True Deal Mommy Confession: I think I’ve crossed the line into old-lady land. Let me explain:
There are some crazy low deals right now traveling to Asia via Europe from November to April 2015. As in $130-$300, which combined with a mileage ticket home gets you around the world for about $500.
I’m certainly not averse to ninja-style travel: heck, I just did a 1 day trip to Mexico City. Back in my employee days, I convinced one client to comp me a flight to Iceland for a day because it was cheaper than getting back to DC from Boston. (THAT made for a fun expense report!)
But here’s the thing…I would only have 4 days to complete the trip, either over President’s Day or MLK birthday. I wouldn’t even get to leave the airport in Asia (Toyko), having only 3 hours between flights to get home. In Europe I’d have 2 days, not including transit time between Milan and Prague.
In a former life, I would have already bought the ticket because it’s a heck of a story. But I haven’t pressed that “book now” button…and I don’t think I will. I just don’t think the juice is worth the (coach seat) squeeze.
So, I ask you…am I just being a fuddy-duddy, or would you pass this up too? Are any parents doing this trip?
Tokyo is too awesome of a city _not_ to be able to leave the airport. I would not do it. As you pointed out, when you were in your twenties this would turn into a fun story. Now? Perhaps not so much.
Tokyo is definitely on our short list got next summer…and I don’t count the country if I don’t leave the airport…which is why I’ve showered in Auckland but have never been to New Zealand.
Sounds like an exhausting and uncomfortable trip! I wouldn’t do it. 🙂
Yup…says the mom on her way to an all day Yu Gi Oh tournament. Now that IS torture.
As much fun as an around-the-world trip is, I wouldn’t do it without more time to explore some destinations along the way. (especially in coach) You are not being a “fuddy-duddy”, just practical. Besides, I am sure you can use somehow stretch that $500 into a fabulous weeklong vacation for your entire family!
Too true. This is making me feel better!
Well, I would probably take longer than 4 days to do it… but YES!
If I had even a week…ah, to be young. CoughtravelnowbeforekidstieyoudownCough!
I bought one of those tickets for $150…JFK>MXP stop 7 nights….PRG>NRT….stop 4 nights. Then we’re using United miles to fly to HKG for a few nights and then use AA miles back home. We did RTW trip last summer except we went the opposite direction.
Now THAT sounds great!
I seriously considered this deal when the tweets started and may have joined the party if I lived in one of the cities where it was reported to work. But decided it was too much trouble (and time before a holiday!) to piece together positioning flights, plus return trip home, plus trying to work around a school calendar. And I’m not sure that my wife & kids would be cool with an 11-ish hour flight from Europe to Asia in economy (and from Asia back to the US). Now if the deal had been in business class for something like under $700 then I would have been all over it.
Thanks Erik, for mirroring Deal Dad who LOLed when I mentioned this as a family spring break idea.
It’s funny…I saw the new AA mistake deal popup last night and with some of the prices/city pairs mentioned I was like “meh”. But I woke up this morning and it was still alive…and the headline was Chicago to Vienna for $343. That got my attention, since the Windy City is within an easy driving distance and Vienna is a top-shelf city to visit. After a couple of hours of searching for routes that would work with our schedule, my family of 4 will visit the Christmas markets in Vienna during Thanksgiving week for $398 p/p. Way cool…I love @airfarewatchdog!