Air fare question and farewatcher question from person who has never bought international plane tickets
Jun 3rd, 2004, 06:56 AM
#41
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Christina: I am also a fan of open jaw fares, but my experience has been that often there is a slight premium for these tickets. This morning, however, I came on some disturbing information.
We are thinking of going to Alaska this summer. I want to stay in Fairbanks and Anchorage. This morning, one the same airline site, with the same dates, a round trip to Anchorage was just over $500; a round trip to Fairbanks was just over $1200; an open jaw Cleveland Fairbanks Anchorage Cleveland was over $2200! No sales appear to be involved, and I was surprised at the size of the open jaw fare. It just shows that you have to do a lot of research in preparation for any trip.
We are thinking of going to Alaska this summer. I want to stay in Fairbanks and Anchorage. This morning, one the same airline site, with the same dates, a round trip to Anchorage was just over $500; a round trip to Fairbanks was just over $1200; an open jaw Cleveland Fairbanks Anchorage Cleveland was over $2200! No sales appear to be involved, and I was surprised at the size of the open jaw fare. It just shows that you have to do a lot of research in preparation for any trip.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 07:21 AM
#42
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Hi!
I just wanted to post my own "open jaw" prices just as a reference for you. We flew from St. Louis to Vienna and from Rome back to St. Louis this past March. The price was about $650 per person (taxes included). While Vienna is not in Italy, the other prices we checked (flying into Venice as opposed to Vienna) weren't too much different. We used orbitz.com to book the tickets. To do this just click "multi city" and plug in the places and dates to get an accurate price.
Good luck!
Tracy
I just wanted to post my own "open jaw" prices just as a reference for you. We flew from St. Louis to Vienna and from Rome back to St. Louis this past March. The price was about $650 per person (taxes included). While Vienna is not in Italy, the other prices we checked (flying into Venice as opposed to Vienna) weren't too much different. We used orbitz.com to book the tickets. To do this just click "multi city" and plug in the places and dates to get an accurate price.
Good luck!
Tracy
Jun 3rd, 2004, 07:24 AM
#43
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I also wanted to (and forgot to above!) add that the price of our open-jaw wasn't that much higher than the price of a round-trip out of either city. In my opinion open-jaws can be worth their money because you save the hastle of having to return to your arrival city and waste precious vacation time doing so. I would check out several websites and do some searching first.
Tracy
Tracy
Jun 3rd, 2004, 09:23 AM
#44
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That's too bad, but it's probably that fares in the US on small airlines and in Alaska and from cities in Ohio are not really that comparable to what you find for open jaw fares to Europe in/out of major cities. Those routes aren't major airline routes, that's probably the reason. I have never paid more for an open jaw on flights to/from Europe from a major US city and to a major European city. That's my experience. I think anyone has to check fares and see what they find, of course. SOmetimes any major difference isn't due to the fact of it being open-jaw, but differences in the dates/class of seat availability, etc.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 12:37 PM
#45
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On our first trip in 2003 I found the open jaw fare involving Venice and Florence/Pisa was about $25 more than a round trip, which I thought was well worth it, but then I came upon a freakishly low round trip to Venice, so we took that, flew to Venice, enjoyed a nice train ride to Florence, and then returned from Venice.
The anamoly I found regarding Alaska was on Continental, a major airline, and whether or not these are busy lines, there is no reason for such a discrepancy.
All I am saying is that in my planning, before committing to the idea of an open jaw ticket, I will want to check and see that the price is reasonable. In fact, since there are so many variables, I think a good travel agent may be very valuable. Today my wife said a friend was interested in visiting London, and asked me what the fares would be. Travelocity was in the range of $790! I was going to recommend AA because of their more room in coach planes, but noticed that they routed you from Cleveland to Chicago to London, which made the trip a lot longer. I know very well that AA flies from NY also, so I went to their site and forced a connection from Cleveland to NY to London, and the price they quoted was $610, substantially less than the longer flight. I'm retired, so I have the time to really delve into such things; were I still working I wouldn't have the time to find such bargains and I think I would go back to using a travel agent.
The anamoly I found regarding Alaska was on Continental, a major airline, and whether or not these are busy lines, there is no reason for such a discrepancy.
All I am saying is that in my planning, before committing to the idea of an open jaw ticket, I will want to check and see that the price is reasonable. In fact, since there are so many variables, I think a good travel agent may be very valuable. Today my wife said a friend was interested in visiting London, and asked me what the fares would be. Travelocity was in the range of $790! I was going to recommend AA because of their more room in coach planes, but noticed that they routed you from Cleveland to Chicago to London, which made the trip a lot longer. I know very well that AA flies from NY also, so I went to their site and forced a connection from Cleveland to NY to London, and the price they quoted was $610, substantially less than the longer flight. I'm retired, so I have the time to really delve into such things; were I still working I wouldn't have the time to find such bargains and I think I would go back to using a travel agent.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 05:14 PM
#46
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I am so glad that so many people are finding this thread informative. I'm sure there are various bits and pieces that will help some other novice international flyer.
Spoke to my Dad tonight and he has asked me for the dates for the umteenth time. I made him swear he would talk to his favorite travel agent ASAP. He insists that she can beat anything I have given him so far. We shall see.
When he finally buys the tickets I will let you know for how much.
Have a great night everyone.
Spoke to my Dad tonight and he has asked me for the dates for the umteenth time. I made him swear he would talk to his favorite travel agent ASAP. He insists that she can beat anything I have given him so far. We shall see.
When he finally buys the tickets I will let you know for how much.
Have a great night everyone.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 05:30 PM
#47
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I picked up on this thread because I, too, am debating purchasing tickets for a trip much later in the year. For the record, I'm looking at a round-trip ticket from Seattle to Rome in November for $491 before tax, which just seems too darn good to be true. Can it get any better??? (I guess that's why I haven't bought the tickets yet. That, and trying to convince my partner that it's NOT insane to buy them this far in advance....)
Anyway, what I wanted to say to PLMN is that I did this, sort of, last summer. I flew from Seattle to Paris on United and then from Paris to Marseille on Easyjet (it was ridiculously cheap). On the way home, the French were on strike (imagine!) and my flight to Paris was cancelled. Luckily, I'd foreseen such an event and had planned to be in Paris the evening before my flight back to Seattle. We were able to get on a train and get to Paris that night, well before our United flight left for Seattle the next morning.
I guess the moral of my story is that relying on your cheap Euro plane to meet up with your expensive trans-Atlantic flight is tricky.
Anyway, what I wanted to say to PLMN is that I did this, sort of, last summer. I flew from Seattle to Paris on United and then from Paris to Marseille on Easyjet (it was ridiculously cheap). On the way home, the French were on strike (imagine!) and my flight to Paris was cancelled. Luckily, I'd foreseen such an event and had planned to be in Paris the evening before my flight back to Seattle. We were able to get on a train and get to Paris that night, well before our United flight left for Seattle the next morning.
I guess the moral of my story is that relying on your cheap Euro plane to meet up with your expensive trans-Atlantic flight is tricky.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 05:46 PM
#48
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Hi faile626, welcome!
And this is why we are not going to do anything fancy with the flights. If I were by myself or with my husband and we didn't have a tight schedule, I would not mind mixing and matching.
If you can still get that fare I say go for it! Please, more experienced people if I'm wrong correct me. But that fare sounds pretty good. All the airline agents I have been talking to say travel for the fall and winter is pretty heavy already.
And this is why we are not going to do anything fancy with the flights. If I were by myself or with my husband and we didn't have a tight schedule, I would not mind mixing and matching.
If you can still get that fare I say go for it! Please, more experienced people if I'm wrong correct me. But that fare sounds pretty good. All the airline agents I have been talking to say travel for the fall and winter is pretty heavy already.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 10:30 PM
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I suppose I have to share...I've read on Fodor's that http://www.1800flyeurope.com seems to have amazing airfares, and that's where I found this. I made a little spreadsheet tonight for most of the Seattle-Europe round-trip airfares through that site, and, cheapest to most expensive, Frankfurt, London, Rome, and Berlin are all sub-$500, and Zurich, Brussels, Venice, Paris, Milan, and Madrid are all still under $600. Though they don't list the airlines, smarterliving.com shows the departure times as belonging to Delta, more or less. So I'm trying to remind myself that November is a long, long time away, and there's no need to buy tickets now...right????
I'm also thinking that the "Romantic Road" that I've heard about might be a fun way to spend a week. That, or a week in Rome. Huh. Tough call.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 10:42 PM
#51
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faile626, I have checked that site from time to time but it's never been a "hit" for the exact dates I wanted. I'm glad you found a good price on it.
This is June, but November is really not that far away. If you want to go, and the tickets are unlikely to get cheaper, why not buy them now? Then you will have something to think about happily every night as you drift off.
This is June, but November is really not that far away. If you want to go, and the tickets are unlikely to get cheaper, why not buy them now? Then you will have something to think about happily every night as you drift off
.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 10:54 PM
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I certainly DO wish that I could buy those silly tickets at that silly price. But how do we convince our more reluctant travel partners that it's OK to have plane tickets 6 months in advance of a trip?
Stupid heel-dragging boyfriends...can't seem to think more than 3 months ahead.
Stupid heel-dragging boyfriends...can't seem to think more than 3 months ahead.
Jun 4th, 2004, 06:51 PM
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Ha, the boyfriend won't get NEAR the computer to research The Trip or even pick up a guidebook on his own. I fear that I've created a monster.
Ah, man. I just checked 1800flyeurope.com again, as I do every few hours, and the SEA-FCO (Rome) airfare has DROPPED $30 to $466 RT! I'm going to go crazy trying to stop the wheel at the right moment...
Ah, man. I just checked 1800flyeurope.com again, as I do every few hours, and the SEA-FCO (Rome) airfare has DROPPED $30 to $466 RT! I'm going to go crazy trying to stop the wheel at the right moment...
Jun 4th, 2004, 07:04 PM
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faile626,
Just curious, how low do you think those fares will go? Are you sure there are seats available on your dates for that rate. One thing I have learned is that just because the fare is listed does not mean you can get it. I saw a fare I liked that was listed as being available and when I started to book it, it was no longer offered for my dates. At this point I decided I had enough and told dad get his agent on the line.
Also, When I called a site's phone number they said if you make the reservation on-line you have to wait for an email confirmation and the price might go up while waiting. If you made the reservation on the phone they would give you a confirmation number right at the moment.
Does the above make any sense to you experienced travel people?
Just curious, how low do you think those fares will go? Are you sure there are seats available on your dates for that rate. One thing I have learned is that just because the fare is listed does not mean you can get it. I saw a fare I liked that was listed as being available and when I started to book it, it was no longer offered for my dates. At this point I decided I had enough and told dad get his agent on the line.
Also, When I called a site's phone number they said if you make the reservation on-line you have to wait for an email confirmation and the price might go up while waiting. If you made the reservation on the phone they would give you a confirmation number right at the moment.
Does the above make any sense to you experienced travel people?
Jun 4th, 2004, 07:08 PM
#56
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faile626, I also check airfares frequently, both for trips I've already booked and for prospective trips!
I really doubt the fare will dip much below $466 + tax for travel from SEA. The only thing I'd wonder is - what about an open-jaw ticket, like into Rome and out of Venice, or vice versa?
If you (or your boyfriend) need to book vacation time, I think sooner is better than later in most cases.
Don't forget, there's always the possibility of a solo trip.
I really doubt the fare will dip much below $466 + tax for travel from SEA. The only thing I'd wonder is - what about an open-jaw ticket, like into Rome and out of Venice, or vice versa?
If you (or your boyfriend) need to book vacation time, I think sooner is better than later in most cases.
Don't forget, there's always the possibility of a solo trip
.
Jun 4th, 2004, 08:35 PM
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Oh, I know it, WillTravel. The price will not get any lower. I am DYING over here with my inability to purchase these things!
The Boyfriend is away for the weekend again (hence my presence here on this fabulous website, which I normally forgo on the weekend). But he is not yet able to wrap his brain around the notion of a trip in November. So I am not permitted to actually take action quite just yet. I usually hit him with a few fleshed out itineraries before he agrees to buy anything. I think that he just wants me to stop jibberjabberin about it, so he eventually gives up and hands over his platinum card. Haha!
But I've just posted my own thread, and hopefully some Fodorites will help me choose a trip, first of all. I'm still wavering between a few...ALL of the Seattle-Europe airfares dropped today by about $30 on 1800flyeurope.com. I called them up, and the woman told me that it's SO far in advance that the flights are "wide open," and that she expects these fares to stick around for a while.
Not that I trust her.
The Boyfriend is away for the weekend again (hence my presence here on this fabulous website, which I normally forgo on the weekend). But he is not yet able to wrap his brain around the notion of a trip in November. So I am not permitted to actually take action quite just yet. I usually hit him with a few fleshed out itineraries before he agrees to buy anything. I think that he just wants me to stop jibberjabberin about it, so he eventually gives up and hands over his platinum card. Haha!
But I've just posted my own thread, and hopefully some Fodorites will help me choose a trip, first of all. I'm still wavering between a few...ALL of the Seattle-Europe airfares dropped today by about $30 on 1800flyeurope.com. I called them up, and the woman told me that it's SO far in advance that the flights are "wide open," and that she expects these fares to stick around for a while.
Not that I trust her.
Jun 5th, 2004, 07:48 PM
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WillTravel! Fabulous suggestion! I checked into an open jaw into Rome and out of Venice, and it's only like $10 more!!! Pretty darn excited now, but I'm a little disoriented because I was starting to feel like I had a handle on Rome, and now I've got to turn to another chapter in my travel books for Venice...
But Venice! Maybe the boyfriend will get off his lazy butt and finally propose to me in (arguably) the world's most romantic city on my birthday! He's even taking a trip by himself to Antwerp in August, where he could purchase the diamond...
Really, how much more of a set-up could he ask for?
But Venice! Maybe the boyfriend will get off his lazy butt and finally propose to me in (arguably) the world's most romantic city on my birthday! He's even taking a trip by himself to Antwerp in August, where he could purchase the diamond...
Really, how much more of a set-up could he ask for?
