Germanwings: Cologne to Tenerife

The carrier: Germanwings

About

Now owned by Lufthansa,Germanwings is an indisputable giant, one of Germany's big three budget airlines.  In addition to its German destinations, 'wings' flies to destinations in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Croatia and other Eastern locations.  It benefits from one of the best and most wide-ranging destination tallies among the airlines we profile. Unlike many carriers, Germanwings' route map is broad and well-distributed across Europe. An added bonus we love? With the airline's "Smart Connect" one-stop booking tool, it is possible to purchase connecting flights as single fares.

Upside

One of Europe's bigger low-cost airlines, with very good reach into the Balkans.  The website has a helpful low fare calendar in the upper right hand corner.  

Downside

Operates in part on a connecting flight model, feeding passengers via hubs.

Baggage

* Carry-on: Baggage cannot measure more than 55 x 40 x 20 centimeters and must weigh no more than 8 kg.
* Checked: Up to 20 kg of baggage (online €8 per piece is charged, at the airport €7 per piece); over this a charge of €20 per item).

* Please visit Germanwings’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

Pre-booking is allowed online during or after the booking process until 3 hours before the flight.  Standard seats cost €6 and XL seats with extra legroom cost €15.  Before midnight the night before your flight, you can also reserve a “private seat” via the call center for the same price as your own seat.  This means that the seat next to you will be kept empty for a more comfortable trip.

Check-in and Ticketing

Web check-in is available between 72 and 3 hours before departure.  At a German airport you can check-in online up to one hour before departure.  Passengers with checked luggage can also check- in online.

Tip

Germanwings hosts monthly offers, so check in often. Avoid early morning flights, which tend to be packed, out of their hubs. In general, allow extra time for check-in.

Fun Fact

There have been many liveries for Germanwings in order to promote the destination city. There is a special livery to promote the City of Berlin (named "Berlin Bearbus"), and there have been special liveries for the German cities of Hamburg (named "Hamburg Shopper") and Stuttgart. There have also been liveries for T-Mobile and two others with a mouth with a tongue, one of them with a speech bubble across the aircraft.

Departure: Cologne, Germany - Koeln (CGN)

In Brief: The Cologne-Bonn Airport is located 13 km (9 miles) southeast of Cologne. While not even among Germany's top five airports in terms of traffic, it punches above its weight in the budget air field. Germanwings and TUIfly both rely on Cologne-Bonn as a kind of superbase, and Air Berlin, easyJet, and Wizz Air all route multiple flights in and out of the airport. Transportation: A bus connection links the airport with Cologne's main train station. It takes 20 minutes and costs €4.60.

Arrival: Tenerife, Spain - Sur Reina Sofia (TFS)

Tenerife South Airport, previously known as Tenerife South-Reina Sofia Airport, is one of two international airports located on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. The airport was inaugurated in November of 1978 by Queen Sofía of Spain, after whom the airport is dedicated. The high season for Tenerife is during the winter months when Northern European tourists migrate to take advantage of the warm Tenerife winter weather. The airport is open 24-hous and offers more than 100 connecting flights.

Location

Tenerife South Airport is located 60km (37.5 miles) south of the capital city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Transport

• Bus: There are three bus routes to choose from, all of which are located outside the Arrivals Hall. Travelers can find connection to Puerto de la Cruz, North Tenerife Airport, and the beaches on the south shores of the island.

• Taxi: Taxis are available in front of the Arrivals Hall. They can be taken to the Santa Cruz de Tenerife city center. The journey will be approximately one hour.

Service: In the airport terminal there is a bank, ATMs and a post office. Travelers can also find many places to eat and shops (which include duty free areas and a newsstand). Other airport amenities include a pharmacy, 24-hour medical center, and a chapel.