International airfares outrageous now

[Delawaredave5]

We did last August PHL to Zurich, then AMS to PHL on AA.

Booked at like $1,800 pp.

Checked about 2 months before trip, flights went down to $1,100.

Called AA and they quickly/easily gave me credit (in AA account for future - not to CC) for $700.

Good luck.

 

[SDHiker]

We heard airfares were going to be very expensive to Europe next summer because of demand, and because of the Paris Olympics. We were determined to fly Business class to Zurich in June, so watched airfare for the itinerary we wanted EVERY DAY. Finally found Business Class Fully Refundable fares for under 4K each. It's a lot, but we only take a big international trip every 5 years. Plus we are spending an entire month in Switzerland, so we felt it was worth it. BTW, I have not seen the fares lower since. Crazy.

 

[Reese]

Yeah my last trip to Japan was a solo in 2019. Thought I'd plan a solo trip next month and the airfares for premium economy are up by at least a thousand. I decided to look 6 months out using Google Travel and they still show at least a thousand increase over my 2019 trip. Ugh..... Probably just go ahead and go next month if I can find a cheap hotel in Tokyo.

 

[imnontrad]

Yes, prices to Europe are going to be high this summer. A little thing called the Olympics will be going on.

 

[Global Wizzo]

Just looking to purchasing our SFO to Munich and return out of Zurich flights for May/June and the prices are crazy. Literally $2,000 for flights that are typically well under $1,400 for coach.

We go to Europe every year and I've never seen this. I can only guess what middle of summer fares will be like. I can afford these tickets but it's more the point. I hate the thought of having to spend that much money on something that should be hundreds of dollars less. Guess I'll wait it out for awhile and see what they do, hard to believe they could go up any more then they already are.

We did a three week trip for Christmas markets last fall. Original ticket price was nearly 2K for coach. Couple months out, the price dropped and Delta credited the difference. Used that for a July trip to Germany.

Currently finishing up a Thailand/UAE trip. BC fares are generally up 25-30% from what I was paying pre or just after COVID. I also think the bloggers may be wrong and the international markets are softening some. I’m starting to see “sales” to some destinations. Cruise lines are offering more perks to try and fill the boats. Again certain cruises/destinations.

I got a pretty good price tor the April trip Qatar/Turkey/Romania. Still watching for AZ/NZ fares to fall.

But where we go for the last half of the year and when will depend on business fares and good deals.

The airlines are making record profits and the only thing that will change seat costs is people not traveling.

 

[BarbWire]

Probably just go ahead and go next month if I can find a cheap hotel in Tokyo.

I was in Tokyo the last two weeks of December and was able to find decent $100/night for one person at the APA hotels (tiny business rooms). The one opposite the National Diet was quite satisfactory and well located. Hotel Risviglio nearby was also quite satisfactory at about the same price point.

 

[Reese]

I was in Tokyo the last two weeks of December and was able to find decent $100/night for one person at the APA hotels (tiny business rooms). The one opposite the National Diet was quite satisfactory and well located. Hotel Risviglio nearby was also quite satisfactory at about the same price point.

Thank you. I'll check it out.

 

[Buckeye]

If I could afford it and I wanted to go to Europe, I would just buy the tickets and go, rather than declining just because I think the price should be less. I'm not getting any younger.

We postponed a trip to France until late October because of airfares. We tend to go early or late in the year in an attempt to avoid leaving home while the possibility of a hurricane is high. I read only 4% of hurricanes happen after Nov 1 so there's that. Fares before July were really high.

 

[bonvoyage]

It's important not to book too early because many airlines only have placeholder fares more than about three months in advance. These serve the purpose of keeping the flights in the schedule and they don't really expect anyone to book those fares.

 

[skyking1]

Dear wife has ninja-like skills for finding discounts on airfare.

What we typically do is make cancellable hotel or VRBO reservations far in advance and then wife sets up notifications on flights looking for discounts. Usually at some point a discount on air pops up, she jumps on it and away we go. If not we simply cancel the hotel.

Headed down to Cancun next week to a nice four star All-inclusive beach resort @ $350 per nite and air @ $375 R/T from the west coast. Normal air cost is in the $500-$600 R/T with a major airline and current resort costs are running in the $500/nite range.

Thank you, this post gives me hope. One of our first big trips in retirement is a trip to New Zealand and Australia.
I started examining the airfares this morning. It is a couple of years out, so everything will change including the ninja procedures.
I am dreaming about BTD but getting the most from it.

 

[audreyh1]

It's important not to book too early because many airlines only have placeholder fares more than about three months in advance. These serve the purpose of keeping the flights in the schedule and they don't really expect anyone to book those fares.

In the past I’ve had good luck booking about 60 days ahead. The price runs up and down, but at 60 days you are still seeing good prices. It can climb after that, although I’ve seen good fare deals even later but seating is getting tight.

I know my dates. I’ll start tracking soon.

 

[bonvoyage]

In the past I’ve had good luck booking about 60 days ahead. The price runs up and down, but at 60 days you are still seeing good prices. It can climb after that, although I’ve seen good fare deals even later but seating is getting tight.

I know my dates. I’ll start tracking soon.

Exactly - its my experience also that 60 days in advance is about the sweet spot for fares.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I just bought two business class tickets to Zürich for $6k, round trip. Flying out of a small airport always comes with a premium, but driving four hours to Dulles each way didn’t seem worth it. Thing is, the cheapest available three days ago was $9k, for two round trip tickets. Maybe it will drop more, but what the hey. We lost out on a cruise earlier this year when I waited a day and it sold out. Not that these flights were in danger of that.

 

[rodi]

I had a bad experience with Google flights this week. We had to come home early from SE Asia due to a death in the family. I was pricing/booking flights for my sons to get from LAX to PHL rt for the funeral. It was quoting $900 each. Sure, less than 7 days till travel but $900 for red-eyes on Spirit I went to AA directly and it was $550 for nonstops. These flights showed more expensive on Google flights.

And yes I was in an incognito browser.

 

[audreyh1]

Always good to double check I guess.

So sorry for your loss.

 

[jim584672]

NY to London $99 one way February 3rd via Google flights.

I haven't seen this rate since pre-pandemic.
---------------------------------------------
6:10 PM John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Travel time: 6 hr 50 min

Overnight

6:00 AM+1 London Gatwick Airport (LGW) (LGW)

Norse Atlantic UK Economy Boeing 787Z0 702

$99 one way.

 

[brett]

I am shopping Calgary-Casablanca, Morocco for mid March to mid April.

Prices seem to be holding. $750USD return.

Air Canada. Change planes in Montreal.

Cannot book for two weeks so I hope that the price holds.

 

[brett]

Just picked a great return fare from Calgary, Canada to Paris CDG. May 6/June 13

$600 CAD/$450 USD

 

[audreyh1]

It's important not to book too early because many airlines only have placeholder fares more than about three months in advance. These serve the purpose of keeping the flights in the schedule and they don't really expect anyone to book those fares.

In the past I’ve had good luck booking about 60 days ahead. The price runs up and down, but at 60 days you are still seeing good prices. It can climb after that, although I’ve seen good fare deals even later but seating is getting tight.

I know my dates. I’ll start tracking soon.

Exactly - its my experience also that 60 days in advance is about the sweet spot for fares.

I’ve been tracking a round trip business class flight to Europe this summer so peak tourist season. The prices have been quite high. However I don’t usually buy more than 90 days in advance as past experience indicates up to 60 days in advance you can find good deals. This time I started tracking a lot earlier 120+ days in advance as I had other fixed plans. I wasn’t that surprised to see high prices. So I’ve waited.

I just got a email notification from Google Flights early this morning that the price had dropped considerably. It’s a Tuesday and we are within the 90 day window. Price is much closer to I paid last year which was not in peak tourist season.

Anyway, just be aware that early prices tend to be high.

 

[target2019]

$824.70 for round trip PHL to Barcelona BCN. This is for late April.

Add $240 additional for seat and baggage selection.

 

[Gumby]

Just starting to look at flights to Japan for an early November two week trip. From JFK to Tokyo, round trip business class is $7000 each (no way I'm suffering a 14 hour flight crammed in coach). I don't know how that price compares to other times.

 

[bonvoyage]

Just starting to look at flights to Japan for an early November two week trip. From JFK to Tokyo, round trip business class is $7000 each (no way I'm suffering a 14 hour flight crammed in coach). I don't know how that price compares to other times.

It's a lot more than it was pre-Covid for sure but not totally outrageous. Due to the closure of Russian airspace, flights have been taking a longer route.

A few benchmarks: Last year we flew on Emirates to Asia and paid about $6k for business class tickets. This year, we are flying business class to Ireland and it cost $4300 on United. It would have been cheaper via LHR on BA but I am glad to avoid the hassle of transit through T5.

 

[sengsational]

I’ve been tracking a round trip business class flight to Europe this summer so peak tourist season. The prices have been quite high. However I don’t usually buy more than 90 days in advance as past experience indicates up to 60 days in advance you can find good deals. This time I started tracking a lot earlier 120+ days in advance as I had other fixed plans. I wasn’t that surprised to see high prices. So I’ve waited.

I just got a email notification from Google Flights early this morning that the price had dropped considerably. It’s a Tuesday and we are within the 90 day window. Price is much closer to I paid last year which was not in peak tourist season.

Anyway, just be aware that early prices tend to be high.

I wonder if it's different for Europe and different for seasonality. I just did Micheal's Japan search and business non-stop is 9K for less than 60 days, then pretty solid 8K at the 90 day mark, then dropping to 7K. November was lowest, but not by all that much on a percentage basis. The range is 6.8 to 9.5.


My technique to fly business out of Toronto doesn't seem to work for Japan. I'm loving the competition this fall out of Toronto to Ponta Delgada. Lie flat business is less than $1K!! And it's only $100 more to get to the mainland after our island adventure.

 

[tulak]

I'm looking for tickets around end of June for Asia or Europe, preferably Asia.

Non-stop flights to Tokyo are around $2k for basic economy, add $200 for main cabin economy (Delta). What's interesting is that tickets are around that price going out for months, except for some cheaper flights at the end of April. Usually I see lower prices in the Fall, but not to Tokyo. It makes me think that there might not be a drop in prices?

As for Europe, there's a lot more fluctuation, but unfortunately for the time we're looking prices are still higher. Right now, flights to Amsterdam are a better deal, around 1.1/1.2k for basic economy, with London and Paris more expensive. We'd only use one of those cities as a transit point to somewhere else in Europe, probably Croatia.

 

[DrRoy]

Just starting to look at flights to Japan for an early November two week trip. From JFK to Tokyo, round trip business class is $7000 each (no way I'm suffering a 14 hour flight crammed in coach). I don't know how that price compares to other times.

We have started flying business overnight to Europe since DW had a rough overnight experience a couple years ago. Coach home during the day is fine.