Transavia: Amsterdam to Valencia

The carrier: Transavia

About

Transavia is the low-cost wing of the KLM/Air France group. With hubs in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris and Eindhoven, it flies to the standard range of European holiday haunts, both cities for culture-oriented weekend breaks and sunny spots for warm getaways.

As such, Transavia is especially strong with its routes to Greece, Morocco, Turkey, and insular Portugal (Madeira) and Spain (Arrecife, Las Palmas and Tenerife). Transavia operates, on balance, a more pleasant onboard experience than that offered by many other low-cost airlines.

Founded in 1965, Transavia began flying in 1966 from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The airline became a subsidiary of KLM in 1991. In 2006, Transavia transformed its look with new cabin crew uniforms, as well as smart new designs, inside and outside the aircraft.

Upside

Nice, broad balance of destinations.

Downside

Functions as a charter airline on many routes. After additional fees are added during the booking process, the final ticket price will often be double the amount originally quoted. Frequent delays.

Baggage

* Carry-on: Up to 5 kg of hand luggage plus one personal item (book, coat)
* Checked: Up to 20 kg of luggage; €10 per additional kg.

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

Seating

You may choose seats at the time of your on-line booking. At the airport, Transavia operates a first-come first-serve policy at check-in.

Checking and Ticketing

Online check in is available for the 24 hours prior to departure if you are flying from certain airports.  It is available for passengers with and without hold baggage.

Tip

Sign up for Transavia's free e-mail newsletterwhich alerts you to fare deals and money-saving offers. Be cautious using this carrier if you are on a tight schedule or have connecting flights.

Departure: Amsterdam, Netherlands - Schiphol (AMS)

In Brief: Amsterdam's Schiphol is the biggest airport in the Netherlands and the fourth-biggest in all of Europe in terms of flight volume. Though traditionally a flag-carrier airport (versus a low-cost carrier airport) Schiphol has shifted gears a bit in recent years, and opened a "pier" (sort of a terminal) with limited facilities for many of its low-cost airlines. Schiphol's facilities, range of shops, and extremely cosmopolitan and bustling spirit provide a snappy introduction (or farewell) to the Netherlands. Transportation: Schiphol is very well connected to Amsterdam. Trains run every few minutes and take about 20 minutes. One-way train journeys cost just €3.60.

Arrival: Valencia, Spain (VLC)

Valencia Airport in Manises ranked eighth among Spanish airports in terms of air traffic and second in the region after Alicante. The airport has flight connections to about 15 European countries with most passengers coming from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France. Despite the international connections, the airport handles mainly domestic scheduled flights (close to half the domestic connections are with Madrid).

Other destinations of importance, although more seasonal, include Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Seville and Ibiza. Over the years, the airport has become an important business and tourist center as it encourages economic growth in the area.

Location

Valencia airport, which is located 8 km west of the capital.

Transport

• Bus: There a couple of buses that run to and from Valencia Airport into the center of town. Also, twice daily buses serving the main resorts of the Costa Blanca are available. The Aero-Bus runs directly between the airport and the city center every 20 minutes. Local bus 150 runs between the airport and the central bus station, but it is not as frequent as the Aero-Bus, and it is not a direct service. It is, however, cheaper than the shuttle.

• Taxi: Taxis can be found outside of the Arrivals Hall. Be prepared to pay an extra airport supplement fee. A taxi from the airport into the city should cost around €15.

Service

The airport has a few information desks in the terminal building as well as a tourist information office. In the terminal, travelers can find several shops, four cafeterias and several restaurants. There are ATMs throughout the airport as well as a currency exchange. Other airport services include a pharmacy, chapel, and First Aid center.