My trip to Paris with my great little airfare ($353) had to be cancelled last week, and the next time I can go is in May. I am surprised at what I am seeing on USAirways site ($685 from PIT), and that must be booked before 3/15, implying that that is a "deal". Does this seem especially high, or have I just forgotten what "shoulder" fares are these days? And b/c USA is only carrier who flies straight from PIT to CDG, I'd really like to use them. Anyone optimistic that there might be some reductions in a few weeks?

I don't know what it normally is from PIT, but that sounds about right. I've also noticed fares to Europe going up right in May this year to levels I would have expected only after June. Air France did have some good RT air to Paris for only $500-550 or so from East Coast a couple weeks ago that went thru early June, at least, but from East Coast not midwest.

I got a fare of $498 roundtrip plus tax to Paris on USAirways out of Washington National through Philadelphia for travel the weekend before & after Memorial Day. I got it on Orbitz.com in February but I think that fare is over. I also saw good fares on flights.com and Air France for the same dates. Normally I would have bought through USAirways website directly but that fare was not available through them for individuals, only for groups of 10 or more travelling together, but Orbitz had the lower fare regardless of how many people were travelling. Since USAirways still has their reduced "group fare" sale going at the moment, I am guessing that some consolidators bought up blocks of tickets to sell at those sale rates and are essentially selling seats to individuals at the same prices that USAirways is selling to groups, although I could be wrong about that. Just a hunch. If I were you I would check consolidators.

Hi Sue. I posted this on the other question, but do not know if you will see it. Rome as a destination from PIT is usually more expensive then CDG from Pit, it seems to me. Anyway, we are going from PIT-PHL-FCO at the end of April for $532 and I booked it on Orbitz. At the time I booked US Airways was $667 for the same flight on their site. Why don't you check Orbitz just in case?<BR>Are you the Sue Harriet mentions, by chance?

Hi Sue. Destination Europe (AutoEurope) has some great fares to Paris (if the seats are still available, of course) but, unfortunately, you have to travel by April 10th. (We got a roundtrip fare from Seattle to Paris, including taxes, for only $436, but have decided to skip Paris and spend time in Italy instead.) <BR><BR>http://www.autoeurope.com/showspecial.cfm?specid=23<BR><BR>We decided on an open jaws flight -- into Venice and back from Nice -- and I did a lot of searching on the web for a good fare. <BR><BR>Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity all had fares in the $715-$725 range (all flights on Delta), but I actually met that price by calling Northwest directly (and, interestingly, also beat Northwest's best web price by a few $) and I prefer Northwest anyway since that's where I have my frequent flyer miles. <BR><BR>If Hotwire has the ability to do a multi-city (open jaws) search, it wasn't at all apparent. <BR><BR>I'm tempted to put in a much lower bid price through Priceline, but I'm a bit hesitant to do this since I really don't want to make more than one connection.

Capo, we'll miss you!

Thanks for all the info, everyone. I have tried Orbitz, Auto Europe, and the other consolidators, and nothing any better is showing up. I need to use USAirways b/c that's where my cancelled ticket originated; altho, after I pay the $150 penalty, there won't be much credit left from the $353. I'll just keep looking, however.<BR>I'm not the Sue who knows Harriet, Sherry. Seems that there are lots of "Sues" who post here, and we only use slightly different addresses!

Hi Sue. After I posted, I realized that you would want to use your US Airways credit. I am thinking the cutoff dates for the more reasonable fares is April 30. But even if you could leave by then, it still is only coming up with a $603 fare. I think in the fare rules, the departure date has to be by then. So that doesn't help you either.<BR>I really wish you luck. I know what it is like going from here.<BR>Hope you come up with something. <BR>

Don't know if it helps you to know, but I bought tickets in Feb going from NYC to CDG in mid-May for about $500 (AA). $353 is an amazing price. Good luck getting it all straightened out.

If you can get your money back do it. I just booked thru memorial day weekend on Iberia.com. $438 from NYC. I don't know if it flies out of PIT.

Chicago to Paris..$518 r/t

USAirways is the only carrier that flies to Europe out of PIT, which is part of the problem--no competition. Flew Delta a couple yrs. ago and had to take one of those little turboprops to JFK before boarding for Milan--not fun. Right now only direct flights are to London, Frankfurt, and Paris.