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Recently, my husband and I were looking for an awesome trip idea for a kid-free week in November. My mom said she would watch our kids, which meant we could go anywhere for around a week. I truly appreciate her help because it makes it possible for us to see the world without feeling guilty about leaving our kids behind. Plus, as a travel writer, I really need to be traveling. The trips I’m able to take due to my mom’s help have helped me see new places, and this has obviously broadened my travel writing prospects over time. Obviously, my kids also love spending time with her, so that’s a huge bonus.
Anyway, we looked for the perfect trip for around a month. We came up with a few ideas but weren’t thrilled about them. In late January when Delta and United were having sale fares to Europe, for example, we briefly considered a trip to Portugal and western Spain because flights out of Indianapolis were so cheap. We also found some decent fares to Sicily, but ultimately wound up looking for an alternative to avoid the 15-20 hour layovers these flights required.
To be honest, I really wanted to go to Croatia. We are visiting the country on our Mediterranean cruise this summer, but we all know that cruise stops don’t offer enough time to explore. Plus, we’ll have our kids for our cruise this summer, meaning I can’t pack too much sightseeing in without making everyone miserable.
Plus, there are things I want to do outside Dubrovnik. I have always wanted to go to the Plitvikes Lakes area, for example. And there are several day trips outside of Croatia we wanted to take if we could find the time.
Why I Check Alternate Airports
I don’t know why, but flights to Croatia are always absurdly expensive out of my home airport in Indianapolis. I know because I have checked for years. I also know that, based on the airline currencies I hold and have held, it has been historically difficult for me to get to Croatia without forking over a ton of miles or enduring an itinerary with 3 stops.
Then there are the problems with Croatia itself. It’s long and skinny and not that easy to get around, unfortunately. You can’t zip across Croatia in a high-speed train, for instance. You can take a bus or a ferry, but those options take a lot longer. So, what I really needed was a sale on an open jaw flight plus a reasonable plan to get across the country during our stay.
I have been searching for a sale fare to Croatia for a long time, but I have never found one that has worked for our dates. Fortunately, I am sometimes willing to fly out of Chicago for the right trip. It’s around 3.5 hours for us each way, which can be worth it if we save a bundle.
For our flights to Miami this summer for our cruise on the MSC Divina, for example, we saved around $800 on four tickets because we were willing to drive to Chicago. For $800 savings, I’ll do it. For $200? Probably not.
For our Croatia trip, I finally stumbled upon a trip I could afford at a time we could actually go. After searching for a month, I found inexpensive fares to Croatia from both Chicago and Cincinnati (which is around 1.5 hours away). Ultimately, we chose to fly out of Chicago round-trip into Zagreb and home form Dubrovnik for $648 per person Lufthansa (booked through United).
I also booked a one-way flight on Croatia Airlines that will take us from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. This flight takes only 50 minutes and set me back only 4,150 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per person! With this booked, we’ll be able to spend a few days in and around Zagreb before we fly to Dubrovnik. With a home base in Dubrovnik, we’ll be able to do most of the day trips we want. (And before anyone asks, yes, I am staying at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik for that leg of our trip.)
The Bottom Line
For us, flying out of Chicago for this trip is a no-brainer. Similar flights out of Indianapolis typically cost at least $1,000 but sometimes a lot more. Personally, I would much rather spend my money on day trips or really good food, and not flying. Ideally, I would want to spend airline miles instead…but this is one location that has made it tough.
If you live near several airports, make sure to consider your alternatives whether you’re paying in points or miles. You can often save a bundle if you’re willing to drive a few hours out of the way, and those savings can make the trip worth it.
Do you consider alternative airports? Why or why not?
[Image: Nicola/Flickr]
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