Air Fare to Barcelona?

[MarilynTX]

I've been checking on airfare for our August 8 NCL Jade cruise and I think I am going to have a stroke. :eek: Is there a trick for international flying? The airfares are more than the cruise.

[imsulin]

August is the "prime travel month" for most European countries, as that's when many Europeans take their month-long yearly Holiday. Flights to Europe in summer months are always high....because that's when most Americans and other non-Europeans go there. Those summer prices have been high for years.

[Atomica]

You're not alone - our flights to Barcelona from Vancouver for our upcoming cruise cost us a fair bit of cash. We could have cruised to Alaska for what it cost us per person.

 

But like imsulin said - it's prime-time for flights.

 

You can find cheap(ish) flights if you're willing to connect through a bunch of different cities - I know at one point Continental was really pushing the departures out of Newark to BCN, but they were on a 757 and I didn't feel like being trapped on a single-aisle plane for almost eight hours.

 

Still, if you're willing to compromise, deals can be had - but even those probably won't be 'cheap'.

[fbgd]

I've been checking on airfare for our August 8 NCL Jade cruise and I think I am going to have a stroke. :eek: Is there a trick for international flying? The airfares are more than the cruise.

 

Dates?

Airports?

Prices you're seeing?

Prices you want to see?

 

The more specific you are the more specific the help can be.

[imsulin]

Have you priced cruise air? As much as I don't like it for domestic flights, you might be able to get a better deal on international flights through the cruise line.

[MarilynTX]

DFW to Barcelona

Depart August 6, 2010 Return August 15, 2010

Family of 4

Cheapest Rate found was $1150 pp :eek:

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

[fbgd]

DFW to Barcelona

Depart August 6, 2010 Return August 15, 2010

Family of 4

Cheapest Rate found was $1150 pp :eek:

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

 

Personally I think you're being unrealistic. You're travelling in high season on a route without a huge amount of competition.

 

I'd say you could have probably done better than $1150 had you booked earlier but I'd say it is a fair price.

[imsulin]

DFW to Barcelona

Depart August 6, 2010 Return August 15, 2010

Family of 4

Cheapest Rate found was $1150 pp :eek:

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

 

Did you price cruise air? (I think I posted this). I generally hate cruise air, but for international flights, you can often get a much better deal. Check out(and pay for) the air deviation fee, though. It's worth it. You're flying to Europe at one of the most expensive times of the year.

[quanmama]

DFW to Barcelona

Depart August 6, 2010 Return August 15, 2010

Family of 4

Cheapest Rate found was $1150 pp :eek:

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

 

We are going to Barcelona in June. I would say grab that fare for August! This fare is what I have been seeing for June also and in fact they are slowing creeping up based on my search. Based on what I have heard and seen, August's fare is worse than June! I have done quite a bit of research and have been watching the fares closely. We paid just as much to book our flights from SFO to BCN on British Airways. Since you will be on a cruise, there is not a whole lot of wiggling room to play around the dates. I highly doubt there will be a $750 pp fare for August, unless huge sale pops up. The only big sale that I am aware of this year was the one back in March by Swiss air and it lasted only a day. It still would have cost each of us a bit over $900 to fly on Swiss Air. I missed that sale!

 

I totally understand where you are coming from and I know it is frustrating not getting the kind of fare you want, although it is the premium we have to pay when traveling during peak season. Good luck finding a good fare!

[Gardyloo]

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

Based on what? Not saying you can't get $750 fares DFW-BCN, you can.... in November.

[Twickenham]

I've been checking on airfare for our August 8 NCL Jade cruise and I think I am going to have a stroke. :eek: Is there a trick for international flying? The airfares are more than the cruise.

 

My standard question for those who ask this kind of question: did you price airfare before you booked the cruise?

As always, flexibility is key. Mid-week is usually cheaper than the weekend. For instance, if you fly out on August 4th and back on the 17th, I'm seeing $987 on USAir.

Alas, I fear the $750 range is unachieveable in August.

[FlyerTalker]

The airfares are more than the cruise.

And your point? Are you saying that the airfare should always be less than your cruise ticket? Is there some magic metric that relates that price of getting to a cruise with the price of the cruise itself?

 

Or, did you not really think about the cost of air transportation when you were planning/budgeting/pricing/purchasing the cruise?

[FlyerTalker]

I'm hoping for $750 pp :confused:

In a potential teaching moment for others.....why were you "hoping" for $750? And was there any rational basis for this "hope"? Or was this just a guess based on a wish that you wanted to pay that price?

 

The reason - many have EXTREMELY unrealistic views of international airfare pricing.....and your input may help others to ground their planning in reality.

[Globaliser]

I'm hoping for $750 pp

Like others, I think this is simply unrealistic.

 

Also, like others I don't know why you'd expect the air fare to be less than the cruise. Airlines charge what they charge. They won't reduce their rates just because there are some cheap cabins on a cheap cruise. The cost of the cruise has got nothing to do with the cost of the air fare to get to where the cruise starts.

[greatam]

For those advocating cruise air because it's CHEAPER, just ask 4-500 Star Princess passengers how well cruise air worked for them. They all missed their cruise and those without insurance lost ALL their money EXCEPT for the small amount paid for CRUISE AIR.

 

BECAUSE cruise lines generally book USA departing passengers on USA based airlines and in the Star Princess incident, the USA airlines shut down flights to Santiago, those pax had NO options. The tickets were NO GOOD on other carriers that WERE flying to Santiago (actually Mendoza) AND the tickets were non reroutable, so passengers could not even use their cruise air tickets to fly to the couple of ports where the Star Princess DID port.

 

Pax were asked to pay up to $1500pp ADDITIONAL to reroute their cruise air tickets. They also could not fly into Buenos Aires and take a luxury bus ride to Santiago (yes, it was 17 hours on a sleeper type bus-better accommodations than a lot of USA airlines business class seats.) But at least some made the cruise with this routing..

 

It only takes one little glitch and you can be in deep doo-doo with your cruise air tickets. Can be as simple as what happened at LAX four days ago-security shutdown for 2 hours due to a gentleman NOT realizing his bag needed to be rechecked.

[MarilynTX]

I booked the cruise last August. I obviously didn't research enough. I'm sure I didn't pull $750 out of my butt. We've never flown transatlantic. I appreciate the input. It is what it is. :rolleyes:

[Fattony]

This is a case where paying a bit extra to use a travel agent MIGHT be worthwhile. They might come up with some imaginative routings. You could possibly save a bit of money by flying into Madrid, and then taking the train from there (you could also book a cheap flight Madrid-Barcelona but the luggage restrictions would likely be very tight), but I kind of doubt it'd be worth the hassle. August is not only part of the longer summer vacation period in the States, but is THE prime vacation time in Europe. I think you'll find similar fares to anywhere in Europe. If you need a hotel in Barcelona, book it early. Your remark about picking the $750 fare out of your butt reminds me, I have a colonoscopy this Saturday (if any great air fares turn up, I'll let you know).

[fbgd]

This is a case where paying a bit extra to use a travel agent MIGHT be worthwhile. They might come up with some imaginative routings. You could possibly save a bit of money by flying into Madrid, and then taking the train from there (you could also book a cheap flight Madrid-Barcelona but the luggage restrictions would likely be very tight), but I kind of doubt it'd be worth the hassle.

 

This isn't a complicated itinerary and the options you're suggesting can be done just as easily through any of the online booking engines. ITA Software (a search will provide a tutorial) will allow the OP to search for multiple destinations at once.

 

Unless you are completely clueless, or the itinerary is really complex (and you've got a great TA) then most TAs aren't worth anything.

[MarilynTX]

I hate to just give up if there is a bargain under a rock somewhere. I have used both TA and done it myself in the past. If I'm naive I'll own it but not until I've made an honest effort. The TA found a sale on the cruise that I did not find. I'll admit I'm a little intimidated by European travel. Tell me more about the ITA search please. Thanks for the colonoscopy joke. :):)

[LittleMissS]

I absolutely agree that $750pp is unrealistic. I have been trying to find flights to Barcelona for next June (too early...nothing listed yet), and have been using this June's prices as a rough estimate (realizing these could easily change by next year). The cheapest I'm finding is over $1000. (This is fine by me...I'm just excited to get to the cruise, as this is a once in a lifetime vacation! If I pay a little more...who cares, it's a great vacation and I'm excited to go! :DIn terms of the flight, I'm more concerned about the lengthy layover in certain airports...is a 6 hr layover REALLY necessary? I could BE in Barcelona in 6 hrs, rather than waiting for a plane!:rolleyes:) Good luck on your search!

[Globaliser]

In terms of the flight, I'm more concerned about the lengthy layover in certain airports...is a 6 hr layover REALLY necessary?

Yes it is, if the next flight to Barcelona does not leave until 6 hours later.

 

But if you don't want a 6-hour connection ("layover" actually means something different), then there are plenty of itineraries that have shorter connection times. Why don't you pick one of them?

[LittleMissS]

Gee Globaliser...thanks for the info. I would've never thought to pick an itinterary with a shorter "connection" time (insert sarcastic tone here). I was simply stating that these were my premilinary results (and feel that 6 hrs spent in an airpoprt is a waste of time). Considering I don't need the flight until next summer, I think I have time to thoroughly investigate...

[FlyerTalker]

While a number of USA airlines run "banks" of flights through their hubs, making for shorter, but more stressful connection times, that is not the standard course internationally. Frequencies are often much less, and there is much more consideration (IMO) of departure times and/or arrival times for the flight itself - rather than being driven by connections.

 

I've had connections in Africa, Asia and Europe where the one flight a day arrives....and the next to my destination left in 6-10 hours. Fact of life.

 

In addition, there are some airports where you would want to have a long connection....either because the airport is "bad" or "good". 6 hours at CDG makes for a much less stressful connection. 6 hours at Changi in Singapore really lets you enjoy what the airport has to offer (including its own swimming pool). Or the museum at AMS. Or many other great airports that you really should experience if you get the chance.

[happy cruzer]

If all other things on the flight look good, a 6 hour connection sounds good to allow for any possible delays with the flight, luggage, check ins, customs??? Longer than 6 might get to me though. Keep doing that research, remember we are on the internet, you get lots of advice, some good, some bad, some nice, some with a little tone :). I got great advice to use my AA miles for a one way to Barcelona in Nov right here on CC after a bit of a discussion :).

[FlyerTalker]

Additional thought....I would not be fretting about a 6 hour connection time when the schedules for your own flight dates have not been released. Who knows what the schedule will be like for your dates.

 

Furthermore, looking at what it would cost to buy a ticket now for travel this June is not directly comparable to your situation. You fail to consider that many seats have already been sold for June 2010 travel. What may have been relevant was looking at what pricing was in July 2009 for June 2010 travel.....which parallels buying in July 2010 for June 2011 travel. Remember, pricing is a factor of both "published fares" and "inventory allocation".