Least Expensive Airfare to Four Continents

Least expensive air travel from Omaha to four continents - Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

Outline

  1. Ground rules
  2. Method
  3. Influence of travel dates
  4. Least expensive round-trip to Europe
  5. Least expensive round-trip to Asia
  6. Least expensive round-trip to South America
  7. Least expensive round-trip to Africa
  8. Sum total of all three airfares

Ground rules

This is somewhat of a competition. I give extra points for the person with the least total airfare to all of these continents. All airfares must be roundtrip from Omaha, and must for be a three-week period from now until Sept. 1. It can be two different airlines, in which case you would present two different graphic files. The timing must be such that you can make the connection. Provide at least 3 hours. If the connection has you spending the night at the airport, you must include the cost of a hotel.

Generally, the least expensive fares to these destinations are from coastal cities in the US, like LA and New York. In order to get the lowest fare, you need to find the least expensive coastal city and the least expensive flight from Omaha to that city. Sites like Kayak and Expedia won't do this automatically. There may be some ground transportation involved in transferring to a nearby airport. Include the ground transportation cost and associated graphics. Bigger cities have multiple airports so don't get confused. New York, for example, has five airports: JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, White Plains, and Newburgh. Only three offer international flights. The cheapest flights are often from the smaller airports that charge a lesser fee for landing.

You don't need to check luggage but you do need to include a carry-on bag.

Prices vary widely during this period. They also vary by day of the week. You must present screenshots of the airfare with sufficient detail to verify the dates, connections, and price - including taxes. Use only commercial airlines - you can't use military aircraft or family connections with commercial companies. The flight leaves from Omaha – you can't drive to another city.

Method

I used the Onetravel, Justfly, Cheapoair, Cheapair, Cheaptickets, Priceline, Southwest, Jetblue, Kiwi, Kayak and Skyscanner websites in my research for this assignment.

Influence of travel dates and cities

I tried the following three-to-six-week time periods for my trips to Europe, Asia, South America and Africa: March 31st-April 30th for Europe, April 20th-May 11th for Asia, March 29th-May 12th for South America, and March 30th-May 12th for Africa. I chose to travel to Paris, France for Europe, Beijing, China for Asia, Bogota, Colombia for South America and Cairo, Egypt for Africa.

Least expensive round-trip from Omaha to Europe

       I begin my journey to Paris, France by departing from Omaha Eppley Airfield at 6:00AM on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. After an hour and 15 minute flight to St. Louis, I have an hour and 50 minute layover at the airport. After my layover in St. Louis, my flight takes off at 9:05AM for New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.

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Once I arrive at LaGuardia Airport, I am there until my flight to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris departs at 4:30PM. I fly overnight, with one 48 minute layover at Chicago O’Hare Airport. I arrive at Charles De Gaulle Airport the next morning, April 1, at 10:10AM.

 

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My trip home to Omaha begins on Thursday, April 30, when my flight back to LaGuardia Airport leaves Charles De Gaulle Airport at   10:30AM. On my way home, I have a 4 hour and 14 minute layover in Philadelphia before landing back at LaGuardia at 6:14PM.

 

 

 

Once I arrive at LaGuardia, I run to catch my flight to Omaha that departs at 6:25PM. I have an hour and 25 minute layover in St. Louis before I land at Omaha Eppley Airfield at 11:05PM that night.

Least expensive round-trip from Omaha to Asia

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My trip to Beijing, China begins on Monday, April 20, 2020 when my plane departs from Omaha Eppley Airfield at 9:31AM. My one hour and 56 minute flight from Omaha takes me to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas, where I land at 11:27AM. Once I land in Dallas, I have a 53 minute layover before my next flight departs from the city at 12:20PM for Tokyo, Japan’s Haneda Airport. After a 13 hour and 35 minute flight, I land at Haneda at 3:55PM, local time, in Tokyo. 

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After I have landed at Haneda Airport, I have a 55 minute layover before I fly to Beijing, China’s Peking Capital Airport. My flight to Peking Capital is a 3 hour and 55 minute flight. I arrive at the airport in Beijing at 7:45PM, local time.

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My journey home begins when my flight back to Dallas Fort Worth International departs from Peking Capital on Monday, May 11, 2020 at 4:10PM. My flight back is a 13 hour and 50 minute flight. I land at Dallas Fort Worth International at 5:00PM, local time. Once I land, I have a layover that lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes. My flight home to Omaha takes off from Dallas Fort Worth International at 8:45PM. After an hour and 45 minute flight, I land at Omaha Eppley Airfield at 10:30PM, local time.

 

Least expensive round-trip from Omaha to South America

My trip to Bogota, Colombia begins on Sunday, March 29, 2020 when my plane departs from Omaha Eppley Airport at 6:35PM. I land at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia at 9:49PM. After an hour and 45 minute layover at Hartsfield International Airport, my flight departs at 11:34PM. I land at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida the next morning, Monday, March 30, at 1:00AM.

 

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Once I land at Orlando International Airport, I am there until my flight leaves at 9:30AM for Bogota, Colombia. My flight to Bogota is a nonstop flight and lands at 12:36PM, local time.

 

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After my 6 week stay in Bogota, Colombia, my trip home begins when my flight departs from El Dorado International Airport in Bogota at 1:30PM on Tuesday, May 12. My flight back to Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida is a nonstop flight and lands at the airport at 6:52PM, local time. 

 

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I am at Orlando International Airport until my flight leaves at 7:56PM and lands back at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia at 9:33PM. Once I land at Hartsfield International Airport, I have a one hour layover until I board my flight back to Omaha Eppley Airfield in Omaha at 10:33PM. Finally, after my flight is over, I land at Omaha Eppley Airfield at 11:55PM.

Least expensive round-trip from Omaha to Africa

 

My trip to Cairo, Egypt begins by departing from Omaha Eppley Airfield on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 3:31PM. I fly to Charlotte, North Carolina and land at 7:05PM. After a 59 minute layover in Charlotte, my plane takes off at 8:04PM for JFK Airport in New York City, New York. I land at JFK Airport at 10:05PM.

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At 11:00PM, my plane departs from JFK Airport and I fly for 7 hours overnight to the London Gatwick Airport in London, UK where I land at 11:00AM the next morning on Tuesday, March 31. After a 6 hour layover at London Gatwick, my plane takes off again at 5:00PM and lands 3 hours and 10 minutes later at the Malta International Airport in Malta at 9:10PM.

 

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After I arrive at the Malta International Airport, I have a 2 hour and 30 minute layover before my plane departs for Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt at 11:40PM. My flight to Cairo International Airport is 2 hours and 35 minutes long. I land in Cairo the next morning on Wednesday, April 1 at 2:15AM.

 

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         After my 6 week stay in Cairo, my journey home begins when my plane departs from Cairo International Airport at 3:15AM on Monday, May 11, 2020.  My flight lasts 2 hours and 50 minutes before it lands at 6:05AM at Malta International Airport. I have a 3 hour layover in Malta before my plane leaves again at 9:05AM for Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport in Barcelona, Spain. I fly for 2 hours and 15 minutes before reaching Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport at 11:20AM.

 

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At Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport, I have a 5 hour and 50 minute layover before my flight departs from the airport at 5:10PM for JFK Airport in New York City. After a 9 hour and 5 minute flight, I land at JFK Airport at 8:15PM that night. Once I arrive at JFK, I am at the airport until my next flight to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts leaves at 11:20PM. I land in Boston the next morning on Tuesday, May 12 at 12:39AM. I have a 5 hour and 21 minute layover at Logan International Airport before I leave at 6:00AM for Chicago O’Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. After I arrive at Chicago O’Hare at 7:54AM, I have one last 2 hour and one minute layover before my final flight departs for Omaha Eppley Airfield at 9:55AM. Finally, at the end of my flight from Chicago O’Hare, I land in Omaha at 11:39AM on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

 

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Sum total of all four airfares

Europe: _____$604.85______

Asia: __$582_________

South America: __$450.40_________

Africa: ____$933.80_______

Total price: $2,571.05

 

Submitted by Spence Bridgman on 2/21/20.