Air fare question and farewatcher question from person who has never bought international plane tickets
 

Does anyone have an idea on what the "average" plane fare from the US to Rome and back to the US via another Italian city such as Florence would cost on weekend travel in early October?

I have no clue. I know my dad usually pays around $300 to $500 round trip (same city for departure and arrival)(Sr. citizen)when he travels between the US and England.

I joined Travelocity fare watcher and I have been getting alerts, but I am confused a bit. Am I correct that the prices stated are for only one leg? Today I got one for $495. (It is sold out for the dates I want anyway.)

If I had an idea of what I can expect to pay I would have a better idea of what I'm doing.

Also, I have read that perhaps it would be better to fly to England and then take an Italian airline into Italy. Is this correct?

Thanks.

Hi, you'd have to let us know where you're flying from the US. There can be a lot of variation in airfare. I don't have a crystal ball myself, but other posters here may be willing to hazard a guess.

You can find out by plugging in dates on tlocity,expedia,orbitz etc.and you will answer your own?

The Travelocity fare is round trip, but is only a part of the cost. Look for the actual ticket to be about $100 more.

Keith

Thank you for the information. I could go to all the sites and do as one of the suggestions. However, all the fares at this time are about the same for October rates at this time. What I wanted to know is what should one EXPECT to pay for travel in October as we get towards Otober? Does that make sense? I mean, if all the airlines are saying it will be $1,000 for travel in October now, what MIGHT they be saying later on, $800, $700 ??

I will be flying out of and returning to Orlando, FL.

My folks are also taking different flights and we want to all meet up at the airport in Rome. When our vacation is over we will all depart out of Florence? on different planes as well. (My Dad to NY and my mom to SanFran.)

The $495 fare you cited is probably for both legs; one way tickets are usually unreasonably expensive.

Finding an open jaw ticket (often called multiple destination on sites like Expedia) is a little more work, but worth it. You will pay a small premium for flying on weekends, no doubt, and perhaps the open jaw will cost a bit more than a round trip, but unless you find a super deal on a round trip, I would go ahead with your plans.

Its a little early now to buy tickets for October, unless a sale comes up, but you can do a lot of preparation. My suggestion would be to visit sites like Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, etc. frequently, and note which airlines go where you want to go. One warning about these sites is that they often sell two unrelated flights which can, possibly, leave you stranded should you not make your connection. Once you know which airlines fly where you want to go, visit the airline's own site and see what they offer; often you can save a little doing this.

One cannot predict the future, but October is past the high season, so I would anticipate you would find better deals on flights then. My experience is that, absent the occasional sale, the fares are lowest about two months before the date of travel, then start to creep up again. We flew to Paris from Cleveland last october, and I think the tickets were about $525 each; so in your case, I would be happy to find a ticket for between $500 and $600.

You may have to pay more for your open jaw fare--flying into one place and out of another.
Yesterday on one of the talk shows they had a travel guru who suggested flying to London (usually and often very cheap) and then flying on one of the discount airlines (not necessarily an Italian one--Ryanair, Easyjet, etc.) within Europe to Italy. I would think that in October a fare in the realm of $600 for your itinerary might be a good one.

THANK YOU! This is exactly the information I was looking for. I really appreciate the help.

Now this might be a bit presumptious, but could someone help me with my other post?


http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...&start=100

Hi PLMN, I topped your other post for you.

PLMN: there is just as good a chance that you will have to pay more $ later .Assuming that fares will be less as departure gets closer is not a given by any stretch of the imagination.

I just did a search out of curiosity on Ryanair and oneway from England to Rome in US $ with all fees is around $41. One way from Milan back to England is a little higher, but the whole thing is less than $100. It sounds really good, but I wonder if the stress of maybe missing a flight and not being taken care of by one airline all in one is worth it?

Hi PLMN, bear in mind that Ryanair and the discount airlines frequently use airports and you may be flying into Heathrow. Sometimes the extra time and aggravation aren't worth the money saved.

Check also flights from Heathrow (if that's where you're flying into) on the usual suspects -- like British Air, Aitalia (sp?), BMI, etc.

"frequently use airports" -- ok -- frequently use *other* airports (than Heathrow)

Hi
I've traveled a bit, but don't at all think of myself as an airfare expert, I'm usually as confused as anyone else.

In my view, when it comes to air fares there are knowns, unknowns, and feelings. The knowns are the fares that are announced now, the special deals with expiration dates, the scheduling and stopovers as of now, etc.

The unknowns, and there are many with air fares, are the flights booked now that are later canceled or changed to another time of day, the last-minute fare specials, the world events that affect the economy and air fares, etc.

Then there are personal feelings: how anxious you are too book now, how much difference $100 or even $200 could make to you later (plus, or minus), the need to lock in dates due to family or work obligations, etc.

I am on lots of fare watcher lists, the ones mentioned above, many of the major airlines individually. Still, earlier this month some fodorite here posted about a special Air France deal for travel now through next March. I had not heard of it otherwise. Fares were excellent, unusually so. I talked to some of my friends who might have wanted to travel with me from New York to Paris, and by the time they dithered and then backed out, I'd missed the deadline for booking the great fare. So, perhaps wisely, perhaps on the rebound, I booked a higher fare to Paris for December on British Air. Fare's still pretty good, but about $100 more than the AF deal, plus I have to change at H'row. I booked through Orbitz. Although the Lon-Par rt leg of the trip is on BMI airlines, the tickets came and they all say British Air. That makes me feel better because if I miss a leg or lose a bag, I feel like BA will try to help with all the pieces.

Sorry to ramble, but I guess my point is that air fares are often a gamble, even the most experienced deal-making fliers, I'm sure, ultimately have to take a chance that they're doing as well as they can.
There will always be someone who got a better deal by waiting, or by booking earlier, or by sheer last-minute luck.

I am used to being a ticket price watcher for my cruises. The thing with airfares is you can't get the airline to give you the lower fares like the cruises do.

SO this is a whole new experience for me. I just wanted to have some sort of idea as to prices so I would know if I should move on something or not.

Thanks for the advice.

Peter Greenberg, a "travel expert" who is often on the Today show, suggests that 45 days before travel is the very best time to get the cheapest fare.

My experience tells me he's right. October is a shoulder season and fares will be cheaper than summer.

I doubt he's right for this summer. Maybe for off-season fares.

<b>As posted by <i>elaine</i>

There will always be someone who got a better deal by waiting, or by booking earlier, or by sheer last-minute luck.</b>


This one sentence says it all!

My theory always was/is/and will be, set yourself a range of what you are willing to pay for your vacation, and work with that. If you see a fare you are comfortable with, grab it. Don't worry about what somebody else paid.

And also, PLMN, it's not true that airlines will not return your money if the fares drop. Rollovers have been around with US based airlines for some time now. Most foreign airlines do not do that. Each airline have their own rules and restrictions , but I have received many vouchers for the difference between the original fare and the new lower fare. Airlines will not do it automatically, you have to catch it, and call, but it's very much possible.

In the past few years, I have been impressed that deals AFTER October FIFTEENTH are way more abundant than in the first half of the month. If you get anywhere clost to $495 for MCO-ROM (or other destinations in Italy) then, I would recommend you jump on it. In fact, I would say jump on anything under $700 (taxes INclusive).

I am very skeptical about any &quot;45 day rule&quot; for EARLY October. I think that your best deal is likely to be found in the next 20 days. If you have not found sub-$700 by July 1, I would raise the &quot;pounce&quot; number to $800.

Best wishes,

Rex

Before I started this thread I did a google search for my answers. I didn't find anything good so I posted here. Then for the heck of it I tried again and found a site that says $800-900 Round Trip would be what one would expect to pay. SO I suppose ANYTHING below $800 would be a decent deal. ESPECIALLY if it were for a multiple city ticket, with taxes and fees.