Best time to book airfare for Europe June 2016 departure

[ctfl2009]

any advice on when to book airfare? We are going on the June 25th Italy/Switzerland trip. I haven't traveled to Europe since 1999 and have no idea of the typical Windows for getting the best price if that exists

 

[sayhello]

Well, I've already purchased my airfare to Europe for my July ABD because ABD was able to quote me a price $400 - $500 less than I was able to find it. I really wouldn't wait past the end of February. The days of airfare getting cheaper as the dates get closer are long gone. My experience lately has been, if you find a fare that you think is reasonable, take it. I have a tendency to torture myself by still following the prices after I purchase my tickets, and the last few years, they have only gone up. Just my experience, YYMV

Sayhello

 

[BadPinkTink]

I agree, I do the opposite, I travel from Europe to USA every June. I use www.skyscanner.com and book my flights by the first week in February.

For long haul transatlantic flights its best to book 5 months or more before departure date, the nearer to departure date, the higher the prices. For example, my flights Europe to LAX return for June booked in January cost approx €600 , the same seats booked end April, start May can be over €1000

 

[tgeorge]

I just bought tickets for my mom and I to France in July. I kept watching skyscanner, momondo and kayak. Kayak was nice because I could put in a price alert. I don't think you can do that for multi city flights though. The price for non-stop from Chicago to Paris dropped from $1130 to $872 and I grabbed it! I would start looking now. I was shocked to see the price drop and figured I couldn't wait. Glad I grabbed them because the price has since jumped back up.

 

[ctfl2009]

The price is $1500 and up for the Miami to Milan and Zurich to Miami. If i book through disney i get a refund if the trip is cancelled? My trip is already guaranteed.

 

[ctfl2009]

its difficult to figure out the mulitcity on any of those sites. Any other tips? Does $1500 sound in a good range? I have no idea on prices for european flights.

 

[BadPinkTink]

@ctfl2009 that seems an awful lot for this far out. How many people is that for? Where did you get that quote from? Have you plugged your travel dates into www.skyscanner.com

 

[ctfl2009]

it seems high to me but again i only travel domestically. I tried using skyscanner but i cant get it to work for a multicity ticket. If I do a one way ticket the price is astronomical.

Per adult $1564.35

For child $1338.35

 

[ctfl2009]

@ctfl2009 that seems an awful lot for this far out. How many people is that for? Where did you get that quote from? Have you plugged your travel dates into www.skyscanner.com

it seems high to me but again i only travel domestically. I tried using skyscanner but i cant get it to work for a multicity ticket. If I do a one way ticket the price is astronomical.
Per adult $1564.35

For child $1338.35

 

[BadPinkTink]

The reason USA / Europe one way tickets are stupid prices is because of US Homeland Security. Its because they dont want Europeans arriving in USA without a return ticket, ie they try to limit the amount of Visa over stayers. I found this out a few years ago when I wanted to do Europe to New Orleans, LAX to Europe.

ok I just checked skyscanner 1 person Miami 24 June to Milan, 8 July Zurich to Miami http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/...ildren=0&infants=0&cabinclass=economy#results

Have a look and you can change dates etc

 

[ctfl2009]

The reason USA / Europe one way tickets are stupid prices is because of US Homeland Security. Its because they dont want Europeans arriving in USA without a return ticket, ie they try to limit the amount of Visa over stayers. I found this out a few years ago when I wanted to do Europe to New Orleans, LAX to Europe.

ok I just checked skyscanner 1 person Miami 24 June to Milan, 8 July Zurich to Miami http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/...ildren=0&infants=0&cabinclass=economy#results

Have a look and you can change dates etc

thank you! some are a bit less. Guess those are expensive tickets...

 

[Woodview]

Here is an idea Book Miami to Milan Return .......... And Train from Zurich to Milan

Or Hire a car for 1 day & drive from Zurich to Milan

 

[sayhello]

it seems high to me but again i only travel domestically. I tried using skyscanner but i cant get it to work for a multicity ticket. If I do a one way ticket the price is astronomical.
Per adult $1564.35

For child $1338.35

It really depends on where you are flying from. Are they direct flights from Miami? Unlike domestic flights where direct flights tend to be way more expensive, direct overseas flights from the US to Europe tend to be *much* cheaper. I live in Columbus, OH, and flying from there always involves flying to some major hub like NYC or Chicago, and the prices you're quoting would be perfectly normal (and a bit on the low side). If they are direct flights, then they probably are a little high.

Sayhello

ETA: It looks like the only way to get multi-city on skycanner is to change your country in the site selection up in the right-hand corner of the page. If you select USA, you don't get a multi-city option. Since the link had the country set to Ireland, you saw that option. Frequently, the airfares available in Europe are far less than the airfares available in the US. It would be interesting to see if you could actually get one of the airfares brought up as if you were in Ireland.

 

[TXTransplant]

We flew to Germany last June and I booked about a week or two before the final payment was due (so a little more than 90 days out). That also coincided with the lowest price on our flights (I had been watching since probably Sept of the previous year). I also booked mine through ABD so there would be no issues if he trip was cancelled. I told my TA/ABD exactly what flights I wanted (including seats) and paid the same price.


We flew United (direct) from IAH to FRA and then MUC to IAH and I paid $1800 a ticket. I'm looking at tickets to Rome for June 2016 and they have been sitting right at the same price.

 

[Rapunzellover]

I got my tixs months ago for Germany/Spain in July this year. A little under 2100 for SFO to FRA, MUN/MAD, and BAR/SFO. Using one way tixs is a drag, but back to back adventures is saving me airfare in the long run.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We buy several RT tickets to Europe yearly, and in my experience, it's unlikely ticket prices will drop between now and June. I would have purchased my tickets a few months ago.

 

[carpenta]

Unless your trip is "guaranteed departure" than you may get stuck with the tickets.......it has happened before..........and my experience it is never "cheap" to fly to Europe.

 

[kaseyC]

We took advantage of the British Airways Business class sale in October for our Eastern Med cruise and vacation in Greece. With the sale and AARP discount we got ORD-BCN and ATH-ORD Business class tickets for a total of 1550pp. Less than what economy tickets were going for at the time.

 

[sayhello]

We took advantage of the British Airways Business class sale in October for our Eastern Med cruise and vacation in Greece. With the sale and AARP discount we got ORD-BCN and ATH-ORD Business class tickets for a total of 1550pp. Less than what economy tickets were going for at the time.

WOW! That's amazing! Wish I'd known about that!

Sayhello

 

[kaseyC]

WOW! That's amazing! Wish I'd known about that!

Sayhello

I got very lucky. Someone posted about it on the DCL board. I usually miss those kinds of things. Going through AARP site took $400pp off the already discounted prices.