Airfare Costs
 

Could someone tell me what the average cost of travelling to Vienna from the East Coast(I'm In NYC)? I was planning to go next year and I'm finding prices of over $1,000. Is that accurate?

Please indicate what month you're planning to travel as fares vary a great deal from winter to summer.

That would be helpful, I suppose. I was looking at August or maybe September.

Thanks

There are always exceptions, but you probably will not find the cheapest prices until 3-6 months prior to departure.

There are various ways you <i>might</i> be able to get the fare down to as low as $600, and very, very little chance you can get it down to $500 or less.

Factors include:

1. flexibility of departure and return dates. Weekend flights typically add $25 to $100 each way.

2. when, precisely in August or September. While it is variable, you may find more bargain price available after September 15.

3. whether you have any interst in adding another country to this trip - - with the specific goal of using an intermediate gateway as an entry into Austria. While you don't HAVE to stop over in the country of the gateway airport, sometimes it only makes sense. A leading example is London - - usually your flight from NYC will arrive Heathrow, but the bargain flights onward to Austria (Graz, for example, or &quot;Vienna East&quot; - - Bratislava, a 45 minute shuttle bus ride away) might be from Luton or Stansted. It can be worthwhile to see London or vicinity coming or going, since the intra-airport transfer can eat up more time than you might like. The website www.whichbudget.com can keep you up to date on budget intra-Europe air travel.

It can also be worth your while to keep tabs on developments in bargain air travel at the Cheap Flights forum of www.eurotrip.com

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex, as always has good advice, but the basic advice is - you are looking way too early.

Karen

I just wanted to thank everyone for your advice. I had sticker shock for a moment.

You might be able to get lower than I first thought. Looking at Expedia (which will track for you, and send you periodic e-mails, you get NYC-VIE - - just a week away from now for as low as $636 (trying the dates Wed Sep 1 to Wed Sep 15, for example) with all taxes and fees included.

Of course, I wouldn't recommend you wait until a week before you wish to travel!

You can also book cheaper if you book a flight into Heathrow and book a separate flight form there on BA or Austrian airlines. I purchased a flight from Eugene , Oregon to Heathrow on United; booked a flight on BA to Vienna, all for around 800 US, so you should be able to do much better from NY. You can book flights out of Heathrow on either Travelocity or Expedia.