julies

I'm just curious.

This year, because of a wedding we have to get to, I booked tickets earlier than I normally would. My usual pattern is to wait, and I have never had a problem finding reasonable tickets somewhere 6 to 2 weeks prior to when we want to travel. I'll admit it does help because we're flexible both about dates and destinations. Have there been any summer sale fares posted in the past month or so? We're leaving in a month, and I am just wondering if this year is unique in that there really aren't any kind of last minute sale fares. When I bought 2 months ago, everyone was saying that this would be the summer without any reasonably priced seats. Is that truly how things panned out?

GianniFL

I read yesterday that www.flyglobespan.com is starting a Sanford (Orlando) to Glasgow flight for $99 on June 2, 2006. Looks like returns are a bit more, up to $149. I have not checked flights form Glasgow to other cities in Europe. GianniFL

itsv

I have been checking fairs to Europe for the past 9 months trying to find some sale airfares for our family. I definitely think it is going to be a no sale fare summer. I used farecompare.com and kayak.com and both seem to be the most "on top" for sale fares. The only sales I found were to Manchester for around $449 (w/o) tax from the west coast but you had two layovers. It has been my experience that fares literally are changing every hour and many times I would find a fare only to see it dissapear while I was talking about it on the phone to my husband.

This week I finally bit the bullet and bought tickets from San Diego to Cologne Germany returning from London Gatwick to San Diego for $875 plus tax (under $1000) We wanted Brussels but with the almost $200 difference times 4 tickets we just extended our vacation one day and will stay over night in Brussels. Two days later the same ticket is now $6000 for the four of us.

I think if you want to go to Europe this summer, you just are going to have to pay the price. I have also found domestic fares to be exceptionally high this summer too.

DeborahAnn

I'm glad we were able to use ff miles for our tickets in August to France We have always avoided flying in the summer because of the crowds and I am not relishing being right in the midst of them this year.

Julies, off topic totally but have you decided what you will wear to your son's wedding. I remember reading something about your clothing quest and wondered what you decided. I am still searching for suitable clothing for a wedding we are going to in France. My dear friend in Paris has not been much help. She keeps telling me whatever I wear will be perfect. UGH. Deborah

julies

DeborahAnn--

I'm still deciding about what to wear. I have decided though that black or white are not options for me. I also am being told that anything I chose will be fine; that advice is not helping me at all.

We have run across a few weddings on past trips to France, and tonight I found some pictures I took that had wedding guests in them (an afternoon wedding). Women were all wearing nice street length dresses with hats.

LoveItaly

To julies and Deborah Ann, I don't know about wedding atire except for Italy. In Italy female guest wear "dressy" outfits, in otherwords not just daytime dresses. They always have their shoulders and upper arms covered. No black (unless it is an elderly woman who is a widow) and no white. I would think any special occassion dress that you feel wonderful in would be perfect. Choose a color that is flattering on you. And if the wedding receptions are anything like in Italy (and from what I heard recently like in Portugal) make sure it is comfortable along with comfortable shoes..as at least in those two countries the receptions can last for hours and hours and there is usually an overabundance of food.

julies, I spent a lot of time checking out flights to Paris for this September and I didn't find any bargains. With fuel prices and the high number of passengers plus less flights I don't think there is going to be any "bargains". I hope I am wrong.

I hope both of you enjoy the weddings and receptions you will be attending. They will be beautiful to remember I am sure.