US-London-Frankfurt-US

[bobkatevan]

My family of three is traveling in June 10 on a Baltic Sea Cruise. We want to travel from US to London, then to Frankfurt, and then back to US. I priced on expedia and cost was $2000 a person. Pricey! Does anyone know when the best time to book airline tickets for international travel? Also, does anyone know of a cheaper way to make this type of travel arrangements? Would going through the cruiseline be a better approach for airline tickets? :confused:

[6rugrats]

I am not sure by your post what routing you want. Are you flying US-LRH and then return FRA-US? What is your return date and from what US city are you flying? More specific information is always helpful.

 

Buy the tickets when they are the least expensive; unfortunately, no one can tell you when this is, and you want to go during one of the highest price times of the year.

 

For an explanation about cruise air, highly advise you read this thread, which is a sticky at the top of the forum and then make up your own mind if cruise air is "better". It will almost certainly be more expensive.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322

 

I did a quick look, just picking PHX-LHR with return FRA-PHX for departure date 09 June and return 17 June and also looked at a return date of 22 June and found prices to average about $1200. Your prices seem too high.

[Globaliser]

My family of three is traveling in June 10 on a Baltic Sea Cruise. We want to travel from US to London, then to Frankfurt, and then back to US. I priced on expedia and cost was $2000 a person. Pricey!

It shouldn't be this much. I've just had a look for 10 June/20 June flights on your itinerary, and there are plenty of AA one-stop itineraries for $1363. It's probably not a good time for cheapie fares, but there doesn't seem to be any reason why you should be paying as much as $2K.

[scottbee]

My family of three is traveling in June 10 on a Baltic Sea Cruise. We want to travel from US to London, then to Frankfurt, and then back to US. I priced on expedia and cost was $2000 a person. Pricey! Does anyone know when the best time to book airline tickets for international travel? Also, does anyone know of a cheaper way to make this type of travel arrangements? Would going through the cruiseline be a better approach for airline tickets? :confused:

 

 

Try pricing it as two tickets

 

• TUS-LHR / FRA-TUS (open jaw)
  
• and UK - FRA
  

I offer the latter as UK, because for instance if you're cruising out of Southampton, you could fly that stage as SOU/Southampton-FRA

[bobkatevan]

We plan to fly out of Tucson or Phoenix AZ. I checked again today on Expedia. I still came up with 2000 from Tucson-London-Frankfurt-Tucson. I checked Phoenix and it was 1550. We'd travel around 26 Jun to 17 Jul. Does anyone think it would be smarter/cheaper to book round trip to London roundtrip to US and catch a separate flight from Frankfurt to London roundtrip? I read some of the smaller commuter flights don't allow much luggage and we'll each have one large suitcase (at least).:eek:

[rich40245]

I would check again. As Globaliser said ...

It shouldn't be this much. I've just had a look for 10 June/20 June flights on your itinerary, and there are plenty of AA one-stop itineraries for $1363. It's probably not a good time for cheapie fares, but there doesn't seem to be any reason why you should be paying as much as $2K.

 

I just checked Expedia for 26 June TUS-LHR, and return 17 July FRA-TUS and came up with 12 different options for between $1333.80 & 1382.80 per person for three adults (incl taxes & fees, not bags). (On Expedia, price it as one ticket. Use the 'Multiple Destinations' option.')

 

Rich

[FlyerTalker]

If you are looking at a triangle routing of Arizona-London-Frankfurt-Arizona, you will definitely have an issue with different luggage allowances. Your LON-FRA segment will have a more restrictive allowance than the other two segments.

 

Also, because you have three segments, you'll be paying more than what you'd find for just a typical R/T.

 

I get the feeling that this is what you are planning:

 

Fly AZ to UK

Cruise round-trip UK to UK

Fly to FRA

Vacation in Germany

Fly to AZ.

 

If that's the case, could you please confirm. Or just what are you trying to accomplish, so that I might know how to proceed? Or do you just want generalities?

 

Also, there is no "best time" to book. As for "cheaper way", much depends on knowing just what it is that you are trying to do. And "going through the cruiseline" also depends on what you want, and haven't yet told us.

[Globaliser]

We plan to fly out of Tucson or Phoenix AZ. I checked again today on Expedia. I still came up with 2000 from Tucson-London-Frankfurt-Tucson.

I'm sorry, this is partly my fault from mis-reading your post. I hadn't picked up that you want to fly from London to Frankfurt as well.

 

But even including that, I am still getting prices from about $1,622 starting from Tucson, or $1,552 from Phoenix.

 

However, the prices without the London-Frankfurt flight are from $1,363 (Tucson) or $1,302 (Phoenix). So you'd effectively be paying about $250-260 for that one-way flight. That's too much. For that time of the year, you can currrently get one-way flights from $85-95 per person (this is on Lufthansa and BA, not low-fare airlines).

 

On the assumption that you plan to spend time in both London and Frankfurt, the only reason for effectively paying $250-260 one way is if the extra baggage charges on a London-Frankfurt flight bought separately amount to more than $165 (the difference between $85 and $250). That seems unlikely.

[bobkatevan]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm checking on the one way flights and the multi option. What is BA? British Air? So BA and Luftansa offer normal flights to allow larger suitcases?

[Globaliser]

What is BA? British Air?

No, it's British Airways. ;) (It's never "British" or "British Air", but "BA" is an acceptable abbreviation as it's the airline's two-letter IATA code as well as being the initials of its name.)

So BA and Luftansa offer normal flights to allow larger suitcases?

Not quite sure what you're asking here.

 

BA and Lufthansa are both full service airlines, so you will get a baggage allowance included with the price of your ticket. You have to check with the airlines to make sure how much. They each also make reasonably clear on their websites how much the excess baggage charges are.

 

The point that I was making was that if you buy one ticket that includes the London-Frankfurt flight, you might be paying about $250. But if you buy an open-jaw ticket for the long flights, and then buy London-Frankfurt separately, you might be able to get that sector for less in total even if you have to pay some excess baggage fees.

[AZjohn]

Hi bobkatevan,

 

I think it would help if you still answered FlyerTalker question on what you are exactly trying to do with your itinerary and give specific dates so they can help you (date between LHR and FRA).

 

We did something similar a couple months ago out of TUS and ended up purchasing an open jaw and a separate one way. BUT, the baggage charges for that one way in Europe has to be figured into your budget (most airlines there only allow 1 bag at 44 lbs per person).

 

Out of Tucson for your open jaw (TUS to LHR and then FRA back to TUS) shouldn’t cost more than $1,000 and I find the best prices a few months out (but you never know with airline fees). Please get back with us with more specific info.;)

 

John

[FlyerTalker]

No, it's British Airways. ;) (It's never "British" or "British Air", but "BA" is an acceptable abbreviation as it's the airline's two-letter IATA code as well as being the initials of its name.)

This may be a bit of "inside baseball" but for a while in the early 80's, BA used just the word "British" on the sides of its aircraft, with no "Airways".:D So maybe now it's "never" just "British".;)

 

Take a look at THIS PHOTO or THIS PHOTO for confirmation.

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion (where we are still trying to figure out what the OP really wants to do).

[Gardyloo]

This may be a bit of "inside baseball" but for a while in the early 80's, BA used just the word "British" on the sides of its aircraft, with no "Airways".:D So maybe now it's "never" just "British".;)

Unfortunately, the most applicable initials, LA - for London Airways - have been taken. ;)

[bobkatevan]

We'd travel around 26 Jun to London, take cruise, go back to London, sightsee a few days in London, catch a flight to Frankfurt around 10 July, sightsee and then we need to get back to Tucson (vacation would have to end, unfortunately). Whether that would be flying back to London to get back to Tucson or go out of Frankfurt (preferred). I'm trying to find the lowest/most convient with luggage, flights. Hopefully that's more clear. We'll plan to have three bags under 44#.:D

[Globaliser]

This may be a bit of "inside baseball" but for a while in the early 80's, BA used just the word "British" on the sides of its aircraft, with no "Airways".

That was a dreadful episode in BA liveries. But even then, whatever the aircraft said on their sides, the airline was not called "British".