just booked 6 flights to multiple destinations (into venice back from Rome) from Tampa 798 all inclusive using flycheapabroad. So far no problems

i just booked tickets from boston to flo, return from rome may 4 to may 16 on alitalia.$780 total per person through autoeurope.i've been looking for 9 months.thats the best i've found. i jumped on it

quote:

Originally posted by LAWRENCE:
just booked 6 flights to multiple destinations (into venice back from Rome) from Tampa 798 all inclusive using flycheapabroad. So far no problems

I received my travel voucher. Do you know how to get a seat assignment?

quote:

I received my travel voucher. Do you know how to get a seat assignment?

Karen,

Do you have the confirmation number? You should be able to book your seat assignment through the airline website directly or you can call the airline and book your seat assignment that way.

All the best ,

Leslie

I called delta airlines and gave them my conf #. Flycheap had me in the very last row Itwas no problem to change seats I think my wife and I are now on either side of thge coffee maker !

Good morning,

Thanks to everyone who recommended FlyCheapAbroad. Because of your suggestions I was able to purchase three non-stop round-trip tickets to Venice for May/June at almost 50 percent off the price that was published on Delta airlines website!!! I was not aware of this website before but will now check their fares on a regular basis.

Have a great day!

Leslie

Delta is all over the road map with their prices right now. In checking flights to Florence, then out of Rome thru Orbitz for May/June, Delta was almost $4000 for a one-stop flight and just over $1000 for a 2-stop....economy. Other sites aren't much better.

Leslie, you were lucky! What are your dates and what was your fare, if you don't mind telling us. I hope you got a travel professional's discount, too!

I say keep checking, and hope for a sale.

quote:

: Leslie, you were lucky! What are your dates and what was your fare, if you don't mind telling us.

Gail- My dates are May 28th - June 13th and my fare was $853.00 per ticket through FlyCheapAbroad. Delta was almost twice that amount.

Yes, I was very lucky!! Takes a lot of time to find a discount fare these days.

Best of luck in your airfare search.

Leslie

If that includes taxes and fees, that's a great price!

Maybe I should fly into Venice instead of Florence or Rome .

Staying longer than a month always jacks the cost up as well....why do they care??

Good luck to everyone on this perpetual quest!

quote:

Originally posted by LAWRENCE:
I called delta airlines and gave them my conf #. Flycheap had me in the very last row Itwas no problem to change seats I think my wife and I are now on either side of thge coffee maker !

I emailed help@flycheapabroad.com and asked about seat assignments. They replied that they had already assigned me seats, one of which was in the middle of a 4 seat row. I replied and asked for aisle seats in both directions and they made the change immediately.

Wow!

quote:

Originally posted by Karen P.:
I can be the guinea pig since I booked it last night. At $765, it's more than $200 less than anything else I've seen since December 2009.

But if anyone has had any previous experience with them, please post your comments. Thanks.

I just received my AmExp bill with the Alitalia charge on it and for some reason, it was $715, not $765, but I'm not going to argue about it.

It gets even better. For you anyway Karen.

I still haven't found good airfare from Atlanta. I have decided that I need to be happy with anything less than $1000. I am using Yapta to track fares.

Y'all shout if you see anything!

I've been searching from any airport in Florida (I live closest to Orlando) to Rome on 8/1, then return from Venice on 8/19 or a few days later. The fare from Jacksonville was $1062 in January on US Airways and it went up to $1412 before I could buy it. I've been watching it ever since and it's still $1412, from Orlando it's $1397 but with terrible connections. Flycheapabroad was at least $200 more.

I've tried every combination I can think of and nothing is lower. I might cave in and pay $1412 but I sure don't want to!

Podie, I am having the same experience. Unlike last year, when fares drastically in February and March went down for late spring/early summer travel, this year they just seem to keep going up. It's very frustrating.

Although the fares on AA for the flights I need to book for my husband (Orange County to Paris) did come down a little bit for a couple of days the past week, today they are back up again today. Yesterday, I could have booked him on the ideal return flights home on July 20th (the day he needs return home) for $1453, but today it's back up to $1565!

However, if my husband can manage to take 1 extra day off work and return home with me on July 21st (although on different flights), the fare right now would be $1453.

So, if he can manage the extra day off work, I may just jump on this $1453 fare now. Since my flights were booked via mileage award, a $1453 fare Greg's ticket really comes out to $726.50 each - which is not really that bad for travel from OC to Paris in July, I guess...

Tery

Karen,
I just booked my flight a few days ago JFK to Milan on Aer Lingus for $693.
There's a stopover in Dublin, but just enough to time to make the connection.
I went on Kayak.com which listed it at $833 but when I selected the flight, it sent me to Aer Lingus's site where I booked it for $693. Surprise...Surprise.

Timing is everything. Late winter last year, we paid $385 r/t on Alitalia, Boston-Venice via FCO for late May. A few weeks before the trip Alitalia e-mailed its frequent flyers offering an upgrade to Magnifica class for $600. We splurged and earned triple miles.

We flew to Rome a little over a month ago using Amex rewards points and those frequent flyer miles. Going to Rome the plane was at least 1/3 empty. Coming home, close to 2/3 of the 4 across seats in economy were empty. In January, I did not see any "last minute" deals to fill those seats. I realize that most people (including me) can't drop everything and fly overseas, but I bet some would if the price were right. Maybe one more reason that so many airlines are having trouble.

I finally bit the bullet and bought tickets today when kayak showed a price drop. JFK to Venice 7/31 to 8/19 on Aer Lingus was $830 and I can usually fly from Orlando to JFK for under $200. So, about $1030 total vs. $1412 minimum on the other airlines. I feel relieved!

I am about there too Podie. I have never paid this much for a ticket. I guess in my mind, I will just have to average out the last several years and consider myself lucky.

Let me check one more time...

I already have my ticket for Venice in May on miles, but am trying to buy a ticket for my daughter to join us. Finding tix from Seattle to Venice around $1300 to $1400 sometime higher than that. Don't know whether to bite the bullet and buy or wait. I tried putting in a fictional date only 6 weeks out, to see if the price would drop, it was over $2000. Oh what to do.....

I think the reason that my airfare went from the quote of $765 to the actual charge of $716 is because the dollar is stronger against the Euro.

If I were a betting person, I would bet that airfares for the summer will come down again.

I anm in Florida this week, in the Ft. Lauderdale area, and it is completely dead. Aside from the fact that it is cold, which would keep people inside, there really are very few tourists here.

I have also been tracking airfare for quite awhile since I will be going in September. I agree I'm thinking airfare will probably come down, but who knows it's been kind of crazy lately. I found a great deal on a nonstop flight from Newark (EWR) to Rome leaving Sept. 22 and returning October 9 for $790 (all inclusive) on Continental airlines. This was advertised on their website as well as other discount sites. Since we all know airfare is unpredictable, I jumped on it. It gets even more exciting when you finally purchased your airfare!!

quote:

Originally posted by braindoc:

We flew to Rome a little over a month ago using Amex rewards points and those frequent flyer miles. Going to Rome the plane was at least 1/3 empty. Coming home, close to 2/3 of the 4 across seats in economy were empty. In January, I did not see any "last minute" deals to fill those seats. I realize that most people (including me) can't drop everything and fly overseas, but I bet some would if the price were right. Maybe one more reason that so many airlines are having trouble.

I recall, some years ago, reading a travel mag in which someone asked "why did Alitalia leave me stranded in Italy when they had empty first class seats?". Apparently, Alitalia had refused to upgrade them to 1st class because coach was full, left them in Italy (ok, not a bad place to be, but . . . ) and flew the plane with empty seats rather than upgrade them for free. The response was "you didn't pay for it so why should we give you a free 1st class seat". I think that says everything about how some airlines "think" and it's probably a waste of time to assume that airlines think rationally.

This waiting game is driving me a bit bonkers. I need tickets for August but the prices aren't falling. I'm getting ready to bite the bullet after this weekend.

Barb Cabot

It is horrible from the west coast this year. I "bit the bullet" and paid $1448 for Bologna in May. That is even with Brad driving to and from San Diego to drop me off and pick me up!

Now I am searching for our September trip, and coming up with around $1308 into Venice. I am waiting a little on that one.

Well, I didn't jump on that $1452 fare from Orange County to Paris for Greg's ticket soon enough. Friday it jumped again and now it's $1756 - over $300 more in just 2 days!

There's a thread in the American Airlines forum on FlyerTalk where the issue of the much higher fares to Europe this year is being discussed. The consensus there seems to be to try and wait as long as possible before you buy tickets (like 4 to 6 weeks before your departure date) - because, if no one bites at these incredibly high fares right now, the airlines will have to lower fares closer to the departure date to fill seats.

I've checked the flights I want to book my husband on and all are more than half empty right now. Since we're not going to France until the beginning of July, I am going to try and wait a little longer (April or even May).

I also have alerts set up now on Kayak and Yapta to let me know when and if fares ever drop below $1500 again.

Tery

quote:

I've checked the flights I want to book my husband on and all are more than half empty right now

Tery, you'll have to show me how to do this when we're in San Diego. I don't know how to cheak seat availiblity on possible flights. this is a great idea as airfare for October is insane right now!

a presto!

Pokey

I, too am in the wait until at least 90 days camp before travel for fare sales to Europe. Right now the airlines are doing sales for Spring, so the Summer ones will have to come later. I like to check momondo.com and dohop.com because they also list the discount airlines in their mix. Wish they did multi-city, though.

Mindy, most of the search engines, for example Orbitz, will let you "view seats" for most of the flights. Not always for the legs in Europe, but at least for the long ones between here and there.

I, too, am waiting to book my May flight. The flights are empty and I guess everyone else is doing the same thing. It's going to be a mad rush when they announce a sale!

Remember on British Airways, you will PAY to book your seat in advance, so add that to the price of your ticket. I leave on Sunday and I have the great opportunity to book my seats ahead for $30 from Atlanta to London, $15 from London to Rome, $15 from Rome to London, $30 from London to Atlanta. Do the math....an extra $90!

OR, I could wait until 24 hours before and book them for free. I've checked the seats and, of course, everyone is waiting. I like a window seat to have something to rest my head on for sleep, so I finally caved in and bought that one seat. But that's IT! My ticket was a good price, so okay.... this time they will get my extra $30.

It's such a game !

We are trying to get our daughters over to Italy in May from Boston. One is arriving via AerLingus into Dublin, then Ryan Air to Pisa. $677 round trip. (She knows the luggage restrictions.) Second daughter is holding out for another few days and checking student discounts.

SandraK: If you daughter is a student and you haven't come up with a better fare from Seattle, have a look at: www.studentuniverse.com I just put in the fictional dates of May 10th out, May 25th return and came up with $932.21 round trip. The flight out is: SEA/PHL/MUC/VCE but the return is easier: VCE/PHL/SEA

Happy hunting.

I forgot to add that when I found my flights to Bologna, I checked all the sites like orbitz, kayak, etc., then called the airline to actually buy my ticket. I have always done this.

USAirways told me it would be an additional $35 to buy a ticket on the phone. I asked them why anyone would do this? They said, some people like to talk to a "live person", or don't have a computer.

I hung up and booked it on orbitz, then called them back for seat assignments, as orbitz wouldn't let me choose for all legs. No fee to make seat assignments, just to book flight!

Isn't that their job?

quote:

.

USAirways told me it would be an additional $35 to buy a ticket on the phone....

Isn't that their job?

Yes, it is their job, and they have to be paid somehow. Since it costs the airline more to have someone do it for you, they charge for that. I prefer to save $25 by not calling. Glad I have the choice.

I bought round trip tickets from JFK to Venice in August on Aer Lingus for $830. I will be able to fly from Orlando to JFK for $200 or less. I am pleased that I finally "bit the bullet" and it didn't hurt that much. Aer Lingus has good reviews and their change fee is only $100 in case the fare REALLY drops.

quote:

Originally posted by Pokey:
[QUOTE]Tery, you'll have to show me how to do this when we're in San Diego. I don't know how to cheak seat availiblity on possible flights. this is a great idea as airfare for October is insane right now!

Mindy, American Airlines lets you check seat availability when you are search for flights (if you search by price). If you click on the flight details for each flight choice, it will let you see the available seats for those flights.

I am specifically searching AA because I want to try and get my husband on the same flights I'll be on from Orange County to Chicago to Paris. I am not sure if other airlines let you check seat availability before you actually book. The only other airline I've flown to Italy on recently was Delta and I actually purchased the ticket through CheapTickets and they pre-assigned me seats. Right after I purchased my ticket, I was able to log onto Delta's website and change my seats to something more desirable.

And here is an inadvertent tip I learned from Delta Skymiles forum on FlyerTalk. Delta allows you to book exit row seats on transatlantic flights, even if you're not one of their elite FF members. The guys on FlyerTalk were actually complaining about how all the "Ma and Pa Kettles" (us non-elite, tourist type flyers) are able to book the coveted exit row seats in economy on flights to Europe. Thanks to their "tips", I logged onto Delta's website and changed my seat assignments to exit row seats both to and from Italy last September .

For now, I am going to just wait. I'll still keep searching for a decent fare, but will likely just wait til mid-May (6 weeks before we are to leave) to seriously think about buying. I am hoping summer prices will come down a bit by then.

Tery

quote:

Originally posted by Karen P.:
I recall, some years ago, reading a travel mag in which someone asked "why did Alitalia leave me stranded in Italy when they had empty first class seats?". Apparently, Alitalia had refused to upgrade them to 1st class because coach was full, left them in Italy (ok, not a bad place to be, but . . . ) and flew the plane with empty seats rather than upgrade them for free. The response was "you didn't pay for it so why should we give you a free 1st class seat". I think that says everything about how some airlines "think" and it's probably a waste of time to assume that airlines think rationally.

Sounds like just really bad luck. I have been upgraded on Alitalia before from JFK-Naples and also once from Rome to Newark. (both times, I was traveling alone - I tend to think that makes the difference. I have never, ever been upgraded with my family.)

I found a good deal on US Airway... not a great deal, but a good deal. After watching fares above $1200 for a month now, I jumped on $880. Birmingham to Bologna late may to middle june.

Now for sure, the rest of you will start to find those great fares!

Bugalu, that sounds like a pretty good deal!! Good for you! Can't believe I'll be in Bologna just a few weeks before all of y'all...

US Air has apparently lowered their fares or is having a sale.

I just got a fare alert yesterday Kayak that US Air's fares from Orange County to Paris in July had dropped to $1380 (from $1480 a few days ago). Not a huge drop but still better than AA's fares for the same dates.

But, as much as it makes me really uncomfortable to wait that long, I am still going to try to wait til late April or early May to book flights for my husband. I really do think fares for July will come down a bit more by then.

Tery

Airfares seem quite unpredictable! We booked our flights for myself and our two kids using FF miles, Dulles to Rome with return flight Munich to Dulles in August 2009. When we booked our flight the airfare was $1400/ticket - way too high to actually PAY for a ticket for my husband! So I began the hunt for a good airfare! We finally decided to use the last of all of our FF miles to get hubby from Dulles to London and then fly on BA London to Bari for $167. For his return flight we signed up for United's credit card so that he could use the miles UA gave out for his return, Munich to Dulles. We have been tracking the airfares pretty closely to see if we made a good decision. So far these fares are in the $1500 range and the flights are not full for a June 21 departure returning July 18. I would imagine that the airlines are going to have to drop the prices to fill the flights. If we had only needed 1 or 2 tickets I probably would have waited it out but the fact that we needed 4 tickets was too risky for me! Last trip to Italy in summer of 2008 and at this point prior to the trip all our flights were full!

Cindi