Am I naive to think I might get reasonably prices flights?
 

We're hoping to fly into Madrid Aug 20 - Sept 6 from JFK. I have been stalking fares directly on the airlines (Delta, AA, Iberia, Air Europa), Kayak, and Orbitz since March and haven't really found anything less than approx $1,100 ($3,300 total). Taking a two stop flight is not really an option since we have a 3 year old and its just not fair to do that to a kid!

Are there any other booking sites I'm missing?

Any advice you can offer? Or should I just suck it up and deal?

Thanks for any and all advice!

Beth

itasoftware.com

use the "month long" option

http://www.dohop.com/flights/?a1=LGA...rn=1&d2=060910

Looks like $1148 is the current lowest with AA.

Dukey's has $1099 with Delta and Air France

What you are seeing is the reasonable = market price.

You are looking for an expensive ticket for the route due to flying during a high season, on specific dates, and as a direct flight.

Use the flex-day option available on booking engines to see how much you can lower the price by adjusting the travel dates.

Most people want a direct flight. The airlines know this and price accordingly. You have to decide if the convenience is overwhelming enough to pay the premium.

The seats seem to be still available on Delta and AA flights so it is "possible" that the demand/capacity projections the airlines are hoping for may not materialize for them to offer lower prices. However, at that point, you are playing a lottery: low prices or even higher prices or even more layovers.

As many posters have noted - the airlines have cut capacity - possibly with the chearper Euro, demand is up. Airlines might have some sales if seats don't fill, but I think non-stop summer flights under $1000 are not easy to score these days. Esp. if you have set dates and want the convenient flights it's probably best to just book 'em! and enjoy your trip.

My advice in future is to try pricing one stop or two stop flights and introduce the 3 year old to stopovers!
Honestly, a hour or two or whatever in another airport allows the kid to stretch their legs.
I remember taking my 4 year old (plus my 11 yr old) to Crete (stops in London, Switzerland and Athens .. 16 hours door to door). She was looking forward to the stopover in Switzerland on the way home to buy more Swiss chocolate!

In reality for this trip it's too late and your savings will be minimal so it might be time to bite the bullet and pay high season prices for convenient flights, ouch!

That price is insane for August travel to Spain even if direct flight. Much like in Italy, most nationals head out to the coastal areas and the metro areas do experience a downshift in occupancy; that is why, until recently, August fares used to be shoulder season prices for Madrid and Rome. Try leaving out of Newark (EWR). That said, you are kinda late making a desicion here and just for that reason, yes you are naive in thinking the prices are going down significantly.

I was reading in the Economist that Bing (google equivalent) has a travel fare search engine that has loads of data for past fare pricing and can predict when is the best time to buy
I have not tried it, but it may help decide.

That price is not insane, it's normal for this year for high season.

I also think you might re-consider the nonstop issue. IN fact, you might prefer it, as you have a break from the plane. Furthermore, you should understand that if you stop anywhere in Europe as the connection, which I presume, the next flight to Madrid is only going to be 1-2 hours.

You've picked a bad time to go. Leaving on a weekend, returning on a U.S. holiday. End of the U.S. travel season. $1100 is pretty good.

Absolute bargain - transatlantic prices have gone through the roof - probably due to the airlines wanting to claw back profits from the volcano period.

We have never paid more than £500 to travel in the opposite direction. Delta and even cheap/not so cheerful US Airways seem to be averaging £800.

Even the logic of routes seems to have gone out of the window. It is a lot cheaper to fly Manchester - ATL - MIA than it is to simply do MAN - ATL on the same flight times.

"Absolute bargain - transatlantic prices have gone through the roof - probably due to the airlines wanting to claw back profits from the volcano period." Thank you. Proof of my point: this are NOT typical prices for August travel to Madrid. I have kept track of Aug flights pricing for Madrid and Rome for the last 17 years. A LOT of factors are in your situation that places you in a bad spot for any bargain.

Thank you everyone! especially for some of the websites you posted - ITA, Bing, etc. I know the volcano probably has A LOT to do with the pricing.

We made our decision to go to Madrid back in March and I have been tracking fares almost daily since then in the hopes of finding the right price so I could jump on it! So this is not a last minute trip, but I feel like I only find last minute pricing and its so frustrating! even with layovers, the price only changes by ~$50 so its not much of a savings to be mildly inconvenienced.

I have gone to Madrid 3 Augusts / Labor days in a row: '04 - '06 (with a couple of years off to have a baby!) and with enough advance planning, we never paid more than $800. Hence my frustration.

If you have any more ideas or opinions, send 'em my way! Thanks everyone!

Yep, for numerous reasons that could all fit under the rubric of market forces, fares are up compared to past, even recent past, years. There is some small comfort in the fact that in terms of constant (i.e., controlled for inflation) dollars air travel is cheaper than the "old days" as manifest by the sheer number of people who can now afford to fly. Having grown accustomed to deep discounts, I still hate the current fares, though they are not yet at the level where I cancel the trip. I am, however, using my hard earned FF miles more often these days. Having a pile of FF miles in the bank is not a good idea as their relative value decrease when airlines raise redemption levels as they have been doing pretty regularly the last couple years.

I will say that I do like that BING airfare predictor!

Thank you Michel Paris!