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Message
A few tips for Student Travelers and others traveling internationally...
Posted on 7/17/16 at 4:57 am
Posted on 7/17/16 at 4:57 am
So, I recently went to Dublin, London and Amsterdam roundtrip for $660 from June 24-July 5th without using low cost carriers (except RyanAir once). The amounts paid were as follows:
DC->London->Dublin (10hrs tot.) with British Airways= $220
Dublin->London via Ryan Air Business= $60
London->Amsterdam via British Airways= $80
Amsterdam -> Philly->DC (10 hours, American)= $300
I aggregated all kinds of data, mainly through trial and error. I could never figure out how to do those mileage dumps or get access to the boards where they are posted. So, I went old school starting three months out.
1. I booked in segments. At first I was going round trip (when I was just going to London), but then realized it's cheaper to target segments at certain times. You can start to spot trends if using Kayak. Different segments go on sale at separate times.
2. StudentUniverse is your friend. You can get pretty awesome discounted flight prices using them, but you have to know when to book. Their new flight prices roll out on a Saturday morning. Also, you'll get wild discounted between 12AM-3AM EST during the week. Plus first time buyers get an additional $30-$50 discount on first flight purchased.
3. Don't be a sucker and pay over $800 RT for anything to Europe. Now, I know many on this board are from BR and NOLA. Unfortunately, I that affects your flight prices not being near a bigger airport. But if you're willing to put in the work, deals can be had.
DC->London->Dublin (10hrs tot.) with British Airways= $220
Dublin->London via Ryan Air Business= $60
London->Amsterdam via British Airways= $80
Amsterdam -> Philly->DC (10 hours, American)= $300
I aggregated all kinds of data, mainly through trial and error. I could never figure out how to do those mileage dumps or get access to the boards where they are posted. So, I went old school starting three months out.
1. I booked in segments. At first I was going round trip (when I was just going to London), but then realized it's cheaper to target segments at certain times. You can start to spot trends if using Kayak. Different segments go on sale at separate times.
2. StudentUniverse is your friend. You can get pretty awesome discounted flight prices using them, but you have to know when to book. Their new flight prices roll out on a Saturday morning. Also, you'll get wild discounted between 12AM-3AM EST during the week. Plus first time buyers get an additional $30-$50 discount on first flight purchased.
3. Don't be a sucker and pay over $800 RT for anything to Europe. Now, I know many on this board are from BR and NOLA. Unfortunately, I that affects your flight prices not being near a bigger airport. But if you're willing to put in the work, deals can be had.
6
Posted on 7/17/16 at 8:09 am to DupontsCircle
quote:Great you live near a place that has cheap air.... Louisiana has NOTHING that low
DC->London->Dublin (10hrs tot.) with British Airways= $220
Posted on 7/17/16 at 9:46 am to tduecen
quote:
Great you live near a place that has cheap air.
And DFW is monopolized by American Airlines. There are other carriers but not enough to lower prices as AA owns most of the gates. But definitely look at flying from your city to an east coast city as your European flight origination point. But for us that usually means 2 layover/connections.....DFW to NYC to London to City X. I just want 1 connection at most when I go to europe.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 10:01 am to Zappas Stache
Right now all three carriers are running a major sale to Europe. Pretty much any US airport to any European airport is down to $650. NYC to Dublin is cheapest at $293. Not error fares. Book on priceline today and think later. You'll have until tomorrow midnight to cancel.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 10:40 am to DupontsCircle
While I won't be traveling to Europe any time soon, this is damn good info to know...thanks for telling us the methodology that you used to find all of this... 
Posted on 7/17/16 at 11:30 am to AmeriKop45
quote:
Right now all three carriers are running a major sale to Europe. Pretty much any US airport to any European airport is down to $650. NYC to Dublin is cheapest at $293. Not error fares
I absolutely loved Dublin and plan to make a return trip in the Fall.
I went for a grad school short term study abroad program. A buddy of mine went round trip to London (I sandwiched in a vacation), and paid $1100 with WOW Air with no research. Stay away.
I repeat. Stay away from WOW or any other low cost carrier to Europe.
My worst flight was with American. Imagine a steel dungeon with no inflight entertainment. Geez it was horrible. It's British Airways or bust for me from now on.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 12:18 pm to DupontsCircle
Thanks, will be studying in New Zealand next year
Posted on 7/17/16 at 4:24 pm to Zappas Stache
Yeah looking at one-way flights to Lisbon, Madrid, or Barcelona from New Orleans the cheapest I see is 958 and then coming back 1,241....
I'm probably going to have to fly to a major hub and then fly out from there. We haven't decided if we are going to Lisbon first or Madrid first but either way it is expensive from here.
I'm probably going to have to fly to a major hub and then fly out from there. We haven't decided if we are going to Lisbon first or Madrid first but either way it is expensive from here.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 5:10 pm to tduecen
You really can't compare the Northeast flight prices to the rest of the country. Airfare from DC, Boston, NY, Baltimore, etc. are waaaay cheaper on average than Atl, Charlotte, MSY, Houston, etc. that the majority of this board would fly out of.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 5:50 pm to baldona
quote:I know that is the point of my first post, the second is just giving examples of the cost. If I lived near Washington D.C. or New York it would be really easy to make European trips. However, I pay 700-1100 more being based out of New Orleans.
You really can't compare the Northeast flight prices to the rest of the country.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 6:07 pm to tduecen
Idk where you're getting these numbers from. $604 MSY-MAD in September.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 6:58 pm to AmeriKop45
quote:
Idk where you're getting these numbers from. $604 MSY-MAD in September.
From looking every other day, it is rather simple since I check often. I see nothing under 1200 for September for round trip and 931 for one-way.
So maybe it is the time you searched, but my numbers come from what I see.
Posted on 7/17/16 at 7:34 pm to DupontsCircle
I'll add a tip. Don't get annihilated drunk while overseas.
American kid died his first night in Rome, got into a situation where he was arguing with people, etc and was probably murdered.
My wife had a friend she met in Prague go to Germany, get drunk and lost his friend. They ended up finding him dead in the river.
Just a PSA
American kid died his first night in Rome, got into a situation where he was arguing with people, etc and was probably murdered.
My wife had a friend she met in Prague go to Germany, get drunk and lost his friend. They ended up finding him dead in the river.
Just a PSA
This post was edited on 7/17/16 at 7:35 pm
Posted on 7/17/16 at 7:35 pm to Teddy Ruxpin
I got drunk in Belgium and made friends, even added them on Fb so we became official 
Posted on 7/17/16 at 10:02 pm to tduecen
There are (still) plenty of dates in September with sub $700 prices (RT). Just check google flights.
This post was edited on 7/17/16 at 10:04 pm
Posted on 7/17/16 at 10:15 pm to AmeriKop45
The issue is I am not looking for next couple of months, I am looking for April-June 2017 and the cheapest current is 1140 RT.
However, because we want to visit Lisbon, Barcelona, and Madrid we are probably flying either into Lisbon or Barcelona and working our way to the other. So I'm looking for a one-way ticket moreso.
One way to Lisbon for the months I'm looking at: 667 in April and May. 967 in June currently.
One way to Barcelona: 964 in April, 1,212 in May, 1,212 in June currently.
So even booking the 667 to Lisbon my return flight from Barcelona the cheapest is 1,881 currently. At least for the 16-20 days I plan on being in the countries.
Of course, I plan on traveling by train once I've landed but for my flights from New Orleans it isn't "600."
Now they may have better deals the closer I get and I'm waiting to see if I can't find another deal how we had recently at around 400. But what I am currently looking at is exactly what I stated earlier.
However, because we want to visit Lisbon, Barcelona, and Madrid we are probably flying either into Lisbon or Barcelona and working our way to the other. So I'm looking for a one-way ticket moreso.
One way to Lisbon for the months I'm looking at: 667 in April and May. 967 in June currently.
One way to Barcelona: 964 in April, 1,212 in May, 1,212 in June currently.
So even booking the 667 to Lisbon my return flight from Barcelona the cheapest is 1,881 currently. At least for the 16-20 days I plan on being in the countries.
Of course, I plan on traveling by train once I've landed but for my flights from New Orleans it isn't "600."
Now they may have better deals the closer I get and I'm waiting to see if I can't find another deal how we had recently at around 400. But what I am currently looking at is exactly what I stated earlier.
Posted on 7/18/16 at 8:41 am to DupontsCircle
quote:
So, I recently went to Dublin, London and Amsterdam roundtrip for $660
That's awesome and all, but like others have said, unless you live near a major east coast hub, you can't touch those prices.
From BTR to LAS with decent arrival/departure times costs that much, unless you are using miles.
Posted on 7/18/16 at 6:07 pm to tduecen
Then you need to wait. That is almost a year away, there will likely be deals come up in the fall/winter
Posted on 7/18/16 at 6:38 pm to LSUtoOmaha
quote:No not really.... by looking every day I am seeing how the prices change and if one drops to where I want I can book. That whole wait 3 months before leaving thing is a myth.
Then you need to wait.
Posted on 7/18/16 at 8:13 pm to DupontsCircle
Even if you are booking one ways, sometimes it's cheaper to book a round trip. No joke, I once was flying back from Rome and it was roughly $300 cheaper to book a round trip ticket (with the return on Christmas) than it was to book a one way.
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