Cebu to Florida flight options

[Hank_ 9,173]

On 5/22/2019 at 10:17 PM, Matrix13 said:

My sincere thanks to each response to my original question. I will expand my search using the excellent suggestions you have given. I hope other VJ members can benefit from this thread, as well. 

 

Flying from the Phils to the east coast is a new world to me. I miss the good old days of living near SFO. I probably didn't realize how good I had it back then.

 

Related question: 

If airline partners ticket my gf all the way through to her destination (example: mixed Korean Air/Delta with the "switchover" in ATL, ticketed completely using Korean Air), does my gf need to transfer her checked baggage at the switchover stop? 

Atlanta is POE, there she will clear immigration, then she will retrieve her luggage and clear customs, after that she will check her luggage.   Many times they have an area just outside of customs for re-checking baggage (don't know for fact with Atlanta) 

[payxibka 10,044]

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

(don't know for fact with Atlanta) 

Fact

[Matrix13 131]

6 hours ago, Zach2015 said:

@Matrix13 what did you end up doing? I live in Southwest Florida and exploring options.

The best option for us ended up being Korean Airlines from Cebu to Jacksonville. Layovers in Seoul and Atlanta (we chose 4 hours at ATL) for $905. Special thanks to @Teachers for that recommendation. 

 

The flight is ticketed all the way through to Jacksonville with Korean Airlines. We booked directly from their website after we found the deal on Kayak. The last leg of the flight is on Delta, and they tons of options out of Atlanta (because it's one of their hubs, as you know). We used that to our advantage to pick a layover time that didn't force my fiancee to be rushed through her POE experience.

 

You may notice that our timeline shows we have not had the embassy interview yet. We went ahead with the ticket purchase anyway, getting it for a little over a month after the scheduled interview. We understand the risks of that, but the change/cancellation fees for this ticket are actually quite reasonable. And if we have to change it, we will be glad we booked directly with the airline instead of using a third party broker. 

[Hank_ 9,173]

Booking directly through the airlines is the best if there is a possibility of making changes.     

[Zach2015 211]

Thanks!

[Falcon Cara 378]

11 hours ago, Matrix13 said:

The best option for us ended up being Korean Airlines from Cebu to Jacksonville. Layovers in Seoul and Atlanta (we chose 4 hours at ATL) for $905. Special thanks to @Teachers for that recommendation. 

 

The flight is ticketed all the way through to Jacksonville with Korean Airlines. We booked directly from their website after we found the deal on Kayak. The last leg of the flight is on Delta, and they tons of options out of Atlanta (because it's one of their hubs, as you know). We used that to our advantage to pick a layover time that didn't force my fiancee to be rushed through her POE experience.

 

You may notice that our timeline shows we have not had the embassy interview yet. We went ahead with the ticket purchase anyway, getting it for a little over a month after the scheduled interview. We understand the risks of that, but the change/cancellation fees for this ticket are actually quite reasonable. And if we have to change it, we will be glad we booked directly with the airline instead of using a third party broker. 

Delta and their partner  Korean Airlines has proved to be very reliable coming and going to Philippines for me.  Delta no longer has a Sky lounge in Manila which was pretty nice place to hang out and they used to have excellent food and drinks. 

[Zach2015 211]

After all your suggestions, we will decide to go with Delta when the time comes. It appears she will fly from Manila to Tokyo, from Tokyo to Atlanta and then into Southwest Florida. Will she have to get her luggage at each airport and transfer it to her next flight?

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, Zach2015 said:

After all your suggestions, we will decide to go with Delta when the time comes. It appears she will fly from Manila to Tokyo, from Tokyo to Atlanta and then into Southwest Florida. Will she have to get her luggage at each airport and transfer it to her next flight?

As long as it is a single itinerary,  Just in Atlanta in order to clear customs 

[Zach2015 211]

@payxibka, it is a single itinerary and includes the Philippines travel tax. Obviously, not booking it until she passes her medical and interview.

[Falcon Cara 378]

18 minutes ago, Zach2015 said:

After all your suggestions, we will decide to go with Delta when the time comes. It appears she will fly from Manila to Tokyo, from Tokyo to Atlanta and then into Southwest Florida. Will she have to get her luggage at each airport and transfer it to her next flight?

They will send her luggage to Atlanta from Manila