Help, please, with tickets to Italy in July
 

We are planning to go to Rome and Sorrento in July (apartment in Sorrento already booked). We have been unable to find a good deal for airline tickets (4 of them). We may be looking too early, but I am the type of person who likes to know that all things are in place. DH has been checking fares (right now, about $1000 per ticket) everyday but things have not changed. He thinks prices may drop after the first of the year and we should be patient. Unlike my DH, I prefer to tie those loose ends sooner rather than later.

So, here's my request: If you spot a good deal for tickets from the US (from Boston or NY) to Italy (preferably to Rome), could you post it here? I will be very thankful and do the same for you for your next trip.

Thanks for any help with this request.

Hi Marianna. Every summer I also fly to Europe from the same airports (either Boston, JFK or Newark- be sure to include Newark (EWR) in your search, I often do best there). About $1000 is not all that bad. Last year I paid around $950 to Sicily, the year before about the same to Milan. So if you would really feel better booking now I don't think you'll save all that much by waiting. This year tickets for March travel are about 25% or more higher than they have been the last several years, so summer could be too. But having said that, I do usually wait till at least January to buy. Sometimes they come down a little after that but not much. In addition to using the big search sites (Orbitz, etc) make sure you check airlines themselves. Lately I've been finding they are just as cheap or better. I've fly the much hated (at least on this board) Alitalia several times with no big problems. And continential out of Newark is sometimes a good deal. Good luck.

$1000 isn't too bad per person if you're buying now for July. I personally paid a little under $1000 per ticket on Alitalia (open jaw JFK-GOA, FCO-JFK). I purchased in late April for a mid July departure date, and used a promotional discount coupon straight from Alitalia.

What I do is check Orbitz and seek the original airline to see if I can do better.

Good luck.

Hi, Marianna,

Depending on how much you want to save money, you could fly into London or Amsterdam and pick up a low fare carrier from there (check Virgin Express, Ryan Air, others).

I don't know if the change in planes would be worth it, but just a suggestion. [Do know, however, that budget airlines might leave from different airports and may have luggage restrictions (i.e., additional charges over relatively low weight allowances) that could counter some of the potential cost savings].

John H.

Try this link for Italy: http://www.euroflyusa.com/

Thanks for your ideas and suggestions to us - we will explore them all. More are welcome. We appreciate your help.

Dear Marianna,

Believe it or not, we still use our travel agent to help with these things. We tell our agent our parameters (say, a total ticket price no more than $800 per person). They can keep watching with you for the best price.

One reason we do this is because of problems we had when we booked directly with one of the popular online booking companies. The time of our connecting flight from Rome to Sicily was changed. It was on a smaller, local carrier, so we weren't notified when we checked in at our US airport. We ended up missing the connecting flight and had to stay overnight in Rome. When we returned home, we found a message on our answering maching from the online carrier, notifying us of the change in flight three days AFTER the actual flight date. LOL!

Travel Agent is the answer. Remember, July is high season. Air fares will be at their highest prices. Try booking segments separately.

Thanks for the suggestion about a travel agent. My husband has one he uses for business travel, so perhaps that's the way to go.

Topping for those bargain hunters who are so much better at it than we are. I appreciate any additional tips and suggestions.

Hi M,

Keep track of prices at http://www.kayak.com/s/index.jsp

They list many, many consolidators, discounters and airlines.

((I))