Where to find the best airfares?
Apr 27th, 2001, 12:09 PM
#1
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Where to find the best airfares?
Hi, <BR> <BR>I want to go to Siena to visit my daughter who just completed her semester abroad and luckily found a job to keep her there for the summer. I have been checking out some web sites for airfare, but all the fares are so expensive. Can anyone recommend where to get the cheapest fares? <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR>Denise
Apr 27th, 2001, 12:17 PM
#2
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I've found that www.cheaptickets.com actually has some very low prices on most destinations. But, like most travel services, you need to be no more than 3-4 months away from departure time to start finding lower rates. If you wait too close to departure time, again, you may find seat availablity gone. So, lots depends on how soon you need to travel. If you are planning on going in summer, now seems a good time to make the reservation. You might also want to look at flying into some other city and taking the train to Siena, you'll find the best fares to major hubs ... just like in the U.S. ... and also try to fly out from the hub closest to your home. If you fly from small town in U.S. to small town in Europe ... no agency or site will be able to find a low price for you. It's often a question of "how" rather than "where" in finding a cheap fare.
Apr 27th, 2001, 12:47 PM
#4
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The closest major city airport would be Rome --- then you'd take the train up to Florence (1 1/2 hrs) --- from Florence either take the bus or rent a car to get to Siena. <BR> <BR>Other options would include flying into Florence or into Pisa, which are closer to Siena but smaller than Rome's airport. Consequently may have to hunt to get as good a deal on the airfare. Also note that you can fly non-stop from NY into Rome, however if you opt for Florence or Pisa I don't think you can fly non-stop into those smaller cities (for example, you might have to be routed NY to London, then on to Pisa). <BR> <BR>Actually now that I think of it, it may give you a fare advantage if you look into a cheap fare from New York to London (easy enough to do) --- and then change to one of the European carriers to continue on to Italy. It seems there's several airlines flying out of London that offer competitive prices.
Apr 27th, 2001, 01:06 PM
#5
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You have to be very creative to find all the possible ways to find cheap airfares, and also very flexible. <BR>1) Look at flying from alternative airports (even Baltimore) <BR>2) Look at flying to ANYWHERE in Europe (new routes have promotional fares) then finding a cheapo fare (like ryanair, easyjet or europebyair) to get to Italy from there. <BR>3) Call consolidators. <BR>4) If you can fly at anytime, fly as a courier; check the web for various companies. <BR>5) Fly mid-week. <BR>
Apr 27th, 2001, 01:32 PM
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Denise, <BR>1) Check fares EVERY DAY. Fares will go up and down, for no reason (sometimes they take a while) so you need to check every day. Try www.expedia.com or www.travelocity.com for all-purpose published fare travel search engine. <BR> <BR>2) Check www.smarterliving.com frequently. They check individual airline websites for web-only specials. Web-only specials cannot be found by phoning the airline directly or checking published fares on travel search engines. Alternatively, you can go to every airline's website every 3-4 days to look for web specials. <BR> <BR>3) After you have a good idea of prices, check websites and/or call the consolidators. A good list can be found at: <BR>http://www.frommers.com/deals/airfares/airdealse.html <BR> <BR>4) Check www.mastercard.com www.visa.com and www.americanexpress.com They often have travel specials - if you pay with their credit card. A while back I saw an offer of buy-one-get-one-free with Sabena at www.visiteurope.com in conjunction with mastercard. The catch was that you had to buy a 14-day APEX fare, which was about $900, but even with that fare and the taxes 2 tickets to Italy would have been less than $1,000. <BR> <BR>5) Some of the airports that you can fly into are: Rome, Florence, Milano, Venezia, Verona, and Pisa. European airlines, fly into the smaller airports that are not serviced directly from the US. I don't think any of these airports are more than than 4 hours away from Siena (I think). <BR> <BR>6) As others have suggested, be flexible and try to fly mid-week. <BR> <BR>Good luck and I hope you get to visit your daughter!
Apr 27th, 2001, 01:53 PM
#7
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The absolute lowest prices I have ever found were on www.bestfares.com and believe me I search high and low for good deals and have never found better prices. Make sure you right the number of the story down and call the tel. they have listed. If the price they give you is not that great than ask them to give you the # of another one of their offices because sometimes other offices have better pricing! good luck!
Apr 27th, 2001, 04:06 PM
#9
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In recently researching airfares, it seemed to me that airfares to Nice were a good deal cheaper than other destinations in Italy. This may be less true for consolidator's fares than it is for PUBLISHED fares. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>
Apr 28th, 2001, 07:00 PM
#10
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You will love Siena! You must try the restaurant "Il Cane e Gatto" - you need reservations - dinner takes forever, and it's expensive, but you'll never forget it! Try tiss.com (flights.com) - I looked for months and found a great fare to Frankfurt/Florence from Los Angeles. We flew Lufthansa and had a great experience. On the way to Frankfurt, they bumped us up to Business Class (what a gift!!), but even in economy class on the way home, the service was fabulous and the food was actually very good. Good luck!
Apr 29th, 2001, 05:50 AM
#11
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions. <BR>I tried travelocity first and that is what prompted me to ask you guys. There were no fares under $1,000. I will try the sites you listed. I've been to Italy before so I know how to get from Rome to Siena. Didn't know if Milan was closer. Would like to see Venice, but not sure if planning that this close to summer would be a smart idea. AS for the restaurant "il cane y il gato"-I told my daughter to go there to eat because of raves about it on this site. She tried, but it was closed the day she went. Since she will be waitressing now that school is over, I don't have to worry too much about food. So if any of you happen to be in Siena and go to eat at either "Osteria La Loge" or "Libermente Osteria", look for a pretty 21 year old American girl named Sarah and said her mom said "hello". Hopefully I will find a cheap enough fare that lets me do that myself! <BR> <BR>Thanks again, <BR>Denise
Apr 29th, 2001, 06:56 AM
#13
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Denise: <BR> <BR>Many posters on this site are 'do-it-your-selfers', but don't overlook the old fashioned method. Sometimes a travel agent can pull up an airfare that's as good or better than what you'd find hunting all over the web. <BR>Unfortunately I don't have anyone in particular that I can recommend. I have seen a few mention they occasionally do use a travel agent & maybe can provide you with a referral.
Apr 29th, 2001, 01:40 PM
#14
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Dear Tina, <BR> <BR>I am usually a do it yourselfer also. Checked with some of the airlines for specials and they appear to be all booked. Tried to find info on bestfares.com, but you have to join for $59.00 and they can't guarantee availability on the almost unbelievable fares listed. I don't know how reputable they are. Still looking though. <BR> <BR>Thanks.denise
Apr 30th, 2001, 09:06 AM
#15
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I have found the best deals on www.digitalcity.com. It is updated constantly, so if you are looking for something in particular it is best to check it a couple of times a day (once you get to the page for your city, bookmark it and it is easy to check whenever you want to). <BR> <BR>Also, www.frommers.com has a piece in today's newsletter on sale fares to Europe.
Apr 30th, 2001, 06:48 PM
#16
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Try QIXO.COM. It searches many of the discount fare sites (travelocity, expedia, lowestfares, etc.) and then directs you to the one offering the lowest fares for your particular schedule. I posted more details/tips in mid-March on this board; will forward it if I can find it. Definitely fly mid-week; also check fares from regional airports versus major hubs--we found much lower fares from Jackson MS than from ATL, DFW or MSY (N. Orleans).
Apr 30th, 2001, 07:30 PM
#17
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Denise, <BR> <BR>You might want to try to get a through ticket or at least one to Pisa because the airline industry can be a bit odd about these things: For instance, I can get a flight from CA to Brussels on KLM, through Amsterdam, cheaper than I can fly to Amsterdam on KLM! <BR>I don't unstand it but it seems to work that way sometimes. Maybe it has to do with airport taxes ("landing fees")? <BR>Good luck.
