CharlotteJ

Hi everyone. I asked this question on my other thread, but have only gotten the response that this is too early to book flights for my May 2012 trip to Italy. Everyone has suggested booking directly through the airline which is my plan. I have found the flight I want with the times and connections I want. I have been checking prices on the flights I want and of course they are going up. I will keep watching and hopefully it will go in the other direction (being this early I am sure it will) They were $2799.80 at the lowest a week ago (thats total after taxes and fees for both my husband and I) now they are $2918.40 total. My budget is 3000.00 and I will kick myself if these never go down again. We are flying a Sunday to a Sunday (Two weeks.) I don't think we are flexible on the dates, unless it is a must or a HUGE savings... I have looked at it other ways but I think this is the best.

I don't really feel like a trip is nailed down until the flights are booked. Also after booking flights I can go ahead with my other scheduling and bookings.

But really, other than just telling me that this is too early, when would you book? I have read other threads and have seen the same "too early" response. So I am wondering, in general... how far out do you book YOUR trips from the US to Europe?

TexasAggie

As a caveat, I am not an expert on fare tracking but I am happy to share our experience with you. Most years, we travel to Europe once or twice per year, usually in May/June and if we go again, during the autumn/winter off season. We used to book our May/June tickets as early as possible - usually the preceding August or September. For many years, this was as low as the fares got. Then about 5 years ago, we started noticing the lowest fares seemed to be in January or February for a May/June itinerary. In 2009, the difference between booking our May DENVER-ATHENS trip in October versus early March was over $500 per ticket (cheaper in March).

Last year, we watched DALLAS-ATHENS fares from September to March for our May/June itinerary. We eventually booked in early March and it was lucky we did, as the fares kept rising after that. Had we booked in the autumn, we would have saved a couple hundred per ticket. Thinking about it, oil prices were rising rapidly during the early part of 2011 plus the strength of the dollar (and I use that term loosely :_)) ) was eroding. The combination of those factors resulted in the higher fares (at least in our opinion).

So... as to what I would do in your situation? Weigh your thoughts on how likely you think a second global recession is (because that would result in lower fuel prices). If flying a Europe-based airline, weigh your thoughts on the exchange rate (i.e., possibility of Greek default and other factors that would drastically impact the $ to Euro rate). Then decide. Good luck... it's always a bit of a gamble

oliverandharry

I flew to Europe last year on Iceland Air out of Boston for $800 booked in November for June. All the other fares at that point were $1500. It seemed ridiculous to book so early but I was glad I did. Iceland Air has just committed nonstop flights to Reykjavik from Denver, with ongoing routes to Europe. I got two tickets for $941 RT pp. to Brussels last week. It seems insane, but Denver gave up lots of incentives so they'd choose that route, and I don't think they'll stay cheap long. I'd do it soon.

bobthenavigator

Start to get serious in Jan and set your goal---buy between 90 to 120 days out based on your what you have seen. It is all a crap shoot these days, but give the airlines a chance to react to slow bookings before you jump.

ira

HI CJ,

Check the prices at www.kayak.com.

If there is only one, very expensive, fare it is too early.

Cpelk

You say you aren't flexible on dates, but you might want to check to see what you could get if you just change by one or two days.

I saved about 300.00 per ticket by booking to return home on a Monday instead of a Sunday. That more then paid for one more night in Rome.

Just plug in a few different options and see if there is any change, of course remembering that more days of vacation cost something too.

jent103

Ditto Cpelk - if you're at all flexible, look at prices leaving (for example) on a Tuesday rather than a Saturday or whatever you're planning. Or try moving your trip up or back a week.

Otherwise, different people have different tactics. I bought tickets in late October 2010 for a May 2011 trip, then I refused to look at prices again. I was pricing a few different itineraries (into and out of Milan, Rome and Venice on a couple different sets of dates), so I needed to know which flights we were taking in order to book accommodations. Someone like Bob would clearly approach it differently.

One drawback to booking very early is that the earlier you book, the more likely it is for the airline to cancel a flight or change your plans for you. Delta canceled one of the flights we were supposed to take and moved us to a two-stop, unrealistic-to-me itinerary without telling us. If I hadn't checked it a few months before we left, we might not have been able to change our flights and get the ones we really wanted (which actually worked out better than the original itinerary).

zoecat

Where are you searching for your flights? Where are you flying from and to?

I agree with bob's suggestion of 90-120 days out (or even 60-90). I also agree with jent101's suggestion of flexible dates. I like to visit Italy in May (RT Florence) and I usually book in Feb or March.

Also, check how full the flights are (look at seats avaiable). If the flights looks like they're filling up, book your tickets. The fuller the flights, the higher the prices.

You might want to set up a price alert on kayak.com (they'll send you a daily email of your flight price) so you know when to react. I find the best prices on late Tuesdays, early Wed, or Saturday mornings.

Good luck!

CharlotteJ

Thanks all for the advice! This is the response I was looking for

Re to Cpelk and jent103: I have done the day before, the day after and even added days to make is 16 days Tuesday- Thursday... but Sunday to Sunday Seemed to be cheapest if not the same, so that is why I say I think those are the days. I am still looking at other options to make sure I don't miss something. I realize that a lot of things are closed on Sundays and Mondays so I figured traveling a Sunday through a Sunday I only lose days that are more limited anyway.

I just don't think I am a 60-90 day pre-booker, maybe a 120 day. Maybe someday, but I didn't mention on this thread that this will be my first trip to Europe and I am traveling with my reluctant husband. I feel the need to be a little type-A with this trip as far as the pre-planning goes so I am not scrambling in the last couple months.

Re: zoecat, I searched on Kayak to find my flight then found it on United which is who I will book through when the time comes (As suggested by fodorites) I will fly Seattle to Venice with a connection in Frankfurt, Germany. Back will be from Rome to Seattle with a connection in Abbotsford, Canada.

If you would like to see my intinerary up to this point this is the thread.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-questions.cfm

caroline_edinburgh

IME prices only go up - barring the odd sake - so I book as soon as I can, ideally as soon as flights go on sale. For 'proper' airlines this is usually a year ahead, for budget airlines it may only be a few months. IMO the only time it's 'too early' is when they are not yet on sale. If I was going on holiday next June as I have done for the last few years, I'd have booked as soon as I got back from this year's trip. But then I'm flying within Europe - is it really that different from the US ? Btw I always book direct with the airlines - find out which ones fly the route I want, then compare their prices.

HappyCheesehead

Are you married to using United, or leaving from Seattle? Right now KLM from Vancouver to Venice on 5/6 (Sun, travel time 15:30) and Rome to Vancouver on 5/20 (Sun travel time 16:40 is US $2,485.00. I didn't look for other dates, just a random Sun- Sun.

Sometimes you can save by looking at other carriers and airports.

I use like to use www.itasoftware.com to search for flights as you can choose airports up to 300 miles away and use multiple dates. Then, when I see a flight I like, I go to the airline website (I never look at the fares that use multiple airlines) to confirm availability and book. You cannot purchase from itasoftware, and it takes a little practice to figure out all the great things it can do, but it is great for getting the big picture of what is available.

HappyCheesehead

Of course, you also have to add in the extra expenses such as gas and parking if you leave from another cities airport. If you have to pay for parking at another airport vs. getting a ride to the airport from someone in your own town it can whittle down the difference and make the extra travel time less worth while. We live in WI and often fly out of Chicago as it is so much cheaper and flight times are usually less. We can take an airport bus from Madison to O'Hare or use a discount parking service and drive ourselves. It is worth it to us, but may not be to you.

jent103

<i>But then I'm flying within Europe - is it really that different from the US ?</i>

Caroline, if I were flying within the US, especially on a "budget" (kind of) carrier like Southwest, I'd do exactly as you said. However, with the big transatlantic flights, what I saw last year was prices start at about $1400 when they first went on sale, then they dropped to $1200 after a month or two, then they dropped to $922 (which we bought). I can't explain the ins and outs of why this is (I assume it has to do with the airlines figuring out demand), but it also happened the last time I went to London. Go figure.

avalon

Justbooked our March-April trip but I was using FF miles so had to get with it early. Even paying I book several months in advance when and If I see a good fare. We usually travel March-April and Oct -Nov

MileHighHC

In addition to ITA Software and Kayak, if you're a Twitter user, try following @Airfarewatchdog. Don't know if it's a single person or company but they find and tweet some really great sales - not biased to any particular airlines either. I'd also second (third?)that I saw the best fares for May of 2011 in March of 2011. I was watching for myself then ended up moving our trip to this November (booked 2 weeks ago when I saw the best fares since May).

Whatever you do, once you click purchase, never look back!

caroline_edinburgh

Thanks jent103. I find that very surprising but there you go - as you say, go figure.

robbydee

I just booked Cincinnati-Pisa, Rome-Cincinnati for $910 for March 2012. I was sick of waiting for prices to drop into the $800s, so I just bit the bullet.

CharlotteJ

HappyCheeseHead: I am not married to United or to Seattle, that was just the best I have found. Vancouver would add another 100 miles of drive time, so it would really have to be a great deal! I will look at those. Thanks!

I will keep looking and I hope it will drop back to what it was. Don't worry I never look back after I buy!

CharlotteJ

Also I just want to thank everyone again for the great responses!