Flying to Barcelona? Consider Pakistan International Airlines via Chicago

I have always been intrigued by Fifth Freedom routes, especially by exotic carriers. Only a handful of these flights, however, are available in North America. Here is the current list (and please let me know if I have left any off):

• Philippine Airlines flies between Las Vegas to Vancouver
• Cathay Pacific flies between Vancouver and New York Kennedy
• Singapore Airlines flies between Houston and Moscow, between Los Angeles and Tokyo, between New York Kennedy and Frankfurt, between San Francisco and Seoul, and between San Francisco and Hong Kong
• Air New Zealand flies between London and Los Angeles & between Rarotonga, Cook Islands and Los Angeles
• LAN flies between New York Kennedy and Toronto
• Qantas flies between Los Angeles and Auckland
• Jet Airways flies between Toronto and Brussels & between New York Kennedy and Brussels
• Air India flies between Toronto and London Heathrow & Chicago and Frankfurt
• Uzbekistan Airways flies between New York Kennedy and Rigo, Latvia
• Air Tahiti Nui flies between Los Angeles and Paris de Gaulle (though Tahiti is technically part of France)
• Aer Lingus flies between Washington Dulles and Madrid
• JAL flies between New York Kennedy and Sao Paulo
• Korean Airlines flies between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo
• Kuwait Airlines flies between New York Kennedy and London Heathrow
• Etihad flies between New York Kennedy and Manchester
• Malasyian Airlines flies between Los Angeles and Taipei

A new player has joined the team: Pakistan International Airways, which now flies from Chicago to Barcelona with continuing service to Karachi.

And the fares are GREAT too. Economy class is $248 o/w to Barcelona ($729 r/t including $234 in taxes) and business class is $575 o/w ($1348 r/t including $234 in taxes).

And lest you think PIA has an inferior business class product, check out this flight review. PIA looks like a darn good deal for the price.

As soon as the violence diminishes in Pakistan, I intend to visit Islamabad and Karachi. Now I know that if Star Alliance options do not work out, PIA offers a reasonably priced back-up to get me there. Have a gander at their website.