Mike

Have they been this high in the last few years at this time? I can't really afford thousand dollar fares.

Gauloises

Are you planning on travelling in the summer? If you are planning on flying to Europe in the summer, I would say that $1,000 is quite normal for a ticket to Europe, and by some standards cheap. If you are planning on completing you travel before June, then you should be able to find a cheaper airfare, possibley even half of that. <BR>If I were you, I would try www.airlineconsolidator.com They have great discounted airfares, but buy EARLY if you want to get a seat. They fill up fast.

Rex

There are numerous very, VERY good fares (good through June 7) available RIGHT now - - on USAir - - expire tomorrow night!<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

x

I'm not finding any good USScareways fares. Rex, please advise, thanks!

Rex

What I know about this sale comes almost entirely from this post which appeared on Friday.<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1354184<BR><BR>Here's a little of what's there - - but I will top it also.<BR><BR>Author: Sue ([email protected])<BR>Date: 03/15/2002, 03:13 pm<BR>Message: Check it out at www.usairways.com ! I've been watching for weeks now, and for May the fares were near $700 and up from PIT. Some good deals out there now from many US cities to Europe, or at least better than I've seen in a while. I got $477, non-stop to CDG, at airport ticket counter last nite, and there are better fares online today.<BR><BR>I think that the sale expires Monday, March 18 - - I think I got an e-mail about it also.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Sherry

Found a fare on Continental via Orbitz today for travel PIT to FCO for $346 TOTAL. It would love to know that someone was able to take advantage of what I consider a tremendous bargain. I just punched in April 29 to May 13 for ha has. Maybe you can play around with it. I do not know what dates you are considering or what market.

Sue

Mike, if USAirways is an option for you, their website is still advertising the special, which must be booked by 3/18, TOMORROW! Go to usairways.com, then under Specials, click on Low Fares Are in the Air; run a search to see if your departure city and destination are included. Good luck! I, too, was amazed at how high the fares were until this popped up last week; my guess is that those group fares they were promoting were not bring many takers, so they opened the seats up to individuals.(??)

Sue

Just for the heck of it, I went to usairways.com, and put in PIT to FCO, and came up with fare of $416 (plus taxes) for May, so deals are still there. Under Promotions (not Specials, as I stated in last post),click on Low Fares Are in the Air. Didn't pursue it any further since I have my tix to CDG, but imagine taxes bring it to near $500, still good! Are Sherry and I the only ones who fly out of PIT?

StCirq

Mike: Fares are a bit higher this summer than they have been in the past few years, but it certainly isn't true that $1,000 is a typical fare, as some poster suggested. I'm flying in April from DC to Paris for just under $600 and our whole family is flying from DC to Paris in June for just under $700 apiece,. plus a 25% reduction for the two kids. This represents an increase over past years, but when you consider the extra security, major economic losses of the airlines, etc., in the wake of 9/11, it seems pretty reasonable. You can always try the internet sites for cheap last-minute fares (I can't deal with these - too many people to buy for and too many constraints on spontaneity) - these are good for free-wheeling folks who can pick up and leave at whim. Good luck!

juliev

I had been watching prices for Atlanta to Zurich in mid-june. I was beginning to wonder if I would be able to afford to take my trip. While reading messages here, someone posted a message about cheap fares to Switzerland. For June 14-21 travel I purchased tickets on Delta for $350 plus tax. Today the tickets are about double. I got lucky.<BR>

Rex

&lt;&lt;If you are planning on flying to Europe in the summer, I would say that $1,000 is quite normal for a ticket to Europe&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Author: Gauloises ([email protected])<BR>Date: 03/17/2002, 06:55 pm<BR><BR>&lt;&lt;it certainly isn't true that $1,000 is a typical fare&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Author: StCirq ([email protected])<BR>Date: 03/17/2002, 10:17 pm<BR><BR>I think we get a very skewed view of what is a "typical" summer air fare to Europe - - based on being part of a very savvy group of travel buffs.<BR><BR>I think that "Gauloises" has a better handle on what the "average" American summer air fare is - - not St. Cirq.<BR><BR>This is not an attack on St. Cirq. Just my opinion.<BR>

xxx

We're going to Ireland on Friday. Paid $420something RT MSP to SNN.

Sherry

Hi Sue. Would like to go somewhere in late September or October with a friend. I am starting to depend on you to keep your eyes open as we seem to be the ones watching the Pittsburgh fares!<BR>Just as an aside. With all of those good fares on US Airways from here, I plugged in my dates to FCO expecting a little difference but I can't explain why they are posting my fare at $970 per ticket. I guess one day does make a difference.<BR>The nice thing about that fare I saw, Sue, is that $346 was the TOTAL. But I am really happy my tickets are bought.

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Sue

Was just thinking about the possibility of flying into a city that's on a "cheap fare" list, and then taking an inter-Europe flight to the city of choice. According to NYT travel section yesterday, there are a number of airlines (Ryan Air, British Midlands, etc.) that fly inexpensively among European cities. It would be a numbers game to see if it saves any money, but worth a thought, if one's preferred destination is on one of those $1000 routes.

Sherry

Sue. Do you think it depends on which market is the original starting point? I mean, flights from NYC seem to be really good because they have so many options on flight times because of the different carriers. But we have less choice to begin with from here, so add maybe the cost to New York, then an inter-Europe flight. Or maybe you are thinking of one of those European e-savers that we get notice of some times.<BR>I met a group of people last year that had traveled England(not Heathrow or Gatwick) to Nice on Easy Jet. They said that they saved a tremendous amount of money and the flight was fine.<BR>I thought of that for my next trip to use one of them, but we would lose so much time with connections, I gave up.<BR>The fare from Stanstead to Rome was very reasonable, though.

Christina

I don't think Mike ever came back to even explain but $1000 isn't unusual at all for peak summer fare if it's a slightly unusual itinerary, not one of the major cities in Europe, and not from the East coast of the US. Who really knows what kind of itinerary he wants, he didn't explain any of this, nor even his dates. $1000 isn't typical summer fare for RT NY-London or Paris, that's for sure, but it could be more of a typical summer fare for average itineraries and departure points all across the US. I'm paying almost that much because I'm flying into and out of two different cities, which isn't that unusual except both are not major hubs (Prague and Krakow). It's the Krakow part that's the killer, actually, but I'm going through Paris on my way there and through London on my way back. I have checked every source for months and you can't get that fare less than $925 or so (and that was not a convenient schedule at all). Anyway, I have noticed they are higher than usual this year, by $100-200 or so, it seems to me.