Expecting to pay $500-$600 to Nice in mid-July is being a bit optimistic. When you quote Icelandair as over $700 from NYC to CDG. Prices should go down, but not that much, I fear. We need Minneapolis to Rome and we are talking big money even through consolidators. I keep checking every day and we may end up flying to NY and then going to Rome from there.

it is nice to dream and sometimes dreams can come true.... but if Icelandair is $787 from JFK to Paris in July, I don't think you'll get JFK to Nice for $500-600. Now I know some people are expecting fares to drop, and they might. JFK to Nice for 500-600 in July is not something I'd think at all likely.

well, lots of time to look -- in response to above comment on cheaper to get to Barcelona. It depends on the departure city, I suppose, but I've priced Air France flights to Spain (Barcelona or Madrid) and they are about the same for me to go there as to go to Paris. The flights go through Paris, for one thing, from where I live (Wash DC), so you have the same nonstop flight on the first portion, and add another short flight from Paris. I do remember being a little surprised that the price wasn't that much different, though, and I think the trip to Spain was just about $10-20 cheaper than only to Paris. I've also priced flights from DC to Nice, though, and they are not cheaper than to Paris (same deal, the same nonstop to Paris, then add on a short flight to Nice). Those were about $100-150 more for the RT Nice connection. Maybe it has to do with France vs. other countries, or just something about Spain route competition.