We're wondering who other travelers are booking flights with for round trip flights from San Francisco to Frankfurt or Munich, and what the best prices have been recently that you've found. We've searched online, and we've inquired with a travel agency in California that specializes in European travel for the past couple of months. Our final destination in Germany next Summer is Paderborn, or as close to Detmold as we can possibly get, where we'll pick up a rental car. We've been quoted with prices starting at approximately $1,900 per person. We prefer to fly with Lufthansa, but we'd also consider SAS. The prices, we were surprised to discover, are actually the same between American or United Airlines as Lufthansa's. We'd love to know if anyone has found more reasonably priced flights. Thank you!!!

We take United quite frequently to Frankfurt, and then on to Nice or other non-Paris destinations in France

For departing 6/10 and returning 2/24, there are:

Two direct flights daily at $1,621

Via JFK with a 2 hr 20 min layover, $1,390

Many other options on United. We get Economy Plus seats - more legroom.

Stu Dudley

Have you checked prices on http://www.kayak.com/ ?

Oops
The direct flight to FRA at $1,621 requires a stop in JFK on the way back.

For direct both ways - it's $1,845.

Stu Dudley

Lufthansa has new economy plus---much better airlines. We take the United SF-Frankfurt for the nonstop economy plus, but are eager to try out new Lufthansa.

Close friends who are picky flew the Norwegian air Stockholm-Oakland flight in September. They paid less than 2000 for equivalent of business class and were very satisfied. No champagne, no hanging up of jackets, but great legroom and seat quality, decent food. A patient of mine flew economy in August and was very happy with the airlines. It has new super dream airplanes.

<i>...we've inquired with a travel agency in California that specializes in European travel...</i>

Don't do this. their rates won't be any better than what you can find.

If you find a Lufthansa flight you like, verify that it is indeed on Lufthansa metal and not a codeshare with United.

That price seems ridiculously high.

I have flown 4-5 times per year for last 5 years to Germany, including leaving next week SFO-Berlin returning from Munich 2 weeks later. I never paid more than $1,300 for an economy ticket. Usually I fly Lufthansa or United direct flights to FRA or MUC and then onwards if not starting from there.

For my flight to Cal. last year, I flew with Iceland Air. Yes, you have 3 flights, but the flight to Europe is quick. So, it would be San Fran to Seattle, Seattle to Iceland (under 7 hours) and Iceland to Frankfurt (3.5 hours). I would rather have 3 short flights and at a cheap price than a really long direct flight.

Depending on when you want to fly, you should be able to get RT tickets for around $1000.

Check Air Canada too.