Barcelona to Las Vegas WestJet Flights

  About Barcelona

Snuggled up by the Mediterranean Sea on the coast of Spain is the beautiful city of Barcelona. The Mediterranean metropolis is one of the largest in Spain and has global recognition as one of the best cities to vacation at. Barcelona is a world leader in the tourism, financial and cultural industries with a tremendous contribution towards fields of sports, entertainment, arts, fashion and science. Barcelona has excellent connectivity with various other European cities via domestic and international routes. In fact, through the port, many cities can actually reach Barcelona, in style.

The bustling energy of the city is something that can only be experienced in person and not just in movies. Barcelona's fervent atmosphere will marvel you, as will the enthusiasm of the locals.

Best time to visit Barcelona

Barcelona is a town of celebration which sees lovely hues and carnivals irrespective of the sticky humidity. The months from May to June are when the temperatures act extra favourable to the tourists and even the residents of the city. With temperatures close to 22 degree Celsius, the summers certainly add more charm to the place. Witness a flurry of festivities that envelop the city as the onset of summer brings varied hues with it. For people travelling from hotter countries, the weather would certainly be a treat. Thanks to the numerous carnivals that take place in the city during springtime, it definitely adds more reasons to visit Barcelona in the said season. Events such as Verbene de Sant Joan and Sonar are some of the festivals that you would enjoy during spring. Although the tourism activities drop come September, the temperature is quite pleasant as it ranges from 20 degree Celsius to 23 degree Celsius. With rains taking over the city, not many tourists are able to visit the beach. Being a coastal delight to many, the lack of beach time automatically reduces the tourist potential.

The summers easily become a high point in Barcelona's tourism. The months July and August especially see a throng of tourists relishing the Mediterranean sun while they hit the lush beaches. Due to this being the peak season, it is obviously going to come with some expensive flight tickets and accommodations. Events such as El Grec and Festa Major de Gracia further attract more tourists to the city. If you want a relaxing vacation which also falls under a good budget, spring is the time for you to fly to Barcelona. The city has exquisite accommodations and even Bnbs. You can book hotels in Barcelona's luxury hotels such as Almanac, W, Mandarin Oriental, The Serras, etc., or go for backpacking and check in to hostels. Either way, you will receive excellent treatment as the staff in Barcelona are quite friendly and happy-to-go.

Places to visit in Barcelona

Barcelona's beaches and coasts might take up most of your attention but do give the city's Catalan-styled infrastructure a peek too. The city has ornate churches, parks, museums and of course, sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea will marvel you. You can simply walk through the beautiful streets of Barcelona and check out some of their whimsical structures. Some of the flamboyant places to visit in the city include Park Güell, La Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló. While you're venturing out to check out the city, do not miss Barri Gótic, which translates to the Gothic Quarter. These are the oldest parts of the city. The scenic city streets with alfresco cafes and clubs will definitely get your attention. To see the works of famed artist Pablo Picasso, visit the famed museum Museu Picasso, also located in the city. For the tourists who love the sport football and have a soft spot for FC Barcelona, visiting Camo Nu Stadium should be on your list of places to visit. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music) will amaze you with stellar acoustics and architectural features.

Things to do in Barcelona

La Barceloneta Beach is undoubtedly the best and the most popular beach in Barcelona that you should check out. There are various water sport activities that take place on the beach, which would entertain you. You can even take surfing sessions or parasailing, to name a few activities. The beach also has some amazing restaurants and food establishments where you will find lip-smacking seafood. While you're having fun at the beach, you should also sign up for a wine tour, especially if it's harvest season. Not only will you get to relish some of the finest wines made in the country, but you'll also get to interact with people from different parts of the world. The city also has a great nightlife with pubs and parties, some even held at the beach. A walk down Las Ramblas will be a fun experience for you since they have some amazing shops for souvenirs and local artworks.

Food and restaurants in Barcelona

Barcelona's cuisine is a perfect melange of traditional Spanish and Mediterranean dishes. From delicious gazpachos to Catalonian classics, you will get the best food experience in Barcelona. There is a lot of history infused in their cuisine which makes their food, a trip of its own. While the rest of Spain is big on dishes made from meat, the Catalonian food has more fish as the base for meals. It would help you tremendously to know what to expect in terms of food in Barcelona. With heavy investment in meat, you should make sure that you have enough room to try their varied cuisine. Catalans have a thing for mixing meat and experimenting with the flavours of diverse meat. It shouldn't surprise you to see chicken and prawns being served to you on a platter. That is just the way they roll. Paella is, of course, the biggest seller in terms of Spanish food in Barcelona. In fact, even Fideuà, a type of paella, is a rage in Barcelona and something you should try. The food culture is another reason why Barcelona stands at a high rank in the list of best places to visit in the world.

While they do love their meat, the food served in Barcelona also sees a nice balance of grilled vegetables nestled against marinated meat. Vegetarians need not worry as there are dishes for your taste buds as well. One traditional dish that you should definitely check out is the escalivada, grilled eggplant tossed with red peppers, olive oil and garlic. Another recipe for the vegetarian folks is the pa amb tomàquet snack, which is basically a bread topped with crushed tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. Make sure to save some room for desserts as well. Savouries such as Mel i mató (extracted from goat cheese) to Cava (Catalan sparkling wine), these dishes complement the classic Catalan rendition of creme brulee, also known as crema Catalana. Some of the best places to indulge in the Catalan and Spanish cuisine are La Patsa Lab, The Coffee House Barcelona, BelleBuon, Billy Brunch. You can further explore more taste at Pizzeria Da Nanni Barcelona, Manna Gelats, Chaka Khan, La Cava Cakery, Don Kilo Restaurant, Teoric Taverna Gastronomica, to name a few.

How to reach Barcelona

By Air

Located on the South coast of Spain, the city can best be reached via air. There are many international routes connected to Barcelona via air, making travelling convenient. Barcelona El Prat International airport has brilliant flight connectivity from Barcelona to major international cities, including India. Although there are no direct flights to Barcelona from India, many flights connecting to the Spanish city with layovers in London, Zurich, Munich, Singapore, to name a few. As one of the biggest tourist attractions in Spain, the city of Barcelona sees a good number of tourists throughout the year. Flight tickets to Barcelona from India are a little expensive, especially round trips. However, if you manage to book your flight tickets beforehand, you might find some great online flight deals to Barcelona. This might even help you cover your accommodation expenses. As a city catering to tourists, often the hospitality and accommodation prices are quite steep. However, as long as you make prior hotel bookings in Barcelona, you will not have much to worry about. You can either opt for luxury stays or go for hostels and homestays.

By Rail

Flight tickets to Barcelona from India could be expensive since it is a high-priced city, to begin with. However, the flight tickets to Madrid from India are comparatively very cheap and affordable. What you can do as a substitute to save up on some euros and get the best of both cities would be to fly to Madrid and use Madrid's domestic rail route to Barcelona. There are many trains to Barcelona from Madrid, Malaga, Zaragoza, Seville and Valencia. Not to mention how Barcelona also has impeccable train connectivity to French cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and more.

By Sea

Considering how it is of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona has great connectivity from the sea as well. There are many ships and cruises that connect the city with other European cities such as Rome, Nice, Marseilles, Corsica, Sardinia and more. If you are planning to backpack across Western Europe, then taking a boat or ferry ride to Barcelona from one of these city ports would be a fun voyage. Not to mention how you'll have a good time cruising the Mediterranean Sea.

  About Las Vegas

Nevada's jewel and the United States' casino capital, Las Vegas is one of the best places to visit in the United States. The city has a culture and lifestyle that only beckons tourists who wish to splurge and party. Las Vegas is a great tourist spot with stunning attractions that could put many other places in the country to shame. Not to mention how it is also quite lit with neon lights and themed-casinos.

Best time to visit Las Vegas

Las Vegas witnesses extreme hot temperatures during summers. However, the winter season between December to February is extremely famous for the Sin City among travellers. Vegas bustles with extravagant holiday parties as the city hosts a bunch of parties during the holiday season. Thanks to the popularity of the season and the place, flight bookings and hotel accommodations in Vegas see a tremendous spike. To avoid expensive hotel room prices and flight tickets to Vegas, it would be ideal to make reservations ahead of time, six months in advance, if possible. The months leading up to the winter season in Vegas are also quite pleasant and perfect to hit the casinos. The crowd visiting the city during this time is also considerably less, making travelling and accommodation cheaper and convenient. September to November sees a tremendous drop in the temperature from 34 degree Celsius to 18 degree Celsius. This season does experience amazing festivals and events too such as Las Vegas BikeFest, Las Vegas Greek Food Festival, Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival, Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon and iHeartRadio Music Festival.

The spring in Vegas also has an agreeable climate as the temperatures waver between 21 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius. The desert city also hosts the country's best music awards such as Billboard Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, Viva Las Vegas to name a few. In March, the NASCAR Weekend is also hosted, which is perfect for an automobile enthusiast. The racing event attracts a plethora of crowd, especially those who get the thrills from watching racers burn fuel and drive to take home the trophy.

Places to visit in Las Vegas

Much of Las Vegas' list of places to visit falls on the slew of casinos that is basically the city's highlight. However, there are some specific places that will blow your mind. While you let the neon lights and kitschy signs drive you through places, do a drive by the Strip. It is the epicentre of Las Vegas and has the most iconic sights such as the Bellagio Fountains, the Eiffel Tower at Paris, the pyramid and sphinx of Egypt, The Luxor, to name a few. These places are literally what give Las Vegas the luxurious feels. They have also managed to bring a Venetian vibe to the city with the Venetian Casino and Grand Canal. There are replicas of some highlights that can originally be found in Venice. At the Polynesian-themed casino of The Mirage Casino and Volcano, you will find exquisite sights and Hollywood-references. It is after all known to have made an impact in Ocean's Eleven movie where Danny Oceans robbed this as part of the three establishments on his list. They also have an MGM Grand Casino, which features from Hollywood. New York-New York and the Big Apple Rollercoaster is an immaculate execution of bringing New York to Las Vegas.

Talk about fancy casinos, and you simply cannot miss the Caesars Palace Casino and The Forum Shops. The casino has made more appearances in movies than some of the actors even! The theme is Roman, and the vibe is very European. Interestingly, part of their entertainment treasure troves also includes Cirque de Soleil, which consists of some of the finest forms of acrobatic feats. Stepping away from all the casino madness, you should check out Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which has features such as the Mojave Desert and more. You will run out of fingers and toes, but the number of tourist attractions in Las Vegas would still continue to rake up. Visiting Vegas is an experience that is definitely worth all the trip.

Things to do in Las Vegas

With casino keeping a tab of your finances, make sure that you also save enough aside for some desert indulgence. There are various activities such as horseback riding, dune buggy adventures, a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon, a bird's eye view of the Hoover Dam and a little bit of trekking at the Red Rock Canyon National Conversation Area too. You can also expand your trip by hopping from casino to casino to explore more of the colourful city. One of the best things to do would be visiting the Pinball Hall of Fame and learning more about how the game came into existence and what the relevance of the said Hall of Fame is in Las Vegas. You can also give yourself some more adrenaline rush, aside from at the casino table, by driving a fast-car at SPEEDVEGAS.

Food and Restaurants in Las Vegas

Much like the plethora of choices you have in casinos when you visit Las Vegas, you will also find a lovely spread of options for where to eat and what to eat. The vibrant city is full of places with a high-range dining experience and cheap but affordable settings. It has a kind of food experience for all kinds of people and their varied mood. You will also find culinary institutes curated by world-famous chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse, to name a few. Divulging in some exquisite dishes made at their establishments would certainly be quite the icing on the cake. For an Italian rendezvous, you can visit Chef Julian Serrano's Lago, which overlooks the Bellagio fountain. It would be quite the sight to devour while you enjoy some posh Italian cuisine. If you're in the mood for something Asian, look no further and head to Wynn's dining experience and walk into Wing Lei to gorge down their Michelin-starrer Cantonese and Shanghai meals. To indulge in the celebration of meat, you can pay Chef José Andrés at his establishment, Bazaar Meat. While you're there, do not forget to check out the Kobe beef. It is to die for.

To keep the dining experience light and easy on the pockets, you will also be able to find some budget food at Sin City. There are various centres that host all-you-can-eat buffet styles with lines of pizza, crabs, Chinese to even some beer and liquor. To get some nice sushi, if you're in the mood, head to Kabuto. Or you can go to Juan's Flaming Fajitas and Cantina for some Mexican meals. Here are some more names that would intrigue you - Weera Thai Restaurant, Arawan Thai Bistro and Dessert, Andiamo Italian Steakhouse, Le Cirque. While you're in the city, do not miss some of the wine and breweries that can give Los Angeles and New York City a tough competition. It is worth the indulgence.

How to reach Las Vegas (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to Las Vegas from India is quite good. However, there are no direct flights connecting Las Vegas with any Indian metropolitan cities. Much of the international routes to Las Vegas from India pass through the European belt. In fact, some of the connecting flights to Las Vegas can be taken from European countries as well. Depending on the airlines that you have chosen, accordingly, you'll receive connecting flight options. There are other international routes to Las Vegas as well, such as the one travelling from Hong Kong to San Francisco. The popular route to Las Vegas though is the one passing from Europe. Sometimes there is one flight you need to change, which could be from within the US. Other times there are requirements to switch two flights from Europe as well as the US.

A plethora of airlines such as United Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airways, Air India, etc., fly to Las Vegas and have great connectivity. The city has two major airports, but you'll mostly land at the McCarran International Airport. There are private jets too that are chartered and land in Las Vegas. There would be no trouble to reach Las Vegas in general. However, the ticket prices might be a little steep. As the city runs on tourism and casinos, Las Vegas witnesses massive crowds of tourists throughout the year. Due to this, flight tickets to Las Vegas are always expensive. But a little snooping around on the internet might bless you with some cheap flight tickets to Las Vegas. In fact, if you're lucky (something you definitely need if Vegas is on your mind), you might even get combo deals of flights and accommodation in the city.

Although lavish lifestyle and expensive restaurants and hotel deals are what Las Vegas aims at, you might be able to find some affordable hotel deals in Las Vegas. It would be best to book your flight and hotels in Las Vegas in advance. That way, you'll be able to snag some pretty good deals too.

  About WestJet Airlines

WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canada-based airline that came into existence in 1996. The airline originally commenced operations as a low-cost alternative to the major airlines that were competing in the market during that time. The airline has since managed to rake in a tremendously good number of destinations it flies to from Canada. WestJet Airlines has scheduled flights to more than 100 domestic route and international route destinations across Canada, Europe, the United States of America, Central American, the Caribbean and Mexico. The airline is also recognised as the second-largest Canadian air carrier and falls right behind the country's flag carrier, Air Canada. It operates about 777 flights and accommodates more than 66,000 passengers in a single day. It was reported in 2018 that WestJet Airlines carried a whopping 25.49 million passengers. With this record, the airline became the ninth-largest airline across North America with respect to the number of passengers carried. WestJet Airlines is a subsidiary of Kestrel Bidco Inc. and currently has about 14,000 employees. The airline hasn't joined any of the three airlines alliance, namely Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance.

Between 2000-2003, the airline underwent some serious expansions. While a restructuring of the Canadian Airline post its takeover from Air Canada took place in 2000, WestJet Airlines used this as an opportunity to further conduct its own expansion plans within Eastern Canada by commencing operations to cities of Ottawa, Ontario, Hamilton, New Brunswick and Moncton. For these operations, the airline chose John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to be the focus city for WestJet Airlines' Eastern Canada operations. The airline continued to work on extending its reach as it brought in newer domestic routes such as Comox and Fort McMurray under its wing. It further added Sault St. Marie, Manitoba, Ontario, Thompson and Brandon, among a few. However, operations in these cities have since been suspended. Instead, WestJet Airlines' subsidiary took over operations of these cities. Soon, the airline's expansion plan also witnessed destinations such as Montreal, St. John's, Halifax and Windsor. The airline did get embroiled in a controversy with Air Canada where the latter accused it of industrial espionage. A lawsuit was filed, and eventually, WestJet Airlines did take ownership for the same. They agreed to pay a sum of CAD 5.5 million to Air Canada and pay for the investigation fees.

In 2004, WestJet Airlines decided to move its operations internationally. They announced a list of US destinations that the airline planned to operate from. They were Los Angeles, New York City, Tampa, Orlando, San Francisco, Phoenix and Fort Lauderdale. The airline further roped in San Diego and Palm Springs to its list of international destinations. From Vancouver, WestJet Airlines announced an international route that would connect the Canadian city to the Hawaiian Islands such as Honolulu and Maui. Eventually, with a significant rise in its presence across the North American market and Canada, WestJet Airlines decided to go overseas and acquire destinations in European countries. In 2013, the airline commenced its first flight to Europe. WestJet Airlines introduced seasonal planes from St. John's in Newfoundland to Dublin in Ireland. Following this, they further expressed their desire to expand more and acquire more European cities such as London and Paris. At the same time, the international route to Dublin continued to work as a seasonal flight.

Fleet size of WestJet

In terms of fleet, WestJet Airlines is an all-Boeing fleet with about 127 aircraft that are currently operating. The airline has 13 Boeing 737-600s, 52 Boeing 737-7000s, 39 Boeing 737-800s, 13 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, four Boeing 767-300ER and six Boeing 787-9s. Among these, they have additionally ordered for a few more Boeing aircraft, deliveries of which are expected to be completed by 2021-22. The airline received its first Boeing 737-700s in 2001 along with other models namely Boeing 737-600 and Boeing 737-800s, later in 2005. The final 737-600 aircraft from the order was delivered in 2006. Following year, WestJet Airlines placed an order to purchase 23 Boeing 737 Next-Generation aircraft. Originally a Boeing 737-700, the airline received conversion rights to Boeing 737-800s. In 2014, WestJet Airlines' CEO Gregg Saretsky stated that the airlines were planning on acquiring wide-body aircraft to join its fleet. The idea behind roping in wide-body aircraft was to enable long-haul international route operations. The same was confirmed later, and the airline announced that they would be purchasing a second-hand Boeing 767-300ERs from Qantas. With the efficiency brought forth by the wide-body aircraft, WestJet Airlines announced to seek more such aircraft to be part of its fleet. While the mainline fleet is predominantly a Boeing exclusive, the airline's subsidiary Encore has Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s in its fleet.

Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance on WestJet Airlines is the standard policy followed by a majority of international airlines. According to the policy, the passenger is allowed to carry only 23 kg weighing checked baggage. The dimension of the baggage is also very important as the airline might accommodate or reject a passenger's baggage solely on the dimensions. WestJet Airlines allows checked baggage to be within 157 cm and not more than that. In case passengers fail to follow this protocol, the airline will refuse to take the checked baggage. In fact, passengers will need to ship the baggage as cargo instead. Hence, to be on the safe side, it is advised that passengers follow the protocols that have been laid out by the airline. As for passengers with overweight baggage or oversized, the airline has recommended that they reach the airport a few minutes before the check-in time to enable screening of the baggage and ways to accommodate it. For carry-on baggage, the airline allows the dimension to be no more than 53 cm x 38 cm x 23 cm. The personal accessory bag which could be a handbag or a laptop bag should be within the dimension of 41 cm x 33 cm x 15 cm.

In-flight services

WestJet Airlines is known to offer some of the finest in-flight services ranging from plush and comfortable seats to hot and scrumptious in-flight meals. Passengers can avail the best of their in-flight services depending on the cabin class they are travelling by.

Popular routes and top cities for WestJet

As of 2020, WestJet Airlines currently connects to about 109 international route and domestic route destinations across 24 countries. Along with its subsidiary WestJet Encore, the two airlines collectively connect to about 108 destinations in 25 countries. With respect to daily departures, the airline's largest hub is the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Meanwhile, its main connection is the Calgary International Airport and Eastern Canada. The airline is known to operate the highest number of Canadian flights to Orlando and Las Vegas. It also caters to about 20 destinations located in the Caribbean while some seasonal flights to destinations in Mexico. WestJet Airlines has recently ventured into exploring the European market with Paris, London and Dublin as some of its destinations. With respect to its domestic route connectivity, the airline travels to cities such as Comox, Prince George, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg, St. John's, Deer Lake, Hamilton, Halifax, Sydney, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor, Victoria, Quebec City Saskatoon, Montreal, Calgary and Whitehorse.

As for its international route destinations, WestJet Airlines travels to cities such as San Jose, Belize City, Santa Clara, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Paris, Dublin, Manzanillo, Huatulco, Cozumel, San Juan, Barcelona, London, Glasgow, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Orland, Tampa, Honolulu, Maui, Boston, Las Vegas, New York City, Austin and Houston.

Why travel by WestJet?

WestJet Airlines has shown tremendous growth during its time in the Canadian aviation industry. What started as a domestic route operations airline, WestJet Airlines has certainly managed to transform it into a massive profit-making venture. In a brief period of time, with strategic business and operational moves, WestJet Airlines has not just bought a plethora of Canadian cities together but has also enabled the transit of Canadians to various parts of North America, the Caribbean, parts of Europe and more. Much of their operations have been taken up in a series of phases. European destinations such as Paris, London and Dublin are recent achievements. Evidently, without being part of the airline alliance groups, WestJet Airlines has managed to become a powerhouse in the Canadian aviation industry.

The airline does offer a slew of perks apart from its excellent route connectivity and impressive list of destinations. Passengers can now book a WestJet Airlines flight ticket on their official website and also conduct web check-ins on their page. A dedicated slot has been set to know about WestJet Airlines' flight schedules that would help travellers form a plan accordingly. To ensure better connectivity with the customers, WestJet Airlines also shares flight status with the passengers ahead of the journey. All the experience is further enhanced thanks to their exquisite in-flight services and airport facilities such as personalised check-in kiosks and much more. It should definitely be on your list of airlines to opt for, in case you are looking for a considerably decent fare.