I was ready to purchase airfare for my trip to Paris planned for March, 2008 this past Saturday. I had been tracking it for a while on kayak, and was happy with $588 RT (incl taxes). I waited until Saturday because I wanted my credit card statement to drop first, so that like a good and prudent person, I would be able to pay my card in full both this month and next. I woke up Saturday and to my horror fares, which had been stable for weeks, went up to $697. That's over $200 more total for the two tickets I need to purchase! My question to you well-traveled and airline savvy Fodorites: is this a blip that I should wait out, or should I grab it and run before it gets worse? I realize that I am asking you to look into a crystal ball, but I am sure that many of you have more experience than I do, and will be able to make a more intelligent prediction. As always, thanks for your insights.

As I replied to another poster, airfare during my spring break March 21-30 is $900 round trip from Houston. I don't know if they will come down. For a trip last Thanksgiving Week I saw tickets for $550 R/T from Houston and didn't pounce. When I bought a few weeks later they were $650 and there were 5 of us going. You just have to trust your gut. AND when you do buy, don't keep checking because if they go back down you will be sooooo unhappy.

In the immortal words of Dirty Harry, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?

What other things do you think are likely to fall in price between now and six months from now?

I'd lock in the ticket prices and spend some brain/computer time looking at ways to save $40 a day/night for 5 days/nights in hotels or restaurants, or with bus passes or Oyster cards, etc.

Hi S,

Have you tried www.mobissimo.com?

That's what happened to me with the rates. I irst wanted to go to England and around there, but too much money for me. So I changed my plans to arrive in Frankfurt,$520 round trip, & got a european ticket to fly to Amsterdam the next day and then later back to Frankfurt to come home for $121.00. I also used Kayak -best for rates I found out after 2 whole days of research. I choose "include nearby airports' on kayak, & the site came up with the dates, a weeks different from my original choice, so if your flexible, & willing to arrive in another city, then travel to Paris, - also, JFK & Newark are usually lower priced to fly out of, if your willing. I wanted W.P.B. but settled for Miami for the lower rate.

I bought my tickets from Orbitz, Chicago to Paris, $720 roundtrip leaving March 20. If we could have completed our trip before March 15th, I found them from American for $540 ish. That was three weeks ago. I saw things changing every day when I was looking, at least twice a day for about two weeks.

Thank you all for your insights. Well, I guess I'm going to just take the plunge. The trip is 5 months away...I'm sure I'll find other ways to make up $200.00, and if not, I'll still be in Paris!

Dropped from $700 to $634 today. I grabbed it and will follow lrock's advice and not look back. Paris in March, can't wait! Thanks all.