Best airfare to Paris?
 

We are 4 teachers traveling to Paris during our spring break. What is a good airfare from Chicago to Paris leaving on March 14 to March 21? I see lots of connecting flights--a non-stop is more expensive, but maybe worth it?

There are things you must be willing to trade when you have SPECIFIC dates you MUST travel and when you have more than one seat to worry about. In your case, you have to be willing to throw in a bit more money to fullfill these requirements you have. That said, Swiss Air has a fare of $680/pp non-stop Chicago-CDG. That fare is very, very good considering that is a very, very popular route that time of the year and many teachers are "holiday shopping" this route as we trade posts. I'll say, go to cheaptickets.com this minute and book this flight. You do not have the time to spare you think you have. Have fun!!

If there is any way you could leave a day or two earlier (using sick days or personal leave), you might find flights that are much cheaper. We are going that same week and the Continental flights IAH-CDG are $582 leaving on the 12th, $713 on the 13th, and $906 leaving on the 14th.

no employer who wasn't a total idiot would allow someone to take sick leave a day before their scheduled vacation, without documentation. Teachers get so much time off, that I don't think they get such as thing as "personal leave" in addition to all the other days off. My parents were both teachers, and they sure didn't.

I have never flown Air India, but doing a recent search on Orbitz, I found that they fly from NY to Paris for a little over $450. I checked dates for February and March.

Actually, whether they can get extra time depends on their principal and superintendent and state law.

In Alabama, we have personal leave days because our sick days are prescribed to only be used for medical reasons for ourselves or close relatives (children, parents, etc.) Therefore, personal days are to be used for funerals and other "personal" matters. We get up to 5 personal days a year, but only the first 2 are fully funded. If we use the other 3, we have to pay for the substitute teacher (approx. $80/day). If we don't use our personal days, the 2 that are fully funded convert to sick leave at the end of the year and sick leave can accrue toward retirement up to one full year of days.

That stated, I hardly ever use my personal leave. It is so difficult to be away from school as a teacher that I would rather accrue the days toward retirement personally. Of course, if a really great opportunity for travel popped up and required the use of personal days, I'd use them.

I have a friend who teaches kindergarten who got permission to take this week for a family trip--something she has never done before but the opportunity presented itself. She communicated the plans to her principal early and received permission far in advance. She has detailed sub plans for the entire week and a good substitute lined up. I, on the other hand, teach 12th grade and a one semester course. I can't imagine sacrificing a whole week of a course that is only 18 weeks long unless a REALLY good opportunity presented itself--like Europe at a great deal.

Would I request one extra day tacked onto spring break to save significant sums of money? You bet ya! So many parents are willing to pull their children out 1 or 2 days early to extend their spring break into these same sorts of opportunities that the day before spring break is an endurance race to be honest. They wouldn't really miss me in that event!

Thanksgiving week is the same way. We have a 2-day week next week. We went to that calendar many years ago because the check-outs from school on the day before Thanksgiving were so crazy and overall attendance was so low that it was way too much work to be there--not to mention that our funding is calculated on the first 100 days average daily attendance and that day killed us on funding issues. The problem is that many parents are willing to sacrifice 2 days entirely, yet they weren't willing to sacrifice 3. I'm not sure I understand the psychology of it, but the reality is definitely there...and I've been counting for 17 years so far.... I have learned not to do anything next week that I'm not willing to spend significant time in review of on the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday. Gee, I wonder why I didn't just plan a trip next week? :-)

www.airfarewatchdog.com You'll have tremendous luck finding a flight to Paris from O'hare. It's one of the best websites I've seen for finding the deals. Tuesday night/Wesnesday morning is the best time to check. Good luck! Sue