Airfare? For Mediterranean cruise

abja09

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
I know it may be a little early but I have started to check airfare for our August 2017 Mediterranean cruise out of Barcelona. The prices out of the NJ/NY area are about $600 more per person than I was planning. For budget purposes, when I decided to book the cruise in March, I priced out airfare from Newark or JFK to Barcelona and a direct flight was about $1200pp.
For those of you that have flown to Europe recently, how far in advance did you book your flights? Do I hold out hope that prices will drop?
 
I know it may be a little early but I have started to check airfare for our August 2017 Mediterranean cruise out of Barcelona. The prices out of the NJ/NY area are about $600 more per person than I was planning. For budget purposes, when I decided to book the cruise in March, I priced out airfare from Newark or JFK to Barcelona and a direct flight was about $1200pp.
For those of you that have flown to Europe recently, how far in advance did you book your flights? Do I hold out hope that prices will drop?
For our June 2016 cruise we paid $750/person round trip from PHX to BCN, connecting through JFK. I booked it late September 2015. Booked it through cheapoair.com
 
I just bought airfare to Copenhagen for June 2017 a couple weeks ago from Portland Oregon for $823pp round trip on Delta. Upgrading the two long legs each way to Comfort+ was $129pp one way and $99pp the other.
 


I just bought airfare to Copenhagen for June 2017 a couple weeks ago from Portland Oregon for $823pp round trip on Delta. Upgrading the two long legs each way to Comfort+ was $129pp one way and $99pp the other.

Thank you! I guess it's not too early to look for 2017 then.
 
Prices are so changeable, I would decide a good price, stalk prices for several weeks (look every day at google flights), and then jump when you're happy. And then never look back!
 
Frankly, there is a whole science to airfares, but I'll give my 30 second answer...

If you're seeing in the range of $1,800 pp, that's what I've budgeted for BUSINESS class to Europe. There have been many sales run out of NYC both this year and last. For coach, I've even seen sub$500 pp fares lately. Best scenario is to not focus on only flying into BCN if you care more about cost savings vs. convenience. Do note, though, that I have in fact seen BCN included as a destination lately, too (British Air's sale last month comes to mind), so it's not unheard of.

Also, FYI, Google Floghts now let's you set up email alerts for fare changes.

Bottom line - it is WAY too soon to lock in flights for next year, unless you find an incredible fare.
 


I went to Europe in June and I flew with TAP Portugal. They normally have stops in Lisbon...but they were less expensive and I liked the airline. Check them out. I did a multi destination route but we paid about $920 pp for 4 flights. Miami to Lisbon to Venice back to Miami.
I don't know if they fly out of NY though.
 
I have been looking at flights for the Baltic next summer and Google Flights has been great. Flights have been running 1800 per person and today KLM and Air France literally cut their price in half. I have a target, but it has been interesting to see how quickly they fluctuate.
 
I use skyscanner.com and it alerts me - look into Norwegian Air as they have premium class (their first/business class) for very cheap. I'm getting rates at about 680-750/pp one way from Copenhagen to the US depending on where you fly into.

Their economy is $180/pp one way fwiw.
 
Sometimes the early bird gets the worm. I booked the soonest that flights were available for our trip last summer and was able to grab business class seats round trip from San Diego to London and then from Barcelona to San Diego for $2000. I remember the economy prices were good as well. I would just keep checking early and often. Flight pricing is sometimes all over the place!
 
Frankly, there is a whole science to airfares, but I'll give my 30 second answer...

If you're seeing in the range of $1,800 pp, that's what I've budgeted for BUSINESS class to Europe. There have been many sales run out of NYC both this year and last. For coach, I've even seen sub$500 pp fares lately. Best scenario is to not focus on only flying into BCN if you care more about cost savings vs. convenience. Do note, though, that I have in fact seen BCN included as a destination lately, too (British Air's sale last month comes to mind), so it's not unheard of.

Also, FYI, Google Floghts now let's you set up email alerts for fare changes.

Bottom line - it is WAY too soon to lock in flights for next year, unless you find an incredible fare.
I do agree it is early to book for next August so I will keep checking prices and. Ion when I feel prices are good.

Thanks for the info on google flights. I will check look into it.
 
I have been looking at flights for the Baltic next summer and Google Flights has been great. Flights have been running 1800 per person and today KLM and Air France literally cut their price in half. I have a target, but it has been interesting to see how quickly they fluctuate.

It is so frustrating! I have a target too and hope to be able to book something in the range. I have some alerts set up for price changes on different sights so hope they help.
 
We booked the Med cruise for this September in June. We booked our flights at the same time, so only 3 months out. We paid $740pp round trip from St Louis to Bareclona through United. I was pretty happy with that. I hate to say this, but if a major event happens in Europe, look at prices right away. They usually go down. We did that and the prices dropped hundreds of dollars overnight.
 
We booked the Med cruise for this September in June. We booked our flights at the same time, so only 3 months out. We paid $740pp round trip from St Louis to Bareclona through United. I was pretty happy with that. I hate to say this, but if a major event happens in Europe, look at prices right away. They usually go down. We did that and the prices dropped hundreds of dollars overnight.
Sad, but true! Supply & demand at work - although, it's usually only the near-term dates that the airlines are willing to discount... but that's what email alerts are for.
 

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