2-5 hrs layovers) - similar to above, leave in the morning and be in POP by dinner time.
LHR-FRA-POP - Condor
LHR-JFK-POP with Jetblue or LHR-MIA-POP with BA/American - Both requiring an overnight stay
LHR-EWR-POP with United
LHR-MIA-POP with BA/American
LHR-ATL-POP with Delta (seasonal)


LHR-MAD-SDQ with BA/Iberia
LHR-BOG-SDQ with Avianca (about 4 hrs in BOG)
LGW-MAD-SDQ with Air Europa

LHR-YYZ-AZS with Air Canada and a long layover
LHR-MIA-LRM with BA/American (Seasonal ?)

Notes:
For some reason, Jetblue tickets are available if you go their website via Google Flights only

Thanks for this info

 

[Uzin]

Any flight via US are crossed off fron my plans, there is no concept of transit, so long queues for immigration and customs caused me lose my connecting flight once, so never again...!

I had looked at flights via Canada to and from Europe, but then I read they also don't have transit system, and it's the same as US, is that true...?

 

[DrNoob]

Any flight via US are crossed off fron my plans, there is no concept of transit, so long queues for immigration and customs caused me lose my connecting flight once, so never again...!

I had looked at flights via Canada to and from Europe, but then I read they also don't have transit system, and it's the same as US, is that true...?

You have to get the Canadian ETA (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...da/entry-requirements-country.html#visaExempt) if you are British, for transiting or entering.

I also used to avoid the US for connections (since I started traveling till last year, about 18 years) then I flew via JFK T4 with Virgin/Delta and it was quite ok. Just book with connection of more than 3.5 hours and it will be fine. I usually end up enough time to grab some food and/or a few drinks before boarding and the return leg from JFK-LHR is an overnight flight, so I get decent sleep as well. Get the DL3 as it is usually not full even in July/August, avoid Virgin on the return leg, it is usually full. The schedules do change between winter/summer but that affects only the outbound leg.

With Delta, I don't have to worry about checked baggage options (usually 1 is included) and they only have size restriction on hand baggage. I travel with a full sized laptop bag and a cabin suitcase and they don't bother with bag size. I was worried the first time and then I saw the amount of hand baggage that the Dominicans bring

I agree on the US Immigration and TSA queues but US is sometimes the better option (both time/money) for the DR. I looked at Condor but it was way too costly and with Edelweiss/Swissair you need to keep checking and adjust your schedule to their cheaper ticket dates, which is not always possible. I work full time so the Thu-Thu schedule of Edelweiss ends up with me getting back to London on a Friday evening, whilst with Delta, I get 1.5 days more in paradise.

Planning to try Miami next, heard it was usually crazy.

 

[josh2203]

I looked at Condor but it was way too costly

I'm glad someone else has noted this as well. I really don't know what happened with them, other than the extensive fleet renewal they have done over the past years. They used to have almost exclusively Boeings, then it was all new Airbuses. Then the paint jobs and whatnot. I really don't care if we fly with the newest Airbus with all the fancy things or a bit older aircraft. The kids even have their own devices they use during the flight so newest entertainment systems are really not a key selling point with us.

We used to use them exclusively but that has now changed. They used to provide one-way tickets at a price that made sense (I know because I purchased several of these when either going to live in EU or live in the DR), but I now noted that even this has changed. It's sad really, their service was always top-notch but the pricing makes no sense to us anymore.

 

[Bred]

I might have overlooked, but why nobody mentioned LOT airlines flights between POP and Warsaw + Katowice? Cheap. If your travel dates are flexible. You can get tickets as cheap as $150-$200, baggage included.

 

[Bred]

I might have overlooked, but why nobody mentioned LOT airlines flights between POP and Warsaw + Katowice? Cheap. If your travel dates are flexible. You can get tickets as cheap as $150-$200, baggage included.

This is the cheapest I have seen in 4 years. 500 Zloty is around US$125

 

[Bred]

I might have overlooked, but why nobody mentioned LOT airlines flights between POP and Warsaw + Katowice? Cheap. If your travel dates are flexible. You can get tickets as cheap as $150-$200, baggage included.

And this was from POP to Katowice on Nov. 29. 199 zloty or US$50. Baggage included. Maybe a mistake in their system, but everyone could buy it and fly. I was surprised to see it and made a screenshot.

 

[Uzin]

I will check LOT next time, it's a bit going opposite direction from London, and not sure about connection flights working out, or need a overnight hotel stay...!?

As for Miami, it's mayhem indeed, that's where I missed my BA flight...!

 

[DrNoob]

I might have overlooked, but why nobody mentioned LOT airlines flights between POP and Warsaw + Katowice? Cheap. If your travel dates are flexible. You can get tickets as cheap as $150-$200, baggage included.

I tried for this year but the route does not show at all. Only Santo Domingo and Punta Cana and too codeshare with Jetblue.
At least from WAW to POP. For $200, I wouldnt mind taking a LHR-WAW flight and staying overnight but this does not seem to exist now.

I found another American route via CLT but that requires a 17 hour layover on the way to POP and a 4 hr connection on the return leg to LHR (prince £712 for December). I have never done a overnight layover with luggage which is why I dont take this one.

 

[DrNoob]

I'm glad someone else has noted this as well. I really don't know what happened with them, other than the extensive fleet renewal they have done over the past years. They used to have almost exclusively Boeings, then it was all new Airbuses. Then the paint jobs and whatnot. I really don't care if we fly with the newest Airbus with all the fancy things or a bit older aircraft. The kids even have their own devices they use during the flight so newest entertainment systems are really not a key selling point with us.

We used to use them exclusively but that has now changed. They used to provide one-way tickets at a price that made sense (I know because I purchased several of these when either going to live in EU or live in the DR), but I now noted that even this has changed. It's sad really, their service was always top-notch but the pricing makes no sense to us anymore.

I checked and the prices were consistently high (1000+ euro) and it does not make sense anymore. I have never used them but checked them out as someone suggested them to me and the price shock was high. Even now, the lowest I can see, with checked luggage, is 1459.98 euro. Ridiculous !

This is why I now stick to Delta and Santiago, no fun and games with luggage options, reasonable schedule and .
I need to find a cheap overnight stay in Miami, would love to have Cuban food and music.

PS: Could you share how much the taxi from PUJ to Puerto Plata cost please, @josh2203 ?

 

[Bred]

I tried for this year but the route does not show at all. Only Santo Domingo and Punta Cana and too codeshare with Jetblue.
At least from WAW to POP. For $200, I wouldnt mind taking a LHR-WAW flight and staying overnight but this does not seem to exist now.

I found another American route via CLT but that requires a 17 hour layover on the way to POP and a 4 hr connection on the return leg to LHR (prince £712 for December). I have never done a overnight layover with luggage which is why I dont take this one.

It's a charter flight. From November till May every year. Tickets are sold on the tour operator web site only https://biletyczarterowe.r.pl/
Prices for nearest dates change several times a day. Select "one way" and "whole month".

 

[DrNoob]

It's a charter flight. From November till May every year. Tickets are sold on the tour operator web site only https://biletyczarterowe.r.pl/
Prices for nearest dates change several times a day. Select "one way" and "whole month".

Thank you !

 

[josh2203]

PS: Could you share how much the taxi from PUJ to Puerto Plata cost please, @josh2203 ?

We paid 19,000 DOP. 5 passengers (we 4 + my mother-in-law who came up meet us at PUJ). Regular car with A/C. That price obviously includes tolls/fuel/everything. Pure driving time (without the stops) around 5.5 hours.

 

[DrNoob]

We paid 19,000 DOP. 5 passengers (we 4 + my mother-in-law who came up meet us at PUJ). Regular car with A/C. That price obviously includes tolls/fuel/everything. Pure driving time (without the stops) around 5.5 hours.

Thank you. I will keep this 19k DOP when calculating fare difference

 

[Manuel01]

It looks like that the times for deals and cheap flights to Europe are over ! Looking for a flight to Germany or Belgium or the NL and cant find anything below 1,700 EURO (off season).