Common prices for summer airfare from Boston?
 

Hi everyone,

I just returned from a week in Paris, and am in love! I'm a teacher, so I am lucky enough to have summers off. I don't know if it will be possible as DH and I already have 2 trips planned for this summer, but I was wondering what airfare usually goes for in the summer to Europe from Boston. Paris, Rome, London, etc...Right now, flights are over $1000 pp. I know it's high season, but is this the kind of prices I should expect? TIA!

ttt

Can anyone weigh in?

I'm afraid so. Things have been going up slightly each year, I really don't see them going down. The last several years I've paid In the $990+ range from NY to Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, etc. I live in western Mass so always check prices for both Boston and NY and Boston is usually a tiny bit higher. Four years ago I flew Boston to Ireland for under $700 but I don't think that's happening anymore. Ireland is usually the cheapest place to fly from Boston, with England next. But if you can stay for a couple of weeks or more, than when you figure the cost of the ticket on a per day basis it's really not that bad. I just figure it's worth it, and maybe cut back a bit on hotels or meals.

I too live in Boston and I feel your pain (with regard to summer flights to France.) I love going in the summer, but the plane ticket is pretty tough.I doubt that you will see a future discount from the price that you are citing. Indeed, it has been my experience in the summer that waiting longer to pay for the flight has found me paying even more. My family and I went last December to France on a deal that was less than $500 per ticket and you could probably routinely get very good rates for your spring vacations (as you are a teacher.) I am kind of thinking going forward that I might start taking my Bahamian fishing trip in the summer (tho' it's very hot then) and go to France in March, when the rates are more affordable...I would save alot on the flight costs that way.

What days are you looking? I see fares on Aer Lingus to London (via Dublin) or Air Canada (via Toronto), for <$900 for mid-July. Many more airlines <$1,000.

In fact, non-stop BOS-DUB on Aer Lingus is <$800 througout the summer. Then fly Ryanair or Aer Lingus to your destination city. Those fares can be as low as $30-40 each way, including tax.

Paris or Rome will cost you more.

Keep collecting the airmiles. We travel in the school vacation time too and just got back from London (tix around $400 on Virgin). Last summer we used airmiles as it's the same rate year round even though the actual ticket price more than doubles.
Yes, $1000 is about right especially if you wish to avoid connections with long layovers. June and early July is sometimes a bit cheaper as UK schools get out mid to late July.

I saw a ticket last week for Miami to Barcelona, was it $641 or $541, but anyway, I would wait until March to purchase a ticket. Airlines will get a little nervous when they see that the plane is only 1/3 full in March for June flights.

That happened last year and people were getting tickets to Rome for $750.

If you're willing to drive to JFK you can get a round trip inclusive to Rome for $808 on eurofly (website www.euroflyusa.com). I just put in the dates of July 12-19.

I paid 1000 euro's to get to Boston last August, so 1000 dollars sounds good to me!

And I am trying to find good airfare in the other direction! From Europe to Boston for my high school reunion and am finding that all the fares are well over $1,000.

I think a RT flight from Boston to Paris for around $1000 this summer would be a bargain, myself, if it wasn't 2 connections and a long layover or anything. I haven't looked for London, but I have been searching for Paris this summer and from Wash DC most of them are a lot higher than that (like $1300) in June-July. I haven't been checking August. The cheapest I found was on www.kayak.com and nothing I'd be willing to do (Air India from JFK) and it was still $1000. those prices include all taxes. Rome is always going to be more expensive than either Paris or London, at least almost always.

I've gotten several notices for under $600 RT airfares through July on Iberia from Boston to various places in Italy and Spain. I must add that my past experience with Iberia was NOT inspiring but if you want cheap flights, that seems to be a good source.

Thanks, everyone, for your various experiences. I had a feeling it would be pricey to go in the summer! I will certainly keep looking, and checking out all of your tips and suggestions. And I will post a trip report shortly for the week I just spent in Paris.