Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Last Minute (and I do mean last) minute opportunity for Europe...

Last Minute (and I do mean last) minute opportunity for Europe...

Old Jan 19th, 2006, 06:15 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Last Minute (and I do mean last) minute opportunity for Europe...

My sister and brother have decided to hop a plane on Feb. 3rd and head to Europe (I can't believe they are beating me there!). They are headed out of Chicago (O'Hare or Midway), and truly don't care where they go, so long as it is in Europe.

They have to return Feb. 10, so it is only 6 nights, and they are looking at $600-$800 each for airfare and hotel (they'll probably share a room). I've done a quick search of my favorite sites, and to my surprise, I'm not finding any prices that are shockingly low. Where should I be looking? Or, do you have an idea for them? Neither has ever been, and is willing to find their way along as they go.

Thanks in advance!

Erika
ebiddix is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 06:25 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
6 night, $600-$800 pp person sounds good to me, even if you found an airfare for $400, that would mean the hotel would have to have a pretty low price for a twin room.

Take a look at go-today.com if they want a package. Otherwise, BA or Air France or Icelandic sometimes run sales at this time of year.
Shalott is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 06:45 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,755
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
try ratestogo.com
travelbunny is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 06:47 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Right now Lufthansa has a great winter sale going on. The fare is $600 roundtrip per person from Chicago (not sure which airport) via Munich.

Not sure about the hotels but it's low season so there should be some good deals including last minute rates.

Or you can have them check www.laterooms.com.
francophile03 is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 07:07 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
AA to London Heathrow. Non-stop. $463 all in.

UK in general is more expensive than continental Europe, and London is particularly expensive. But having said that, many people have been getting the 3* Thistle Marble Arch for like US$60 a night on Priceline.

That's within your budget!
rkkwan is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 07:13 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Or I see $525 per person to Paris, all in. Then you could quite easily get a hotel for a reasonable rate (numerous threads on this board), and end up around the $1600 total threshold.

Another site to consider: site59.com
WillTravel is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 07:18 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Another site with lots of packages:

go-today.com

I checked for Barcelona. $1,720 for two persons for the dates you want, including airfare, hotel and taxes. There are probably other cheaper deals, but I didn't look further.
rkkwan is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 07:34 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,100
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
Do they have...er..um...passports?
Gardyloo is online now  
Old Jan 19th, 2006, 09:52 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oops, my fare is to Paris!
francophile03 is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 04:30 AM
  #10  
ira
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi eb,

www.kayak.com has ORD/LHR for $460, ORD/CDG for $520 non stop, ORD/FCO is 560 - one stop.

Same rates at www.mobissimo.com .


ira is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 04:37 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
in UK and in Europe (well UK is in Europe, but for discussions sake) if one is on a budget, one could use the hostels....

http://www.europeanhostels.com/fall/listings/france/

http://www.ymca.org.uk/

two links i have used and have been used by many of my travelling friends. specially in london ymca has a wide network of hostels in central locations.

lordofthejungle is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 04:40 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
now this one is particularly popular with my indian friends as it is in heart of london and provides homemade (not indian restaurant) style food. even if u dont stay here just to taste ''indian'' food its a good idea to drop in at lunch time....

http://www.indianymca.org/
lordofthejungle is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 04:49 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Priceline.com vacation package ORD to CDG (Paris), non stop both ways on American Airlines, six nights at 4 star Le Meridian Etoile for $858 per person, all taxes, etc included.
minimn is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 05:24 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I just got back from London last night and would say that between the weather in early February and the British pound-go somewhere else in Europe.( Just an FYI-Midway is strictly a little airport for domestic airlines like Southwest and Air Tran and some majors like Delta and United but it really does not have international destinations other than a Mexico or Carribean flight.)Spain,Italy and France would be my choices for weather at that time of the year.
dutyfree is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2006, 05:45 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lucky them! Dooley Vacations keeps sending outrageously low packages:

http://dooleyvacations.com/

Also, through http://airfarewatchdog.com/

was directed to

http://www.bookingbuddy.com/

for low O'Hare to Frankfurt (think it was around $344 RT) fares.

The Pound is even higher than the Euro against the dollar, so that might be a factor for them if they are looking to spend less money.

http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet
Chicago_Heather is offline  
Old Jan 23rd, 2006, 08:33 AM
  #16  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just wanted to follow up...they got great tickets ORD - Heathrow, and are flying an European airline to Rome...2 days in London, 5 in Rome. Staying in hostels, so they should come in well under the $800. Lucky!!
ebiddix is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ChicagoDallasGirl
Europe
10
Oct 25th, 2006 02:17 PM
smccrary4
Europe
5
Nov 7th, 2005 09:21 AM
Nancy45
Europe
12
Feb 27th, 2005 10:15 AM
Tom_Steele
Europe
11
Feb 22nd, 2003 05:16 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -