I checked Expedia on 9/13, and a roundtrip ticket to Paris on Br. Airways out of Boston was 589.35. I just ckecked again and the same flight is now 674.11! The Br. Airways site says something like 660. What happened to the cheaper fair! I checked only 4 DAYS AGO!!!!

Can anyone help? Why has the price changed so suddenly? We were really counting on this lower fare. If we missed out on the lower fare, I am going to kill my husband . . . he is the one who wanted to wait!

Natalie

I'm sorry you've lost the price you wanted. Ticket prices change everyday for inexplicable reasons. I don't think you should be surprised. I'm not quite sure what kind of help you are requesting. Aside from keeping an eye on the various ticket websites (orbitz, expedia, etc.) there's not a lot more you can do. I don't know when you're traveling, but prices may go down again--you just have to be patient. When you find a rate that you like, you should buy it or risk it going up OR DOWN. That's just the risk we all take.

They change all the time like that, you never can tell. It's always going to be a one day difference in timing; maybe you didn't know, but air fares don't creep up little by little (wish they did, that would be great) so you can decided by $10 increments or something or be warned.

It's so far ahead, that I wouldn't panic as they may go down again to the prior level in a couple days. I've had that happen to me whewn mine changed from about $500 to $700 in a couple days. I stuck it out and monitored it daily and grabbed it as soon as it went back to $500. Someone described on here once how that happens -- something about computer doing it automatically depending on yield and bookings or something.

Sorry to hear that Ilovelabs. I've had prices change on me within a twenty minute time frame before. Ever since then, I book a good fare immediately. Always have that credit card handy.

Last April we had the same thing happen overnight; rates to Paris went up by several hundred dollars. We got the former rate back by moving our departure date by one day - there was the cheaper rate. Also, don't know where you live, but http://www.icelandair.com/ has great rates, leaving from east coast. Get on their e:mail list and there are specials all the time. It requires usually an hour layover in Iceland, but you go through customs there and don't have to repeat in Paris.

Duh, you did say "out of Boston" - was reading too quickly. Boston is one of Icelandair's departure airports.

Natalie,
Air fares go up and down constantly, but when you want them to go down they never seem to I'd say grab a fare that looks reasonable to you the day you see it. Sometimes it will go down, but pretty often it goes up. (In order words, you should have jumped on $589 when you saw it ... don't hate me for saying that!!). We usually use one FF ticket on BA and buy one for my husband and I've anguished over the prices too. It's just an airline fact of life.

Because of Easter rates are usually higher in April (and the weather is better). We go to Europe every April and usually pay more then if we went in March for example.

Don't have a heart attack over the airfare (or hotels for that matter!!). You might just try checking BA every day for a week or so, I read someplace that they enter in fares on Tuesday -- not sure if that is true, but worth a look. You do still have plenty of time.

if you do end up killing your husband, i've always wanted to go to paris.....

I plunked in various dates for April'04 into both Orbitz and Travelocity, and am getting rates around $560-590 for BA or Icelandair. Keep trying, you will get a good rate yet.
I surfed on Orbitz last Feb for my upcoming trip, saw a Continental fare (booked w/ Continental online) for $572 for Jax-Amsterdam, Zurich-Jax and bought it. Haven't seen it again all summer.

Also, don't feel badly if you get a $590 fare and the month before you leave someone runs a special for $399. It happens. Just figure the trip is special, you've planned it, you're going and you've already paid for the ticket. (Although sometimes you can negotiate to get a refund for part of the difference -- as it usually entails a change charge -- and sometimes you lose a decent seat assignment you may have had with your original tickets.)

Another thing to try: A lot of times when Expedia lists a price, when you click on "Purchase and continue" or whatever, it will re-check the price and it may be much lower.

Hi Natalie,

I think that's happened to all of us... Anyway here is a travel site you can download, I found it really helpful in my searches to compair prices. www.sidestep.com (you do need to download this when asked)

Good luck would love to hear what price you get it for. Also sometimes on the weekends it comes down when agents are closed but that's not a guarantee.

Be well, E

C'st la vie,ilovelabs2003, it happens all the time..Sometimes the price change in matter of minutes..

I do remember that tickets got "expensive" in Sept-Nov then the prices dropped again in December for Spring dates last year. Check once a week until Thanksgiving, then try more often -- when you see something you think is a good deal that fits your budget, take it. It will be less stressful for you that way.

You just never know about fares. There are no constants, only variables. Especially with specific dates (we always have to travel on specific dates).

My recommendation would be to shop every few days for the next month or so. If the fare goes back down, and you have preferred flights, call a consolidator and ask for their prices for those flights. The one I use (but you must phone, cannot book online) gives an additional 10% discount if you book the same day.

Personally, I prefer to book pricey airline tickets on the phone and verify all the details. It's very easy to make a costly mistake booking online. Especially if you've been shopping. You've just gotta read all the fine print!

In my experience, the prices never go down much, they go up much. And those "sale" fares seem never to be available for your particular dates.

You are freaking out way too far in advance. I might start shopping for fares in December, but I doubt that I would buy a ticket for April until January. And $590 for BOS to CDG in the 3rd week of April sounds too high to me.

Travelnut,

I went to Orbitz and they did indeed list flights with BA for $564, but when I went to book, I got a message that said, "The flight you chose is unavailable." Why would they list flights that customers can't book? It happened on all but one of the BA flights I clicked, and the only one we could book had been increased to 590 or so (another message!)and we would have to be at CDG for the return at seven in the morning! So I guess what you see isn't always what you get!

I think I will be patient and check daily for fares. I don't mind paying in the 500's, I just want decent flight times! I know that We are going during school vacation/Easter time and we may have to pay a bit more than some others pay, but I don't mind as long as we can get something in the 500's.

Thanks to all for your help. I do tend to freak out about making travel plans . . . I really need this vacation! Give me a break . . . I spend 180 days of the year with middle school students!

Natalie

Icelandair has low fares right now to Europe all between 239-450 R/T from JFK, MCO, BWI, BOS. Just sign up, very easy on its site for web specials and log on to see them. I just got an email yesterday about the specials, they go fast. where are you flying from?

uhoh_busted is correct. If you purchase a nonrefundable fare (directly with the airlines), and a lower fare for your same flight should become available at a later date, the airline will either refund the difference minus a change fee, or give you a credit voucher for the entire difference. Just make sure to use an airline you would probably fly again within the next year. Some vouchers are transferable to other passengers, others are not. Not a bad idea to ask them when booking it. And many of them will offer the same price as what is online. If they don't a good travel agent probably can and they can do all the work for you! Good luck!

uhoh_busted is partially correct. Airlines will not give you a credit if the price change is less than $25. Also, some airlines will not give you a credit if the reduction in fare is not in the same class of service that you were already booked in.

If frequent flyer points are not important to you, have you considered bidding on Priceline? It's kind of a no-brainer regarding flight times when you're flying to Europe.