Perhaps the toughest and most expensive part of travelling to Europe is getting there. Contrary to common perceptions, tickets from Chicago's O'Hare Airport to Shannon Airport in Ireland usually do not cost much more than at ticket from LAX to JFK.
The most important thing you will need to go to Ireland is a valid passport. It takes about a month to get a passport, though for a nominal fee, an emergency passport can be issued within three days.
The next thing you'll need is a plane ticket. Below is a list of travel sites and airlines. Each is hyperlinked, when available.
| Site | Telephone Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Expedia | 800-397-3342 | John's current site of choice. It generally offers more choices and better prices than the competition. The only downside is that it is owned by Microsoft. |
| The Trip | 888-4-THE-TRIP | |
| Travelocity | 888-709-5983 | |
| LowestFare.com | You can find some great rates here, but they are not always the lowest fare. | |
| Airline | Telephone Number | Notes |
| Aer Lingus | 800-IRISH-AIR | Ireland's premier carrier. |
| Delta Airlines | 800-221-1212 | |
| Continental Airlines | 800-231-0856 | |
| American Airlines | 800-433-7300 | |
| British Airways | 800-AIRWAYS | |
| Aeroflot | 888-340-6400 | Believe it or not, Russia's national air carrier comes highly recommended. |
| Ryan Air | N/A | Service between Ireland and other points of interest in Europe. |
| Virgin Airlines | 800-862-8621 | |