Fares to Europe too high for fall?

Posted by Tracy Stewart on Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Q. What's with flying to Europe this fall? Fares are preposterous. Flying from Boston to Amsterdam last time I checked was $1200 on American Airlines and British Airways. I flew the same route in the spring and got a fare for $650 or so.

A. Airfares can change at any moment, and most of the best deals are unadvertised. Fares to Europe from just about anywhere in the U.S. for fall travel have been unusually high, but there will be sales. When is anyone's guess. And if airlines continue to park planes in the desert, as they've been threatening to, fares will go up. Less capacity means higher fares. Right now, we're seeing November fares from Boston to Amsterdam around $663 round-trip including taxes on Iberia and a bit more on Alitalia, but that's subject to change. Most industry observers do believe that airlines must keep fares high in order to survive, and in order to keep fares high they must reduce the number of seats and planes they fly.

Planning a trip to Europe. Ideally into Rome around December 3rd, out of Paris around December 23rd. There is a little flexibility, but not much. I had been waiting for winter sales, but prices have gone up in the past week (up to ~$800 from ~$700). Should I keep waiting or buy ASAP?? Thanks!

by jskula on Monday, October 05, 2009

check out autoeurope.com, which will often fly you to europe and give you a car for a day, all at good prices, at least in my expierience.

by Senior Travler on Friday, September 11, 2009

I sign up for Bing fare alerts between target cities. Along with using that, I also use Skyscanner.net to find fares. Generally, it's possible to find fares of between $598 and $620, including taxes, on flights between New York and London, for example, and I have seen similar fares between New York and Paris. You just have to play with it, try different departure dates and different airlines.

by footloose on Friday, September 11, 2009

As airlines continue to park planes in the desert, it may well be that $600 rt winter fares to London and elsewhere in Europe will be the new normal. We just can't remember the last time the airlines didn't slash winter travel fares to Europe from the US, often just after Jan 1 or so but sometimes way before that. Having posted so many $250-500 rt including tax spring and summer fares to Europe this past year, it just kills us having to consider posting $800 *winter* fares! And so far, we haven't succumbed.

by on Friday, September 11, 2009

So I'm trying to decide whether to keep waiting, or go ahead and book my flight BHM-PRG for the first week in November. What is everyone else doing?

by cari on Thursday, September 10, 2009

Intrigued by that $2,000 fare from Philadelphia to Paris, I ran a test through Orbitz for a Wednesay departure in November and return two weeks later -- under $700 non-stop on US Air. According to Cheapoair.com Lufthansa will take you to Paris for just over $600 although you would make a reversal to change planes in Chicago. But to avoid a $2,000 fare I'd certainly spend a few extra hours in the air and at O'Hare. Shop harder, save more.

by Reporter on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

There is no writ that fares be made as close to free as possible. And while some routes do seem inflated, c'mon, Bowser could poop out a better fare than $2,000 from Philadelphia to Paris. One can get from the West Coast to FRA or even TXL for under $800 RT. Seems pretty cheap for 14,000 miles of travel.

by Sluggh on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Yeah, I miss seeing the cheap airfares to Europe from airfare watchdog...

by me on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Well, it seems to me that if they keep the fares reasonable that people will start flying a little more as the economy improves a little. A perfect example: on a whim my husband and I thought that we might squeeze in 4 or 5 day trip to Paris (our favorite destination) in November from our home airport, Philadelphia. The fare that was usually somewhere between $650 to $750 round trip is at present $2,000, per person that is! So, we're waiting. I got the feeling that the airlines really don't want us to fly. Oh well....

by wearytraveler on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

.....

by jhat111 on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Yes, my favorite early winter flight to Frankfurt usually goes on sale in mid-late August, but it is still hovering about $1000.00.
We will probably bite the bullet in October, as they have rarely dropped after that in the past.

by yahoo on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

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Fares to Europe too high for fall?

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