I would like to do the Rick Steves Poland tour. I always stay about 3 weeks in Europe. My thought is to go to Berlin first, then get to Gdansk for the tour a few days early. I would stay longer in Krakow and then travel to either Prague or Budapest. My flights have to begin and end in Chicago. I am coming up with simply crazy flights with super long layovers. Has anyone done something similar? Maybe there are better places to catch a flight home.
Posted by
Barcelona + Sweden
4166 posts
A little confusing your post, where are you going to where? Is the trouble flying to Europe or fly back?
Maybe try flying to Frankfurt first, then taking a LOT or Lufthansa flight to any of the major cities of Poland?
Posted by
Green Bay
21090 posts
When are you going? I've flown Budapest to Chicago and it was just a 1 hour layover in Munich on Lufthansa.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5394 posts
I am coming up with simply crazy flights with super long layovers
Is the trip within the next 11 months? What site are you using to check flights? Google flights? And what are the default filter settings? If it is set to show cheapest flights first, then yes, you'll get some really crazy results. Play around with the filters and see if you get better results.
Posted by
Virginia
851 posts
Have you considered something like multi-city ticketing with United? ORD to Berlin and then Prague to ORD?
Just doing a random search and I see the choice of a 1 stop flight over with as little as a 1:25 up to a 6:00 layover at IAD, plus there are layover options at EWR. Then coming back you have 1, 2, 3, 5 and 12 hour options at various European airports like PRG=>MUC=>ORD with a 2 hour layover.
Posted by
OP
21 posts
I would like to go from Chicago to Berlin.
Then my return would be from either Prague to Chicago or Budapest to Chicago. Yes I did a multi flight search and the results were a mess.
Posted by
Chattanooga, TN USA
588 posts
A random search using google flights from Chicago ORD to Berlin BER, returning three weeks later from Budapest to Chicago. Using dates in July there's an option on Aer Lingus through Dublin for around $1200, with very reasonable layovers. You would need to get transportation from Berlin to Gdańsk and Krakow to Budapest separately. Are you looking at specific dates or airlines?
Posted by
Virginia
851 posts
I'm sorry OP, but what do you find to be a mess, what are you having difficulty with? Granted I'm only looking at United, but I find it all rather easy to understand. Pretty simple actually.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
19955 posts
Okay, give us some dates to work with
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8312 posts
I'm surprised that there are no direct flights from the mighty ORD to BER.
Lufthansa connecting thru Munich would be your best bet. I've flown home out of Prague, and there again you've got to make connections elsewhere. Lufthansa's connections thru Munich and then to ORD would be the best way to get home.
Budapest is another large city without any direct flight to North America. There again, flying from Budapest to Munich and then home would be your best bet.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
19955 posts
Most of Lufthansa's connections are in Frakfurt. I have flown ORD BUD a few times. But you have to know dates or it's all guess work.
Posted by
City of Seattle
1945 posts
Took a look at July 2023, and you are right, a bit of a dog's breakfast ORD to BER. Aer Lingus and Icelandair aren't too expensive and not terribly unreasonable schedules.
The Polish airline LOT depart from Chicago for most of their direct flights to Poland. Maybe reform your itinerary for a direct flight to Warsaw?
Try skyscanner.com - you can search ORD to entire countries in Europe, not just individual destinations.