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How to get back to the US on Delta Airlines from Santiago de Compostela

C

CaryB

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2020
Hello, I am looking for recommendations on how to return to the US after completing the Camino. I know I will need an open jaw flight. What is a recommended departure city and why? Thanks for the help. There have to be many returning to the US. What were your routes. I am from Salt Lake City.
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Like you, I live in a Delta hub city (Detroit), so I prefer to fly them. They don't have any partners that fly out of Santiago, so if you want to fly Delta, you'll need to use another airline for the first leg from SdC.

For my upcoming Camino, I'm going to fly Vueling non-stop from SdC to Amsterdam, than non-stop on Delta from Amsterdam to Detroit. I think a similar thing could work for you. Looks like Delta has non-stop flights from SLC to/from Paris and Amsterdam.

Suggestions... Make sure you have plenty of time on your lay-over since you may be in a different terminal, or want to check your bag with Delta, so you may have to go through security again. Also, I noticed Vueling has non-stop flights to Amsterdam on most days, but not all days. So if you can, tweak your date to get the optimal flights. Also, make sure your flights are in/out of the same airport. Amsterdam and Paris should be no problem, but London has 3 airports, and the smaller airlines may fly into a different airports than the large carriers.
 
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Unfortunately for those who fly Delta, Delta is not partners with Iberia, so getting a ticket from Santiago to US on Delta or with a Delta code share will not be easy. I THINK that the best bet for Delta passengers who want to fly from Santiago is to get yourself to A Coruña or Vigo, where some Delta partners fly. You can then get a code share ticket.

BillW said:
For my upcoming Camino, I'm going to fly Vueling non-stop from SdC to Amsterdam, than non-stop on Delta from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Click to expand...

My guess is that this is two separate tickets (I think Vueling only has a code share with Iberia and One World Alliance), but maybe you have been able to book it all on one ticket. Especially for the trip home to the US from Europe, I think most of us would strongly recommend that you have one ticket for your flights. If the Vueling flight is cancelled or has a huge delay, and you miss your connection in Amsterdam, you will most likely have to buy a new one-way ticket home. That would be very expensive.

I am hoping that @BillW was able to find a way to book this all on one ticket — if not, I think the best options are train/bus to Madrid or a flight to some European city from either Vigo or A Coruña and then a transfer to your US-bound flight.
 
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Ideal pocket guides for during and after your Camino. Each weighs just 40g (1.4 oz).
First Camino I flew Ryan from SdC to Barcelona. Delta from BCN to ATL
 
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Yes, two separate tickets.
 
Delta has non-stop flights to JFK (and potentially other US Delta hubs) from Madrid and Barcelona. You can catch a train from StdC to either city. Flights from Madrid may be less expensive. Good luck!
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I'm a bit of an outlier here, purposely. I took the train from SDC to Paris. My Delta flight back to Seattle was perfect in every way. That was in June, 2017.
 
Returned to Denver in June. With only a few days lead time, I searched Madrid, Lisbon, and (on the advice of locals) Porto. Turned out SdC originations were much cheaper price than any other although it used same flights/legs.

(That said, half on my flights both over (Paris) and back (via SdC) were delayed. That seems quite common these days.)
 
Agree with train to Madrid, Delta to ATL, then SLC.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I'm with Grousedoctor and BrianLCrabtree: train to Madrid and then Delta to ATL and SLC. Seems the easiest, most direct way.
 
BrianLCrabtree said:
Agree with train to Madrid, Delta to ATL, then SLC.
Click to expand...
I did the Portuguese Camino from Porto in April this year, here is what I used for flights. Delta Salt Lake -Boston, overnight in Boston. New day took bus/train in Boston for a few hours. That night took TP Portuguese Airline Boston to Lisbon, Connecting flight to Porto. On return from Santiago, bus to Porto, spent two days in Porto. Beautiful city. TP flight to Lisbon connecting to TP to Boston same day connection to Salt Lake.
TP Portuguese Airline seems to have very good fares, however they have increased in the last couple of years.
2022 Did the French Camino, same flight plans DL Salt Lake, Boston, TP Boston - Lisbon, couple days in TP Lisbon, Bilbao, cab to St Jean. Return Santiago bus to Porto TP Porto-Lisbon-Boston- DL Salt Lake City.

If you use TP check the days you travel, the fares very there are big differences days of the week etc.

I have done 4 Camino's and I live in Southern Utah, if you have any other questions, feel free to contact.
 
Over the past nearly 10 years that I have been doing an annual section of the Camino (I have physical limitations), I use trains between cities, and larger towns. Train service on major routes (e.g. Santiago to Madrid) is usually very good or better than good.

There are different levels of service, with AVE being the fastest; last week between Ponferrada and Madrid, we were averaging nearly 300 kph. Over the past 5-10 years Spain has been really upgrading passenger service, and there are occasional glitches as new and/or improved services are added. Be aware that the major improvements to Chamartin station are still not completed.

I guess most people from the US do not even consider train service because it mostly wouldn't even be possible in the States these days, with a very few exceptions.

Check Rome2Rio for schedules and to purchase tickets; you will be forwarded to the RENFE site, so it all works quite well.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I recently bought a friend's ticket on Delta for Spain back to the States. Best option is to take a bus to A Coruna or Vigo which are about the same distance (about 2 hours) in different directions from Santiago and they only leave very early so need to stay in whichever city the night before. Have stayed/left from both and personally I like A Coruna better as the city is quaint and interesting. The other option is to take a train to Madrid and leave from there which again means travel the day before and a stay in Madrid. Buen Camino.
 
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