Hi,
I'm heading to Ireland from Houston around May 30, flying back around June 8. Does anybody have a vibe on whether we'll see any travel deals this year? The best I've seen so far is $733 on US Airways, but I hope to do better, plus I'd rather not take this airline.
Thanks!

Here; my (pure guess) analysis, assuming that your $733 quote includes all taxes and fees.

Watch diligently for the next 30-60 days. You have a 10-20% chance that you might save $50-75.

And if you do not purchase this now, I'd say a 50% chance that you will not find anything under $833 by waiting 30-60 days.

Best wishes,

Rex

no one else?

$733 is not a bad price, though you should see something similar if not slightly cheaper between now and then. If you don't like USAirways, then wait.

I agree..you don't like USAirways then take your chances on others.

I third that, or is it fourth? If you wait 60 days you will probably be over $1k unless there is a major catastrophe or war.

What's wrong with US Airways? I've never flown them.

Sounds like a great price to me. I fly US Air frequently and have never had aproblem with them.

Carolena

I agree with Rex, except that I would guestimate that, if you do not purchase now or soon, there's an 80% chance you'll pay $1000 or more, and a less than 10% chance that you'll find flights for less.

How much more are you willing to pay for another airline???

These days, as opposed to selling empty seats cheap, the airlines are eliminating partially filled flights and transferring reservations to other flights...

There's no way the price will go to $1000 unless it's last minute. I've gone to Ireland and the UK for three summers in a row and my fare ranged from $680 at the lowest to $722 at the highest. Guess I'm just hoping to see something like $680 again! Less money spent on airfare means more money that can be spent upon arrival!

Nothing is certain when it comes to airfare. It is entirely possble that fares will reach $1K. Set a price for yourself that is the maximum amount that you are willing to pay. If the price gets below that point, buy it and don't look back.

The difference between $680 (the fare you paid previously) and $733 (the fare you have currently found) is small peanuts when you look at the cost of your entire trip. A $50 difference wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

Good luck to you.

I agree with Rex that you probably won't do any better. We travel to Europe two or three times a year and I monitor the ticket prices weekly. This year, we paid more than we have ever paid for March-April travel. My perception is that there are far fewer deals this year.

We found airfare on Delta from Chicago to Dublin June 10-21 at 556.20

But don't know what is good from Houston.

Good luck!

aggiegirl,

I agree that you should check to make sure that price includes all the taxes and fees.

I'm going in June, and booked a US Airways flight through Expedia for $762 back in October. It included all the taxes and fees, so that is exactly what I paid.

The person I am traveling with is afraid to fly, so he prefers direct flights (which this one was), so we jumped on it. Aer Lingus doesn't fly out of the airport we go to, and we didn't have any problems with U.S. Airways on a trip to an island in the Caribbean last year, so we didn't hesitate to book with them again.

You could try flying to a city that uses Aer Lingus, and check their prices out of there, but you have to remember they add in taxes and fees to the first price they give you as with other airline sites.

I do think that $733 is a good price from Houston, but you can take a chance and see if you can do better, look around if you don't like US Airways. But there have been increased fuel surcharges, and airfare prices go up all the time. No guarantee that you will get around the same price you paid in a previous year. Timing is all a roll of the dice.

If it were me, I would book that flight. But I like US Airways.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Good luck.

Thanks for everybody's comments. I'll keep checking daily and pull the credit card trigger when the vibe is right. I don't have a problem paying $722, but I'd rather it be BA or Continental (of course, what's up with BA now and the possibility of a strike?!).

My best deal was with Aer Lingus in 2004 when I flew Continetal to Baltimore and then the rest of the way via Aer Lingus. Baltimore was a great change city, I was disappointed it's no longer an Aer Lingus city.