Air travel

No problem with asking. Most if not all the transatlantic carriers have different levels of seating: regular coach, premium coach, business, etc., though the names may vary. I stick to plain economy, but I assume a higher class on almost any airline will mean a more comfortable seat than you'll get in coach class on almost any other airline. If you tell us your home airport, that may help people give you targeted resonses.

Thanks - Boston to Venice on the way there and Rome to Boston on the way home. I wonder if people have a favorite if traveling Economy. We were looking at Aer Lingus but not sure if we would have to take our luggage through customs on the lay over in Dublin.

Aer Lingus should check your luggage through.

Sometimes more than company specific, comfort can be specific to the type of airplane flone on the route. Couples tend to like a330s and 767s, because they have pairs of seats on the outboard sides of the plane, versus other types that have rows of three. (Aer Lingus mostly flies a330s to the US, but also sometimes the single-aisle a321—just like JetBlue would fly to Florida)

I focus more on schedule, looking for a direct or one brief layover in a non-miserable airport. If you can afford premium, that certainly helps. I also travel as a pair and prioritize planes that have the two seat configuration. Not being next to a stranger cuts the misery. I detest flying, as is pretty plain, but it’s worth it in the end.

At one time I did have a couple of preferred airlines but today it is a dice row as the the plane and airlines. Most of the airlines belong to groups and might book a Delta and wind up on someone else plane. Decide by schedule and price. There is little difference in plane. I just booked a trip on British Air and when I received the final confirmation, the long leg is on American Airlines.

Yeah, get the most direct flight, with the fewest/shortest layovers (if not direct), and pay to upgrade seats as you desire. Our last 2 flights from Denver to Italy have involved American Airlines to Dallas-Ft. Worth, then British Airways from there to Rome. Flights home were BA thru London back to Colorado. You may have more options in Boston, but BA (and partner airline AA) have been our main pick. We’ve stuck with the cheap seat section, and it’s been OK to get us there, but that’s our income level.

Who else that serves Boston flies into Venice and out of Rome? That might influence your airline choice.

We are also out of Boston, and our priority is a direct flight whenever possible. We are going from Boston to Rome round trip in May with Delta. Not the cheapest, but we don’t upgrade seats or fly premium, so we make it work.

Thanks All

Boston is a Delta hub, which intuitively might lead you to believe they'd have the best rates, but what it really means is they have a near-monopoly so do not have to offer the best rates. You will likely find that other airlines are cheaper than Delta in an effort to compete against them. If you can get yourself to a NY airport, you will likely find much better prices and far more options, but you add a layer of complexity to your travel day. Depends how much of a budget flier you need to be.
This is from someone who lives in Georgia so, to get anywhere, I have to go to Atlanta. I have just accepted it and am all in with Delta. (A favorite saying amongst frequent fliers in the southeast is even to get to hell, you have to fly through ATL.)