Panic mode! Summer fares to Europe still ridiculously high!

Q. Please help me understand this crazy airfare problem. I need to buy a ticket to Barcelona for this summer, June/July 2010, I've been tracking the airfares since December, trying to find a good cheap fare. Most are over $1,000.00, departing from NYC, Miami, Charlotte, it doesn't matter, they are all HIGH. Do you think they will get lower? Should I wait a little longer? The euro is cheaper than it has been, but its not being reflected in the airfares.

A. It's all a matter of capacity. The airlines have cut back on service in an effort to reduce costs. That means carriers can charge more for seats. Seats that are filled by Europeans, what with the dollar still pretty week against the euro and the pound. More on this in our recent article in USA Today. And as mentioned here, you could come out on top by purchasing a package air + hotel deal, which in many cases are less expensive than what you'll pay for the peak summer airfare alone.