Ridiculously High Summer Air Fares to Europe-Is there not a world wide recession and cheap oil?
Jan 5th, 2009, 07:57 AM
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Ridiculously High Summer Air Fares to Europe-Is there not a world wide recession and cheap oil?
I have spot checked summer airfares from SFO to many places in Europe and can't seem to find anything less than $1400. We are planning to go to Spain with flexible dates but all I see is high cost. I have checked the usual suspects so what gives? Are there discounters out there? Are there hubs that are cheapest to fly through? Just wait? Any fodorite help would be appreciated.
Jan 5th, 2009, 08:09 AM
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My sympathy davez...I agree, the air fares are over-the-top.
I bit the bullet on-stop from JFK-MAD & BCN-JFK for six people at a cost of $1,100 per ticket!! I booked directly with AA.
The fare never went down since I booked in Sept. - it just kept going up, up, up. Amazing in times like this (OK, so we aren't really being hurt by the economy, but lots of people are.)
I bit the bullet on-stop from JFK-MAD & BCN-JFK for six people at a cost of $1,100 per ticket!! I booked directly with AA.
The fare never went down since I booked in Sept. - it just kept going up, up, up. Amazing in times like this (OK, so we aren't really being hurt by the economy, but lots of people are.)
Jan 5th, 2009, 08:11 AM
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Have you tried flights to a major city and then using easyjet or another discount airline from there. Here is a good US discount site https://www.kayak.com/ AND here is a good site for Europe http://www.whichbudget.com/
I just booked Italy in April for $1200.00 and thought the price was very reasonable. IMO, $1400.00 in the middle of summer is typical.
I just booked Italy in April for $1200.00 and thought the price was very reasonable. IMO, $1400.00 in the middle of summer is typical.
Jan 5th, 2009, 08:15 AM
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Yes, airfare is ridiculous. I vacation, overseas 1-3 times a year.
I check expedia and the other internet sites after midnight as low fares have popped up then. I also go on igougo.com, I think it is.
A good example of low fares being loaded into the computer after midnight is when, in November, I was looking for a low airfare to go somewhere overseas on vacation. I had just canceled my Bangkok ticket and had less than three weeks to replan a whole new vacation.
I was on the computer constantly, for days, over Thanksgiving vacation. The airfares to all destinations that I was interested in were pricing out from $1500-$2500. Yikes.
Three days after Thanksgiving, I got on the Mac at 2:45AM, as I seem to find good airfares around 2:00AM. I typed in my interested destinations and a ticket,on American Airlines, to Buenos AIres popped up for $559. round trip, from L.A.-N.Y.-Buenos Aires. The total with taxes was $857. All the other airlines were more than double. So, once again, I had landed a cheap overseas airfare after 2:00AM.
I jumped on the fare and just got back from BA a week ago. I've also gotten cheap fares, to Europe, that way. You have to jump on it before folks wake up and grab the fares. Smiles. Good luck. Happy Travels!
I check expedia and the other internet sites after midnight as low fares have popped up then. I also go on igougo.com, I think it is.
A good example of low fares being loaded into the computer after midnight is when, in November, I was looking for a low airfare to go somewhere overseas on vacation. I had just canceled my Bangkok ticket and had less than three weeks to replan a whole new vacation.
I was on the computer constantly, for days, over Thanksgiving vacation. The airfares to all destinations that I was interested in were pricing out from $1500-$2500. Yikes.
Three days after Thanksgiving, I got on the Mac at 2:45AM, as I seem to find good airfares around 2:00AM. I typed in my interested destinations and a ticket,on American Airlines, to Buenos AIres popped up for $559. round trip, from L.A.-N.Y.-Buenos Aires. The total with taxes was $857. All the other airlines were more than double. So, once again, I had landed a cheap overseas airfare after 2:00AM.
I jumped on the fare and just got back from BA a week ago. I've also gotten cheap fares, to Europe, that way. You have to jump on it before folks wake up and grab the fares. Smiles. Good luck. Happy Travels!
Jan 5th, 2009, 08:36 AM
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So, do you think that fares will not go down, even a little, for Spring travel to Europe?
I'm watching SFO to FCO with return MUC to SFO on Lufthansa and it's about $2300 + for 2 tickets!!! Was hoping I could get it for less than $2k total. Am I dreaming?
I'm watching SFO to FCO with return MUC to SFO on Lufthansa and it's about $2300 + for 2 tickets!!! Was hoping I could get it for less than $2k total. Am I dreaming?
Jan 5th, 2009, 09:03 AM
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London is a good hub city to fly to and out of. I'm looking at booking a flight from Halifax to London Gatwick on AirTransat, and then a flight from London Gatwick to Madrid for $816.67 all in return (Cdn $).
Though these fares are for September, so a little later in the season.
Though these fares are for September, so a little later in the season.
Jan 5th, 2009, 04:39 PM
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You're right about that, davez!
We have FF reservations booked on AA for summer travel Austin to Paris.
Now my DH has just received upgrade coupons for next class of service (business), but the kicker is that we have to pay for the coach tickets in order to be eligible for the upgrade to business.
With taxes included, the coach fare would be $1600 each. Yikes!
May just have to save those upgrades for travel in the off-season sometime.
We have FF reservations booked on AA for summer travel Austin to Paris.
Now my DH has just received upgrade coupons for next class of service (business), but the kicker is that we have to pay for the coach tickets in order to be eligible for the upgrade to business.
With taxes included, the coach fare would be $1600 each. Yikes!
May just have to save those upgrades for travel in the off-season sometime.
