When should we order plane tix for an August trip to Rome?
 

My husband and I are hoping to meet up with friends in Rome this August. Right now, airfare is $930pp round trip from Philly. If we wait awhile, will we get a better rate? We held out on our honeymoon (Caribbean) until three months before, and airfare dropped from $600 to $200 -- will the same happen with Europe, or will prices rise since it's tourist season? When should we order?

Thanks! :)

The problem is that you never know when airfare will go up or down. Since you are going in August, prices probably won't vary as much as they would if you were going during off-peak times. I've gotten airfare from St. Louis to Rome for about $200 less than that, but I usually go in the winter months. That said, I would guess that the price could go down a little. Decide how much money you are willing to spend for the tickets, and when you find them at that price go for it. Purchasing air fare tickets is always a gamble.

Tracy

Thanks Tracy...

I was just wondering if any frequent Italy travelers have run into a fairly consistent/recurring sale period for summer fares, or if the high season means that I'd be crazy to expect an airfare sale!

Sorry, but IMO comparing your honeymoon trip (how many years ago was that?)to the Caribbean and what happened then (and, BTW, what month was it you traveled, etc., etc.???) to Europe and what may or may not happen now (and what airport are you flying out of and is there a lot of route competition to Europe from that airport???)...kinda like apples and oranges.

If there is a sale, and if your dates fit into it you may get a cheaper fare..if not, you probably won't.

There's no magic answer about when to order. If we knew, we'd all get the best fares.

But check out some of the threads that are alive right now about some really great fares to Europe. Consider traveling from a Boston or New York and into London or Paris or Amsterdam, then getting a cheap inter-Europe flight to Rome.

In other words, if cash is the determining factor, buy the cheapest ticket you can find to get across the Atlantic, then take advantage of their cheap "local" fares by air or rail.

There are some good sales on now. Check them out.

Intrepid, no need to shoot me down for asking a question. Isn't that what this board is for? I was simply asking if there's a month in which certain airlines post sale fares to Europe. I don't think I asked an outrageous question. Caribbean fares generally drop in late June or early July, when the heat waves roll in and us northerners stop dreaming of an "escape" to somewhere warm. Just wanted to know if there was a similar sale period for Italy, and in general, if fares were more likely to drop or rise in the next few months. BTW, my honeymoon trip was a whopping 16 months ago, so at least those apples and oranges are ripe ;)

Worktowonder -- good idea on taking advantage of low-cost airlines. A smart fall-back plan if airfare does jump in the next few months!

The sales period for Italy tends to be around November - February, excluding the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

one of my best friends lives in Rome, and has for the last 4 years. he tells me they shut the city down [a figure of speech, but...] in august. literally loads of restaurants AND sightseeing venues will be CLOSED. everyone in rome [including my friend] takes his vacation in august -- it's the heat, apparently. many guidebooks will have this little tidbit too, in case you doubt me, so do check around before you buy tix to rome for that month. I have rome plugged into my travelocity itinerary, and right now you can go for just over $400 round trip. but you should reconsider going to rome in august, period. Ireland will be beautiful then. :)

Thanks WillTravel! That's really what I was wondering. Guess I'll have to suck it up and pay the extra $$!

JC -- Don't tempt me! I'd love to visit Ireland. And I have heard about the August shutdown. However our travel buddies are going to be in Europe during August, and my travel dates are sandwiched by several weddings. So we either go in August or postpone it for a year or two. Postponing it isn't out of the question...but it's so hard to pass up a travel opp!

I watch fare consistently and compare airlines when planning a trip. I usually find the 60-70 days before departure is when fares go down based on if the airline has a lot of available seats. Of course if supply is limited, fares will go up.

karameli -- don't be discouraged by people saying Rome shuts down. We heard the same thing, but we have gone there the last 2 Augusts and, while there are a few things closed, there are still many good restaurants open. The museums are still open, too. It's hot, but no hotter than NY or Philly in August -- just make sure you have ac in your hotel room!

Good luck with the fares -- I can't really help you with that. We usually use ff miles for our tickets.

For the last few years, we've gone to Italy during July/August. Airfares from JFK-FCO, consistently ran between $800-900, depending on the dates.

My advice would be to snap up anything that's less than $1000 per and put it out of your mind. It's just too hard to tell whether airfares will go up or down, and August is still high season in Europe.

BTW, we've been in Rome many times during August, and while some restaurants and shops have been closed, it never ruined our trip. However, like the other poster, I'd definitely recommend getting a hotel with decent AC!

Have a great time!

Thanks for the info! At least I know we won't be stranded without food. (We aren't "foodies," so I never go on vacation with my heart set on a specific restaurant...just need something to be available when my sugar starts crashing!) Weadles, thanks for the airfare tip. And amarena, thanks for the info on the museums. As long as they're open, I'll be happy! :)