Yes! Well in my opinion it is, anyway. If there's a direct option available, it's usually worth it to me to pay the extra for it. If you've traveled by plane at all, you know how things can go wrong. The might stops/layovers, the more chance for something to go wrong. If anything, take the layover on the way back so it'll interrupt going back to work and not interrupt your vacation.
Advisor Tip: This is one of many reasons I suggest to my clients that they purchase travel insurance. No matter how hard we try craft the perfect trip, there's always a chance of a hiccup. For example, your flight is cancelled due to weather and the only flight is the next day. You would be reimbursed for the hotel night that you weren't able to use. Contrary to popular belief, for domestic itineraries airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed or canceled. If you're "bumped" due to the airline overbooking, you are entitled to compensation.
Anyway, back to the direct flights! Since COVID, one of the most expensive parts of traveling is the airfare. If you're looking to save money here, book early, take the super early or late flight, and possibly choose a destination based on air fare from your closest airport. Many of us are lucky that we are within driving distance of a few major airports. Each of those are going to have direct destinations that are unique to them. I've collected the data from my nearest airports: BWI (Baltimore), IAD (DC), DCA (VA), and PHL (Philly) to share with you all. If you're located in a different area, send me a message, and I'm happy to do the research for you.
You can find the complete list of international direct flights at the end of this article.
BWI Highlights:
- Reykjavik
- London
- Aruba
- San Jose Cabo
IAD Highlights:
- Dublin
- Frankfurt
- Paris
- Tokyo
- Barcelona
- Dubai
- Rome
- Seoul
EWR Highlights:
- Paris
- Tel Aviv
- Athens
- Panama City
- Amsterdam
- Rome
- Hong Kong
- Naples
PHL Highlights:
- Madrid
- Saint Lucia
- Milan
- Zurich
- Lisbon
Now, if you're traveling internationally, your best chance of a direct flight in this area is DCA Dulles or JFK New York City. For people looking for their honeymoons or a romantic getaway, there's a ton of options in this area. Some of my favorite cities I've recently sent my clients to are Barcelona, Athens, San Jose (Costa Rica), and Saint Lucia.
Advisor Tip: Costa Rica is becoming a hot destination. Many Americans are looking for that All Inclusive feel, but that's not really what the country is about. There's a few to choose from, but honestly, I advise my clients to select other resorts. The best part of Costa Rica is the nature, so pick a resort that puts you right in it. Enjoy the peace. I'm seeing in the travel advisor news that they're in the works of a ton of new properties down there as well.
If I'm taking a layover, how much time should I be giving myself?
My advice is at least two hours for domestic flights, and at least three hours for international flights. It gives you a little leeway to work with if there's a delay but also doesn't feel like you're stuck in the airport all day. Also, the earlier your flights are in the day, the less chance of a disruption.
Advisor Tip: Destinations that are longer away, such as Europe, typically fly overnight so you can sleep on the plane. So plan to leave a day earlier than you expect to be at the resort. If you want to be at the resort Wednesday, you'll leave Tuesday night.
Full List of Direct Flights from BWI, IAD, EWR, and PHL:
Direct flights from Baltimore:
Cancun
Reykjavik
Montego Bay
Punta Cana
London
Panama City
Aruba
Guanacaste
Nassau
San Jose
Bermuda
Belize City
Grand Cayman Island
Providenciales
San Jose Cabo
Direct flights from DC:
Toronto
San Salvador
London
Dublin
Frankfurt
Montreal
Ottawa
Paris
Panama City
Toronto
Cancun
Tokyo
Istanbul
Mexico City
Punta Cana
Amsterdam
Lisbon
Munich
Zurich
Bogota
Doha
Barcelona
Addis Ababa
Calgary
Abu Dhabi
Brussels
Dubai
Edinburgh
Rome
Sao Paulo
Geneva
Seoul
Reykjavik
Athens
Beijing
St Thomas
Accra
Copenhagen
Madrid
Guatemala City
Vancouver
Vienna
Aruba
Delhi
Jeddah
Providenciales
Cairo
Cape Town
Amman
Lagos
Rome
Casablanca
Riyadh
San Jose
Sint Maarten
Grand Cayman Island
Montego Bay
Nassau
Bridgetown
Nice
Venice
Direct flights from Newark:
Toronto
Dakar
Ottawa
Montreal
Cancun
Santiago
Paris
Mexico City
Punta Cana
San Jose
Lisbon
Santo Domingo
Frankfurt
Tel Aviv
Aruba
Athens
Bogota
Dublin
Montego Bay
Munich
Panama City
Halifax
Quebec
Zurich
Milan
Nassau
Paris
Delhi
Singapore
Malaga
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Bermuda
Bridgetown
Aguadilla
Brussels
Copenhagen
Edinburgh
Dubai
Rome
Grand Cayman Island
Sao Paulo
Berlin
Guatemala City
Geneva
Johannesburg
Hong Kong
Reykjavik
Guanacaste
Madrid
Tokyo
Porto
Beijing
Providenciales
Puerto Plata
Port of Spain
Shanghai
Shannon
Saint Thomas
Sint Maarten
Venice
Vienna
Vancouver
Calgary
Tokyo
Tulum
Antigua
Stockholm
Istanbul
Oslo
Naples
Ponta Delgada
San Jose Cabo Seoul
Lima
Faro
Mumbai
Cape Town
Addis Ababa
Dubrovnik
Tenerife
Cairo
Marrakech
San Salvador
Warsaw
Belize City
San Pedro Sula
Saint Lucia
Bonaire
Krakow
Palma de Mallorca
Puerto Vallarta
Rzeszow
Nice
Saint Kitts
Dominica
Curacao
Nuuk
Bilbao
Funchal
Palermo
Direct flights from Philly:
Montreal
Toronto
Cancun
Dublin
London
Punta Cana
Barcelona
Doha
Rome
Madrid
Zurich
Paris
Amsterdam
Lisbon
Aruba
Montego Bay
Copenhagen
Nice
Athens
Nassau
Providenciales
Saint Thomas
Naples
Frankfurt
Bermuda
Santo Domingo
Quebec
Halifax
Bridgetown
Grand Cayman Island
Sint Maarten
Saint Lucia
Venice
Panama City
Guanacaste
Edinburgh
Mexico City
Milan
Kelsey here from New Dawn Vacations. Thanks for checking out my blog. I'd love to help plan your next getaway! You can set up a consultation here: https://newdawnvacations.com/meetings/new-dawn-vacations
Comment below:
Any international direct flights that I missed?
What destinations do you want to see become a direct fight?
Interested in a different airport?
