Airfare Expert: Follow the Titanic's voyage - on a plane
— -- Four days into its first (and last) Atlantic voyage, the seemingly impossible happened: the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank like a stone. That was 100 years ago this April.
How about we retrace the voyage - to visit memorials, museums and monuments - but this time, by plane?
Where do I to go to 'follow' the Titanic?
Belfast, Northern Ireland: Put Belfast at the top of your list. The city where the great ship was built opens a dazzling exhibit called " Titanic Belfast" on March 31 - a moving accompaniment to the city's beautiful new waterfront development.
How do I get to Belfast?
Fly into Belfast International: Located in Northern Ireland, this smaller airport features carriers like Ireland's Aer Lingus, European discounter EasyJet, and United Airlines, which offers flights from Newark.
Fly into Dublin Airport: Located in the Republic of Ireland, this busy airport sees more than 18 million travelers a year and is served by scores of international flagship carriers as well as Ireland-based discounter Ryanair. U.S. airlines include American, Delta, United and US Airways. Dublin is one of the cheaper cities in Europe to fly to, and it's only about 100 miles south of Belfast, a fairly easy drive.
Where else can I go for Titanic-related tourism?
Here's a listing of some of the great liner's ports of call and other cities with connections to the ship that offer museums or memorials worth a look:
Southampton, England: This city on the southern coast of England was the Titanic's first port of call and features two memorials. One honors the ship's engineers and the other is dedicated to the fabled musicians who continued to play even as the ship went down.
To get to Southampton, you can fly into Southampton Airport on smaller airlines (it's a hub for discounter Flybe) or fly into London Heathrow, then fly or drive the rest of the way. (Southampton is just 82 miles from London.)
Cobh, Republic of Ireland: Back in the Titanic's day, this city was known as Queensland. It was the ship's final European port of call, where it took on scores of Irish immigrant passengers before heading across the Atlantic. There is a simple memorial in the town plus an exhibit on the ship at the Cobh Heritage Centre.
To get to Cobh, fly into nearby Cork, or fly to Shannon and savor the scenery during the 88-mile drive south.
Halifax, Nova Scotia: This was the closest major port to the spot where the Titanic sank, and it is where recovered bodies were brought for identification. View artifacts like a wooden deck chair at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and visit the cemeteries where 150 victims of the Titanic were buried, including many that were never identified.
To get to Halifax, fly into Halifax Stanfield International Airport. It's served by Canada's airlines as well as American, Delta, United and US Airways.
Indian Orchard, Mass.: The Titanic connection to this unlikely spot may simply be that two of its doomed passengers resided nearby - a well-traveled young man in first class, and an Irish domestic in third. It is home to the Titanic Historical Society, which operates a museum on Main Street.
To get to Indian Orchard, fly to Boston which is a JetBlue hub and one of the cheaper cities to travel to - or fly to Hartford, which is significantly closer.
Washington, D.C.: Go to Washington Channel Park just outside Fort McNair to see an imposing statue honoring those Titanic passengers "who gave their lives that women and children might be saved." It was erected shortly before the 20th anniversary of the sinking.
To get to Washington, fly into one of three airports: Washington Dulles, Washington Reagan or Baltimore/Washington. Note: Several low-cost airlines, including JetBlue, Southwest and Virgin America have all petitioned the Department of Transportation to begin flights into Washington Reagan this summer.
FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney is an airline industry insider and top media air-travel resource. Follow Rick ( @rickseaney) and never overpay for airfare again.
