A Civil World. Off-topic discussions on a variety of topics. > Time For a Coffee Break!

Flying to Europe

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mumma to KMC:
Dh and I have a dear friend who lives in Italy. He is the Godfather of our ds but has never met him. As our friend is a Monk, he isn't able to come back to the states very often and when he does, he visits his family on the other side of the country. Alas, we are getting a pretty decent tax return and are thinking about using that to go to visit him. This is where I need help. I don't have a problem booking tickets over the internet when I fly somewhere in the US. I am even willing to buy tickets over the internet to fly to Europe, however, I haven't a clue where to start. I have heard that one can fly from one place in Europe to another for US$50. I am open to flying to the cheapest place in Europe then getting a $50 flight if possible (if it is the cheaper way to go.)

So my question is: does anyone have any suggestions for cheap flights to Europe/Italy. We will be flying with ds and dd and not going for a while. (If anyone can suggest a month to go in too, that would be great!) DS will is one and dd is a newborn. I plan on buying the extra seat for him and depending how old she is when we go, we will probably buy a seat for her too.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Sophia:
I used to go 3 or 4 times a year.  It was for work, but then I would tack on some vacation days at the end. 

General advice:  Don't book a cheap flight to Europe, hoping to get a $50 flight to where you want to go.  Book both together.  It is like getting a cheap flight in the US. They are available, but the second you count on one, they aren't there.  Leave more time for being at the connecting airport than for inside America.  Think Chicago O'hare, only more spread out.  Also, you really don't want to be in a foreign country without your luggage. 
Also, consider a train.  No guarantees that it will work out cheaper, especially if you only plan on seeing your friend and not exploring also.  But if you do plan on exploring, a Eurorail pass is wonderful.  Also, train and plane stations are usually together. 
Ask your friend about when everyone will be on vacation.  I seem to remember Italy is one of the countries where everyone goes on vacation for the same week.  I know at one time they had to make a law that bakeries couldn't close during vacation week, because otherwise tourists would starve. 

Where you going?  The Naples Museum and the Vatican Museum are 2 of my 5 favorite museums.  But then, I like Ancient Rome. 

Jaywalker:
once you decide on your timing then start looking on expedia and other sites for good deals -- you might want to try over a month or so and try booking at 2 am -- although rates are very high now compared to earlier years, I have often found in the past that they vary a lot -- and that sometimes cheap tickets are available briefly at odd hours

we have used the on line booking sites with no problem -- do check the cost on the airlines regular sites so you have some idea of the range

I would not use the cheapo flights within Europe -- for one thing they have VERY low luggage limits -- for another they are hit and miss -- and for yet another, if they leave your luggage for a week, tough for you -- or if they can't get you from A to B because they cancel, that is again your tough luck -- the super cheap carriers have NO customer commitment -- you going to miss your unrefundable overseas flight if you can't get there?  tough -- they are great for a lark -- let's go to Barcelona for the weekend from London -- but not for serious complicated travel where you are counting on things to work

good idea to buy a seat for a toddler -- and even a baby is probably better off in her car seat

exciting idea -- have a wonderful trip

Rei-chan:

The last time I was overseas was in 2002, but I remember we got a great deal at USAirways Vacations, that included roundtrip airfare, hotel, and transport from the airport to the hotel and back. 

The website had pictures of the hotel choices, etc.  We even tried to cross-reference with other sites and this ended up being the best package deal we found at the time.  I don't know if things have changed much with USAIR, but it's worth checking out:

http://www.usairwaysvacations.com/

As far as when to go, I would look up the Zagat's Guide to the city you want to visit.  It will give you ideas on what goes on when.  Also, if you go during an "off season" the tickets could be cheaper as well.

GotSquatch:
I work for an airline and have gone to Europe 3 times in the last 5 years.  Going in mid-March to the end of April, I was able to buy round trip tickets each time for around $500 or less from Seattle to Frankfurt Germany.  Definatley online is where you are going to find the best deals.  Check with Expedia, Orbitz or Travelocity and then compare what you can get on that airlines website.  The last time I went, buying directly with the airline was cheapest, also makes it easier for them on their systems.  Good luck and don't forget to pre-reserve seats! 

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