Airfare question for past Ireland travelers

[Bobo912]

Just curious if you found any good airfare deals. I got an email from US Airways yesterday with airfare less than $350 each way from Charlotte and Atlanta to Dublin and $277 from Chicago to Dublin. It was only good through the end of February, when I won't be traveling anywhere, but it got me to thinking. I know for the ABD flight you arrive in Dublin and depart from the Shannon airport, but I would imagine that taking a train from Shannon to Dublin wouldn't be terribly expensive. I'm not changing our Yosemite plans for June but it's possible that we could take a second trip later in the summer. I just need ABD to offer an Ireland Gateway trip and for the stock market to go up a lot.

 

[jjb52]

Just curious if you found any good airfare deals. I got an email from US Airways yesterday with airfare less than $350 each way from Charlotte and Atlanta to Dublin and $277 from Chicago to Dublin. It was only good through the end of February, when I won't be traveling anywhere, but it got me to thinking. I know for the ABD flight you arrive in Dublin and depart from the Shannon airport, but I would imagine that taking a train from Shannon to Dublin wouldn't be terribly expensive. I'm not changing our Yosemite plans for June but it's possible that we could take a second trip later in the summer. I just need ABD to offer an Ireland Gateway trip and for the stock market to go up a lot.

I am looking for airfare for Ireland for later June and have not found any decent prices (like there is now for travel in February and March.) I am hoping for some sort of a sale to be coming. For anyone who did this trip last year in the summer can you share when you bought your airfare. I have been watching prices daily for about 4 months and it only went under $1000 one day around Christmas and I did not buy thinking it would be there a few days. I am flying from Minneapolis and it is running around $1200.

 

[clarabelle]

I did not get any amazing deals -I booked my airfare through disney -but the price was similar to what I was seeing on my own.
I couldn't find any great discounts

Sorry I know that doesn't help really

 

[Bobo912]

I did not get any amazing deals -I booked my airfare through disney -but the price was similar to what I was seeing on my own.
I couldn't find any great discounts

Sorry I know that doesn't help really

Thanks clarabelle. I doubt that we will see any deals during the summer like we're seeing now. I am seriously considering a trip with CIE Tours. I know it won't be like ABD and there will probably be a lot of older people. But I have seen some posts on various websites of families with kids traveling with them. They have 11 and 12 day tours that are over a $1000 less than ABD and that's including airfare. There are so many places I want to visit with my son while he is still young enough to want to go with me and while I'm still young enough to take the long flights, and to do that I'm going to have to find some more affordable options than ABD, Tauck, etc. But I'm still not comfortable doing an overseas trip totally on my own. The stress of dealing with the transportation takes the fun out of the vacation for me.

 

[sayhello]

I've been watching the airfare to Europe for May (Spain in my case) and they have only gone up. It's running about $1200 to BCN. All the big after-New-Years' sales people were talking about never materialized...

Sayhello

 

[Poppins2000]

Just curious if you found any good airfare deals. I got an email from US Airways yesterday with airfare less than $350 each way from Charlotte and Atlanta to Dublin and $277 from Chicago to Dublin. It was only good through the end of February, when I won't be traveling anywhere, but it got me to thinking. I know for the ABD flight you arrive in Dublin and depart from the Shannon airport, but I would imagine that taking a train from Shannon to Dublin wouldn't be terribly expensive. I'm not changing our Yosemite plans for June but it's possible that we could take a second trip later in the summer. I just need ABD to offer an Ireland Gateway trip and for the stock market to go up a lot.

Those are GREAT prices! When we went in May 2008, our flights were $700 each (Miami to JFK to Dublin and back from Shannon)...

 

[mom2aidanNpiper]

Unless there is a Gateway trip in the works, I may have to wait until 2012 Airfare for us is about $1300 round trip (we are in Seattle). I'll do 2 smaller trips I think in 2011 that will still allow me to save for 2012!

 

[Bobo912]

Aer Lingus has flights to/from Dublin and Shannon for $339 each way for July 1 - Aug 22. Flights originate in New York, Chicago and Boston. They also have fares starting at $279 for June 16 - 22. Book by March 12. Here's a link if you're interested:
http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/Services/usa3.jsp?P_OID=0&Category=3

 

[campbyers]

We are trying to decide btw the Ireland trip and Germany. Any thoughts? Have 13 yr old and 11 yr old.

 

[slg]

We went to Ireland last year with an 8,10 and 13. It was a fantastic trip. We travel extensively, at least 2 vacations a year, and my kids said it was the best trip ever!

We flew to Portugal and booked a cheap Ryan Air flight to Dublin, and then back out of Shannon. You can look at flying into London and then transferring to Ryan Air. The flights can get pretty cheap. At one point, they were free! Just pay taxes. They can be around 20 euros or less from major european cities!

 

[tiggirl]

We are going in Sept. and our airfare wasn't too bad. Definately not the deals you were talking about but not bad for Omaha. Was hoping that some one would be able to tell me if the adults only tour has a different itinerary than the family tour.

 

[jaguirre]

It may be helpful to Google the Irish Times newspaper online for super travel deals (from Ireland to other European destinations) because their details may be very different from what you get from US sources.
Also --- last summer I found that because of the huge reduction of tourism ( sad ratio of $ to E a main factor) , there were fabulous prices advertised in the Irish Times for accommodations in the most excellent places --- example -- 3 nights at Ashford castle at E50/person/night. The same accommodations would have been E150/person/night just several years ago. Unthinkable ! This inside-info is not generally broadcast on regular travel sites.
Best wishes from frequent Ireland traveler Jeanne

 

[jaguirre]

It may be helpful to Google the Irish Times newspaper online for super travel deals (from Ireland to other European destinations) because their details may be very different from what you get from US sources.
Also --- last summer I found that because of the huge reduction of tourism ( sad ratio of $ to E a main factor) , there were fabulous prices advertised in the Irish Times for accommodations in the most excellent places --- example -- 3 nights at Ashford castle at E50/person/night. The same accommodations would have been E150/person/night just several years ago. Unthinkable ! This inside-info is not generally broadcast on regular travel sites.
Best wishes from frequent Ireland traveler Jeanne

 

[Bobo912]

It may be helpful to Google the Irish Times newspaper online for super travel deals (from Ireland to other European destinations) because their details may be very different from what you get from US sources.
Also --- last summer I found that because of the huge reduction of tourism ( sad ratio of $ to E a main factor) , there were fabulous prices advertised in the Irish Times for accommodations in the most excellent places --- example -- 3 nights at Ashford castle at E50/person/night. The same accommodations would have been E150/person/night just several years ago. Unthinkable ! This inside-info is not generally broadcast on regular travel sites.
Best wishes from frequent Ireland traveler Jeanne

Great advice. Thanks!!!

 

[disneylove69]

Virgin Atlantic offers some great deals to London Heathrow and then you could take a smaller airline (think Southwest of Europe) to Ireland. rom Los Angeles to London was about $600 round trip pp. Virgin I know flies out of LA and New York. We had cheap seats and got great service, two meals, snacks, unlimited alcohol and drinks, free individual movie, music, and game consoles at each seat, and amenity kits.

 

[Bobo912]

Virgin Atlantic offers some great deals to London Heathrow and then you could take a smaller airline (think Southwest of Europe) to Ireland. rom Los Angeles to London was about $600 round trip pp. Virgin I know flies out of LA and New York. We had cheap seats and got great service, two meals, snacks, unlimited alcohol and drinks, free individual movie, music, and game consoles at each seat, and amenity kits.

Funny you should mention it, because I just signed up for Virgin Atlantic's email offers yesterday and I was planning to post and see if anyone one the board had flown with them. Thanks for the info!