We have Frequent Flyer tickets to use, but would like to have the cost saving advantages of a tour. Has anyone joined a budget priced tour in S & P excluding air fare when flying independently? We're senior citizens and would love to hear from anyone who has had success with such a tour and would recommend same.......... for 2-3 weeks and preferrably including a week or so in southern Spain. Have brochures from several Tour Companies, but all tours listed include air fare. Several of these have access to apartments in southern Spain with great rates, but , again, the air fare is included. Thanks if you can help and respond. <BR>JJ

I can't help you with info on a budget tour. I do know that you can book American Express tours without buying air tickets. <BR>A word of advice about using frequent flyer miles: You have to book it months and months in advance for Europe. (We booked a November trip to Italy in late January. If we had waited two weeks, we wouldn't have gotten anything.)

Jo Ann, <BR> <BR>You might call a few of the tour companies to confirm that they do not have land-only price. They may have one but not mention it in the brochure. <BR>

I have brochures from Cosmos Tours and Globus and they quote 2 different prices, one with with the air fare and one is just the tour. They go all over Europe, including Greek cruises and to Turkey.

howard, xx, and carol: <BR> <BR>Thanks for the replies about tours without air fare and for the advice, info, etc. Really appreciate your responses. <BR>JJ

We always book tours without air fare because our daughter works for Delta and we fly standby. (standby is not for sissies). The last time, because we weren't really sure when we would get to London, we didn't book our tour until we got there. We went to the Trafalgar office and booked. We were very happy with Trafalgar and I know you can book without air fare with them.