Dubai to Quito, Ecuador
Dubai to Quito, Ecuador
No direct flights obviously so starting with Emirates, what would experiences travellers do - transit in;
Madrid ?
Amsterdam ?
Sao Paolo ?
LAX ?
Its holiday so I'm paying so price does matter.
Advice gratefully received.
Madrid ?
Amsterdam ?
Sao Paolo ?
LAX ?
Its holiday so I'm paying so price does matter.
Advice gratefully received.
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In LAX you would have to pass US immigration and (I expect) you would need an ESTA (Entry visum) and likely need to change terminals...
Amsterdam is an easy transfer. I have no experience with the other two airports.
The other aspect is "what airline takes you from transfer point into Quito". With a transfer in Europe you'll spend quite some time with them.
Amsterdam is an easy transfer. I have no experience with the other two airports.
The other aspect is "what airline takes you from transfer point into Quito". With a transfer in Europe you'll spend quite some time with them.
Did I not read somewhere in the last year that Emirates was launching a new service to Brazil/Argentina/Mexico (one of those) ??? If that's the case, then it would be a case of a shorter flight to two within Sth America.
I transited Sao Paulo in January 2013. Came in on BA from London to connect to Lan on to Santiago. We got to the top of the jetway to find a couple of BA people with a small list of transfer passengers and they simply opened a door in the glass wall and let us into departures. Job done!
Now, it happens I had 2 separate tickets (something I regularly warn against) but BA have an agreement with LAN and I had everything through checked. Whether it would work that easily in other circumstances is difficult to know. The airport itself is two large wings referred to as separate terminals with a connecting corridor. The waiting area for the LAN flight got a bit warm but other than that it all worked ok.
You could take advantage of the stop to actually stay a night (or two) each way depending on where you decided to change but I appreciate that will add o the costs.
Out of the 4 you mention, despite my positive experience of Sao Paulo I think I'd go for Amsterdam. Why? LAX is a zoo and immigration can take a while to say the least. Then you've got to find the terminal for your next flight, check in again, go through security etc. You need time for all that (which is another reason to spend a night). On that 2013 trip I met a tour group who had come out from London on Iberia via Madrid and they had little good to say about Madrid airport. Amsterdam had a bad reputation for losing baggage but recent reports are positive and the whole operation there is aimed at connecting passengers. Also, KLM offer a form of Premium Economy which, despite financial restrictions, might be worth considering.
Now, it happens I had 2 separate tickets (something I regularly warn against) but BA have an agreement with LAN and I had everything through checked. Whether it would work that easily in other circumstances is difficult to know. The airport itself is two large wings referred to as separate terminals with a connecting corridor. The waiting area for the LAN flight got a bit warm but other than that it all worked ok.
You could take advantage of the stop to actually stay a night (or two) each way depending on where you decided to change but I appreciate that will add o the costs.
Out of the 4 you mention, despite my positive experience of Sao Paulo I think I'd go for Amsterdam. Why? LAX is a zoo and immigration can take a while to say the least. Then you've got to find the terminal for your next flight, check in again, go through security etc. You need time for all that (which is another reason to spend a night). On that 2013 trip I met a tour group who had come out from London on Iberia via Madrid and they had little good to say about Madrid airport. Amsterdam had a bad reputation for losing baggage but recent reports are positive and the whole operation there is aimed at connecting passengers. Also, KLM offer a form of Premium Economy which, despite financial restrictions, might be worth considering.
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Check this out.
DXB to UIO Flights | Travelocity
I would transfer LHR MIA, Miami has an international terminal, chances are there would be no issues with customs as you are isolated to the terminal for transit. I would have thought LAX would have a similar setup for intnl transit.
DXB to UIO Flights | Travelocity
I would transfer LHR MIA, Miami has an international terminal, chances are there would be no issues with customs as you are isolated to the terminal for transit. I would have thought LAX would have a similar setup for intnl transit.
Miami has an international terminal, chances are there would be no issues with customs as you are isolated to the terminal for transit. I would have thought LAX would have a similar setup for intnl transit.
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Using good ole great circle mapper
DXB-UIO = 8904 miles
DXB-MAD-UIO = 8945 miles (=+0.5%)
DXB-AMS-UIO = 9149 miles (=+2.7%)
DXB-SAO-UIO = 10274 (+15.4%)
DXB-LAX-UIO = 11835 (+32.9%)
DXB-MIA-UIO = 9631 (+8.2%)
DXB-NYC-UIO = 9668 (+8.6%)
So theroretically your optimum route would be via Madrid...
The 'however' is that afaik IB don't serve DXB so you'd have 2 carriers with all the annoyance that involves.
Via Asmterdam you would be 1 carrier all through and with 2 nonstop flights and (from the KLM schedules current) 4 hours in SPL which would give you time to have a shower & shave & have a decent breakfast...
Any other routing looks to be full of misery & hassle (via LAX, NYC, MIA sure to ruin your holidays)
DXB-UIO = 8904 miles
DXB-MAD-UIO = 8945 miles (=+0.5%)
DXB-AMS-UIO = 9149 miles (=+2.7%)
DXB-SAO-UIO = 10274 (+15.4%)
DXB-LAX-UIO = 11835 (+32.9%)
DXB-MIA-UIO = 9631 (+8.2%)
DXB-NYC-UIO = 9668 (+8.6%)
So theroretically your optimum route would be via Madrid...
The 'however' is that afaik IB don't serve DXB so you'd have 2 carriers with all the annoyance that involves.
Via Asmterdam you would be 1 carrier all through and with 2 nonstop flights and (from the KLM schedules current) 4 hours in SPL which would give you time to have a shower & shave & have a decent breakfast...
Any other routing looks to be full of misery & hassle (via LAX, NYC, MIA sure to ruin your holidays)
Thank you all for the helpful advice - particularly that great circle calculator.
Madrid looks more sensible as I can use and gain Emirates Skywards miles and tier points and in theory, get an upgrade, however the Sao Paolo route looks interesting as well.
I've never flown Iberia - any views on what the travel experience is like ?
Edit : I looked at the Sao Paolo flight and total flying time would be 20 hours 25 minutes in the air across two legs, vs 16 hours via Madrid.
Madrid looks more sensible as I can use and gain Emirates Skywards miles and tier points and in theory, get an upgrade, however the Sao Paolo route looks interesting as well.
I've never flown Iberia - any views on what the travel experience is like ?
Edit : I looked at the Sao Paolo flight and total flying time would be 20 hours 25 minutes in the air across two legs, vs 16 hours via Madrid.
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Let's get the easy part out of the way first: I don't think "LAX" has ever featured as the correct answer to any question of the kind "What is the best way to...".
Are you going cattle class, or business? If cattle, I would avoid Madrid/Iberia. Business class is OK. In cattle class, KLM via AMS will be the least painful option by a clear margin, and I have flown the AMS-UIO part myself. Only downside is that it is (or was when I did it a few months ago) a triangular route that calls at Guayaquil on the way back.
Are you going cattle class, or business? If cattle, I would avoid Madrid/Iberia. Business class is OK. In cattle class, KLM via AMS will be the least painful option by a clear margin, and I have flown the AMS-UIO part myself. Only downside is that it is (or was when I did it a few months ago) a triangular route that calls at Guayaquil on the way back.
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https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=DXB;t=UIO
shortest duration (and price)
https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=DXB;t=UIO;d=2014-10-22;r=2014-10-26;mp=2000;md=1440
GrahamO
We flew a couple of years ago from Madrid to Quito, and back .
Without a shadow of a doubt, in our years of flying, both as pax and crew, Iberia rate as the worst by miles. The crew were lazy, and the service was poor and slow. Meals were of poor quality, and only limited choice. The IFE, or what there was of it, was only in Spanish. Info from the F/D was non-existant.
Seating was crammed, and uncomfortable.
We have decided never ever to fly with this carrier.
Without a shadow of a doubt, in our years of flying, both as pax and crew, Iberia rate as the worst by miles. The crew were lazy, and the service was poor and slow. Meals were of poor quality, and only limited choice. The IFE, or what there was of it, was only in Spanish. Info from the F/D was non-existant.
Seating was crammed, and uncomfortable.
We have decided never ever to fly with this carrier.
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If you transfer ANYWHERE in the US, you have to pass US Immigration, regardless of if it is in a "transit" terminal. No choice: the only exit from the aircraft heads right to Immigration.
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Iberia - AVOID !
Just to add my 2 cents on the Iberia experience .... I would avoid if you can.
Reliability of actually getting to your final destination on original itinerary WITH luggage - Low.
I had the (dis)pleasure of staying overnight in one of Iberia's transit hotels at MAD after a missed connection - it was like a transit camp, some people had been there many days trying to get to their destination after missed connections. When our travelling group eventually arrived at our final destination (24 hours later than itinerary), did everyone have their luggage ? Of course not. I have heard many tales of luggage not making it with Iberia.
This is a key one for me - The ability to help if anything goes wrong - Appreciating that things can go wrong with any airlines operation, I have seen service recovery at some airlines really make me think very highly of them and in fact recommend them for future travel. At Iberia, they just don't care, shrug of the shoulders, take or leave it. They have NO customer service culture and are lazy.
In the air - Aircraft have dated interiors and cabin service is slow, very slow. It made me laugh on the LON - MAD section of my trip, I was asked by the cabin crew if I wanted anything from the bar cart as the seatbelt signs were on for landing at Madrid !! I declined as how the hell was I supposed to drink and store the glass when we had already been told to lock tray tables and store all loose items ??!! It had taken them over 2 hours to actually get to our row. Long Haul again is slow (not such an issue on a long flight), Food is dreadful (be prepared to eat before the flight or bring something along). You will be treated by the Cabin Crew like you are an interruption to their day, expect nothing and you won't be disappointed.
Good luck on planning your itinerary.
Reliability of actually getting to your final destination on original itinerary WITH luggage - Low.
I had the (dis)pleasure of staying overnight in one of Iberia's transit hotels at MAD after a missed connection - it was like a transit camp, some people had been there many days trying to get to their destination after missed connections. When our travelling group eventually arrived at our final destination (24 hours later than itinerary), did everyone have their luggage ? Of course not. I have heard many tales of luggage not making it with Iberia.
This is a key one for me - The ability to help if anything goes wrong - Appreciating that things can go wrong with any airlines operation, I have seen service recovery at some airlines really make me think very highly of them and in fact recommend them for future travel. At Iberia, they just don't care, shrug of the shoulders, take or leave it. They have NO customer service culture and are lazy.
In the air - Aircraft have dated interiors and cabin service is slow, very slow. It made me laugh on the LON - MAD section of my trip, I was asked by the cabin crew if I wanted anything from the bar cart as the seatbelt signs were on for landing at Madrid !! I declined as how the hell was I supposed to drink and store the glass when we had already been told to lock tray tables and store all loose items ??!! It had taken them over 2 hours to actually get to our row. Long Haul again is slow (not such an issue on a long flight), Food is dreadful (be prepared to eat before the flight or bring something along). You will be treated by the Cabin Crew like you are an interruption to their day, expect nothing and you won't be disappointed.
Good luck on planning your itinerary.
Last edited by BHX_SLF; 7th Oct 2014 at 18:58. Reason: Small typo/spelling error
In the air - Aircraft have dated interiors and cabin service is slow, very slow. It made me laugh on the LON - MAD section of my trip, I was asked by the cabin crew if I wanted anything from the bar cart as the seatbelt signs were on for landing at Madrid !! I declined as how the hell was I supposed to drink and store the glass when we had already been told to lock tray tables and store all loose items ??!! It had taken them over 2 hours to actually get to our row. Long Haul again is slow (not such an issue on a long flight), Food is dreadful (be prepared to eat before the flight or bring something along). You will be treated by the Cabin Crew like you are an interruption to their day, expect nothing and you won't be disappointed.
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Graham O
I would echo comments re Iberia already posted. I am about to set of for DXB on Sunday with 2 days there on business, and then down to BA and onto Santiago with EK and LAN to a wedding. I am not looking forward to the DXB - BA sector as it is a long stretch, plus I am coming the same way back for another meeting in DXB !. Therefore I would try to minimise your fight times so looking at what is already posted KLM looks your best bet. My brother in law flew with them down and back to Shanghai in late August and said they were OK in Business, not great, but better than the normal US carriers he has to fly across the pond. Oh and you do get little Delph houses !.
Have a good trip.
I would echo comments re Iberia already posted. I am about to set of for DXB on Sunday with 2 days there on business, and then down to BA and onto Santiago with EK and LAN to a wedding. I am not looking forward to the DXB - BA sector as it is a long stretch, plus I am coming the same way back for another meeting in DXB !. Therefore I would try to minimise your fight times so looking at what is already posted KLM looks your best bet. My brother in law flew with them down and back to Shanghai in late August and said they were OK in Business, not great, but better than the normal US carriers he has to fly across the pond. Oh and you do get little Delph houses !.
Have a good trip.
I agree with the comments re Iberia. I have spent a substantial portion of my working life travelling in South America and skilfully managed to avoid them most of the time. I travelled to Quito frequently, and have a Platinum-For-Life KLM card - need I say more? Yes. they've lost my baggage more than a few times, but so have BA and others. Going via Sao Paulo makes no sense to me. It's a long way south to go north again and S America is much bigger than most people realise!
Have a nice holiday!
Yes. they've lost my baggage more than a few times, but so have BA and others. Going via Sao Paulo makes no sense to me. It's a long way south to go north again and S America is much bigger than most people realise! Have a nice holiday!
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Graham O
I have just got back today to Yorkshire from my long trip down to Santiago and I can safely say the BA - DXB route is one of the longest routes I have flown recently, it just drags. Nothing wrong with crew or plane but my god we seemed to crawl across Africa this time !, glad its not one of my normal routes. I do not have to see the inside of an EK 777 until the evening of the 21st when out bound again to the Far East, and even that at the moment seems too soon !. Hope your flight down to Quito is not as long, as I feel like I need a holiday to recover from this one.
I have just got back today to Yorkshire from my long trip down to Santiago and I can safely say the BA - DXB route is one of the longest routes I have flown recently, it just drags. Nothing wrong with crew or plane but my god we seemed to crawl across Africa this time !, glad its not one of my normal routes. I do not have to see the inside of an EK 777 until the evening of the 21st when out bound again to the Far East, and even that at the moment seems too soon !. Hope your flight down to Quito is not as long, as I feel like I need a holiday to recover from this one.
