What is with the crazy fares to Europe this summer?
 

The usual cheapies-Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Munich are now among the most expensive.

The usual high fares-Barcelona, Madrid, Rome etc are all cheap.

Not to mention you can pretty much get to Zurich and Geneva for a song.

Crazy

Topping for DanB---curious if anyone has booked what they would consider a "steal" of a fare. Are you flying this summer to Europe for cheap?

Friends recently purchased round trip tickets from Portland, OR to Frankfurt (non-stop) for $493 for late May. The price just dropped to $449. I know about the fare, because I helped them with the search.

Back in Feb I booked an insanely cheap May fare to Italy from my local airport in the Northeast USA; cheapest I have ever flown to Italy ($400 tx included). I thought the airline had made a mistake and was jumping of joy. A month later, the fare was still available. The silver linings on a crappy economy are mond-boggling....not complaining, really.

I went back and forth to London from Dulles this past week.

i was the only person in First on the way over and the second person in First on the return.

The economy sections on both flights were about half full..figure it out.

I have a friend that got a cheap ORD Munich flight part of a package. He figures its $400ish for May and another friend booked an ORD-Athens for $400 tax incld
Earlier in the year I got a $700 nonstop ORD-CDG summer and thought I won the lottery...lol

Phoenix to Chicago to Frankfurt -- and return -- $488.

I hope that the cattle class will be also half full when I fly to Rome the 23rd of September..
.

I was looking for fares to Amsterdam....what is going on? I have tried every day for a few months now...awful. We want to go Sept 17-28...anybody have any ideas?

What sort of price are you hoping for Judy? And where are you flying from?
One thing to check is that they have taken the "flying tax" off the price for flights from Amsterdam - it is no longer payable for flights from the Netherlands after July 1st. Not all airlines are removing it though :(.

Look into flying to say Frankfurt or Düsseldorf and getting a train from there maybe.

Our flights to and from Portland in April/May were packed, both business and cattle class (where we were). Each way. That's because Europeans prefer to make their connection in Europe rather than the US. They cost us €548 including the vliegtaks of €45 pp. the basic fare was €249, the rest taxes etc.

I would try looking on www.itasoftware.com or using www.sidestep.com

ITA also has a month-long view if your dates are at all flexible.

Airlines are now again cutting down on flights; for my upcoming trip to Stockholm 9in November!) the airline notified me they would no longer be providing service on the particular date and I had to move my departure one day earlier.

I did London (san diego to gatwick) for $549 round trip in May; but it was going to be over a $1000 in July.

Booked open jaws on Lufthansa Houston to Amsterdam with a change in Frankfurt, returning from Basel to Frankfurt, and then continuing on to Houston for $595 per person,including taxes. Leaving end of August returning mid Sept. Thought it was a pretty good fare.

I haven't checked prices because no matter what it is, I can't go anywhere right now. I did read just the other day that many, if not all the airlines were cutting flights. They just can't afford to fly empty planes and gas prices are on the rise again. I also read that the number of frequent flyer seats were going to be cut.

I guess the only answer is if you are trying to get somewhere is just hog the internet every day and be ready to pounce if you see a fare and also fexability will be key, I think.

KLM have definitely cut flights. Their pilots are now working as ground crew through the summer, on a voluntary basis - keeps their jobs, and saves KLM employing temporary staff.
Obviously the pilots still get to keep up their flying hours.

And there have been some significant discounts on business class fares this summer (which unfortunately I can't take advantage of!!!). Some as much as 50% off on CO, LH for ex.

We booked last Tuesday to fly from New Orleans to Paris and from Milan to New Orleans for $418 on Delta. The dates were for early October. The prices were jumping all over the place that day--from $435 to $652 to $418 to $675--within minutes. It was nerve-racking, but I just kept checking and grabbed the lowest prices I could find--the current price is $715!

I've seen fares on AA to Frankfurt for around or under $500 this summer.

We bought our tickets (IAH-FRA) for September for $580 per person, but then paid a little more on the return so we could upgrade to Biz Class.

Hetismj, I was looking for about 700 rt per person from ATL. I did get 650 to Munich, but it was in Feb. I guess I am waiting for a correction ;-). Bellarosa, that is a great price! WOW. Maybe I will do early October?! But I did SO want to see the beautiful flowers of Amsterdam. I am bound and determined to go this fall! I EVEN bought my Travel books! I only buy them when I am determined to GO!