Areala

Just let me say I posted this under Air Travel as well,, hoping for more hits !!

Hello Everyone,
I am hoping to get some good advice or suggestions here...My sister and I are planning a trip to Paris we can leave as early as April 22nd...or very late the 21st and return on May 1st have to be to work on May 2nd.

I have been checking flights on Kayak...CheapOAir and a ton of others and the lowest I can come up with is $1017 including all taxes and fees....I think this is kind of high but then I have not traveled to Paris for a few years and I guess air fares have sky rocketed since then however I still think that is high....

So..Question #1...should I wait and bide my time in hopes of catching a sale ??? Or bite the bullet and purchase this ticket...

Question #2.....is there an alternative City in Europe ( Not UK..been there done that) but europe...Barcelona...Madrid...Germany...Brussels.. .somewhere else I can fly into cheaper and stay the week.?? Any suggestions....

I did check Barcelona and the fair wasn't any cheaper...maybe I am just checking at the wrong time...

Basically we just want to get away and we are sick of cruises....for now...any help or suggestions would be very welcome at this point

Thanks

Areala

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Dukey1

You might also check using itasoftware.com (use the month-long view)

What makes you think there will be ANY sales? Airlines have purposely cut the number of flights and seats which makes filling them a bit easier

NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY knows if there will EVER be a sale on any air ticket. If they tell you they DO then get out your snakeoil detector. What happened "last year" is irrelevant.

Areala

Your right Dukey1 I know nobody knows anything for sure. It would be nice if someone out there had a crystal ball...no I think I was just looking for the latest tips on how to find the best fare out there for now....the best fares for now may be really really awful but it's the best for now.

Even though I haven't traveled to europe for a couple of years I DO watch the news I know the fares have skyrocketed and seats are at a premium right now...but I remember when I first use to go to europe and was paying way too much for fares and it was on this board years ago that I learned little secrets like which were best days to fly and when to check on airfares like right after midnight...little stuff like that helped me save a lot of money in my ticket buying process so I guess I was just looking for the any new tips.

The market for tickets has changed...I know this but I just figure there might be new tips for the new market that could help a person save a buck here and there...that's all...

I guess the days of catching a cheap flight to Paris is over....use to be I could catch a sale and go round trip for $300....those days are gone....it's so sad....

Oh well..thanks for your reply...I was hoping someone would come on and say wait a week or two cause so and so is gonna have a sale or whatever...but I guess that's not gonna happen...

Happy Travels

grimmy

http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-barcelona/tampa/ . I put your dates into Cheapoair and see flights for $782 total with USairways. I have no experience with Cheapoair but maybe others here can advise.

grimmy

Sorry , upon rereading I see that the fare doesn't include taxes. Its been a bummer looking for flights this year and I just read that airlines are all raising their prices in the next few weeks.

Christina

If Kayak and itasoftware show that is the best, I would believe them. Oil prices are going up, check the news. Some airlines are adding on $350 surcharges for fuel.

the cheapest cities in Europe to fly into in my experience are London and Paris (for me, anyway). Sometimes there are good deals for Dublin. Other things are random, usually due to a new route or airline or something trying to get business on a route to some city.

I don't think $1000 is that high, it's lower than peak season which is what you'd expect. Especially from TPA, it seems pretty good to me.

Laidback

We fly that route all the time with American as we are frequent fliers with them. You find better fares on Tues, Wed, or Thurs. American had a sale during Dec for about $850 all in so this may be the reason that you are now finding fares in the $1000 range. I do not follow any other airline sales. Remember April is shoulder season not low season and also with what is going on in the world it looks like fares will even go higher. It's a gamble to wait for lower fares, don't you agree?

Mrs. Laidback