DCA-FCO
Flying direct from the USA and flying Contintental has always been my first choice and I am on the web countless times a day checking the fares. I will absolutly not take a flight reagardles of the lower price that has me changing in flights anywhere in Europe nor will I take an Atailia flight (nightmare stories on lost luggage I've read).

So direct flight: Continental out of EWR is my 1st choice and USAir out of Philly became my 2nd choice.
I am looking at flights from DC/Baltimore Right now here is the picture:

USAir now has flights at $774 (tax not included) DCA - Philly-Rome

I also checked fares just from Phily to Rome because I wanted to compare (I could always use points to get to Philly or shop for a cheap seats elsewhere) and I found :
USAir $682 (without tax)
Philly-Rome

Continental: (which I really want)
DCA/BWI -EWR-Rome $1056 (WITHOUT taxes)
Continental's fare just direct from EWR:
EWR - FCO $1232 (WITHOUT taxes)
The above fares are from the airlines website.

Checking other sites:
Fares on Orbitz:
USAir DCA/BWI - PHL - Rome =$775(without taxes)

Continental DCA/BWI - EWR - ROME = $1056 (without taxes )
Continental EWR - Rome = $1232(without taxes included)

So there is a big differene in price and I keep looking hoping Continental will drop. With my date of travel Mar 8-18 I am not sure how long I should try to hold out before booking, but I would love to fly Continental but it is so pricey right now. I missed the window when Continental was cheaper in the fall.

Do I just go ahead and take USAir my 2nd choice because waiting at this point is NOT a good decision? :confused: :confused:

I think the problem is return availablilty, so if you absolutely have to return on Sunday the 18th, and absolutely only want to fly CO or US, I'd go ahead and book.

To look at some other options... if you can return on Monday the 19th, US drops down to $592+ ($680 all in).

Or if you'd look at changing planes in Europe, AF is $382+($499 all in) for the dates you want. This one probably doesn't work for you because of the change in CDG, but I thought I'd throw it out there b/c it's around half the price.

No I have to return the 18th so no choice there. I really don't want to change planes in Europe at all. I can't believe Continental is so pricey. Guess I can't expect any miracles we are approx 8 weeks out from departure.

Wow fares have really jumped even higher in teh past few days. Hope they take a drop again I want to book by the beginning of Feb latest.

Someone suggested I use points to fly to another USA destination and go from there but I don't know where else I can get USA-FCO direct flights.
Any suggestions?

AZ = Alitalia flies from some airports in the US directly into FCO...

The question is just for how long? As far as I am informed, they will be running out of business until end of the month if nobody else (AF-KLM) is going to take them over...

I guess all major US airlines fly into FCO. Just check them all out.

AZ = Alitalia flies from some airports in the US directly into FCO...

The question is just for how long? As far as I am informed, they will be running out of business until end of the month if nobody else (AF-KLM) is going to take them over...

I guess all major US airlines fly into FCO. Just check them all out.

AZ is going to shut down by the end of the________________(fill in the blank). heard that the first and every intermediate time I have flown them. first flight was around early '80's on a weird short 747. 14 passengers, flight crew of 17.

You might consider a search at itasoftware or farecompare where you look at city pairs that may save $$ but be a train ride away from Rome. The question is how much the extra time is worth.