Flying overseas?

[BillSears]

My Mom and Aunt are planning a trip from Baltimore to Lisbon and of course they asked me about internet flight sales. I was wondering if any of you had reccomendations for the best way to book a flight from the Baltimore area to Lisbon?

 

[Safari Queen]

Try kayak.com. It searches dozens of airlines.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

When will you be traveling? I can then provide better advice.

BobK/Orlando

 

[BillSears]

Thanks.

Bob, I won't be travelling but my Aunt will be heading to Lisbon in the first week of May and my Mom will be traveling in the second week of May. My Aunt will be coming back at the end of May and my Mom returns at the end of the third week of May. So my Aunt will be there about four weeks and My Mom will be there two weeks.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Bill, sometime in January the airlines typically run their international sales which cover the remainder of winter (low season) and spring (shoulder season). Your relatives will be traveling in shoulder season so there should be some decent sales.

The lowest fares will be Monday thru Thursday in both directions with weekend surcharges of $25-30 more each way for each weekend day. Often international sale fares to Europe have a maximum stay of 30-days so it might be important to limit your Aunt to that. (Some fares don't have that rule.)

Currently the lowest roundtrip fare BWI-LIS is $536 + tax on CO, NW-KL and US. Unfortunately, international taxes and fuel surcharges have become outrageous so you have to add a LOT more to that figure. I would expect a sale fare to be at least $100 less than the above.

Watch for the sale in the next few weeks. Compare prices on Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz. I'm a part-time travel agent and we also use consolidators to Europe. DO call a couple travel agents and get quotes to compare to the above websites; even with their service charge you could save money off official fares.

No one flies nonstop from BWI (or WAS) to Lisbon so there will be a connection somewhere. Baltimore and Washington fares are usually common-rated but sometimes not, so when you're searching do also check Washington unless that is too far from you. Also at least consider PHL unless that is too far too. Often Philadelphia is in the same fare circle with NYC which nearly always has the lowest fares to Europe.

BobK/Orlando

 

[BillSears]

Thanks alot Bob! That's a big help!