Budget Travel - Anyone Else Think Travel To Europe Is More Expensive??

Does anyone else think that travel to Europe has increased during the past year or so? I just booked a trip from Washington, DC to Malaga, Spain and it is sooo expensive. I know that's a high travel time, but I was still surprised. Is it just me, or have prices been increasing? I remember a couple years ago when I could find a good flight to London for $250...that isn't possible these days much at all!! I work in marketing - not the highest salary level ;) so im always looking for better flight rates...this time I was out of luck...anyways, just needed to vent a bit.

The last cheap fare I snagged was to MIA in May, and it's been ALL expensive since - though haven't broken down and bought anything yet.

Even the domestic fares that used to run $200 + are $300 + now. I think that as the airlines cut back seats and reallocated planes to int'l where LCCs don't compete prices have crept up.

And another factor, IMHO, is that WN's hedges (for fuel) have finally run out, so they were forced to raise their prices as well, so the price control is gone.

And while prices to Asia have gone up as well, it seems to me that the percentage is not as steep as domestic and Europe.

Then again, what the hell do I know :D

EmailKid

Fuel is a major contributor... same reason why transcon fares have risen, and some airlines (UA) are even considering cutting back and/or eliminating some long hauls flights.

As you noted, this is peak season. On top of that, demand is up and once you get there the weak dollar does not go as far as in previous years. But I managed to find a trip to London in March for ~ $350 all in. November to March is usually the most affordable times and I will be watching for late fall sale fares.

Sure it may be more expensive than in recent years, but it is still worth it.

Indeed, it seems like you've got $150 in fuel surcharges now, plus at least $64 or so in taxes on the U.S. side alone and some places, like the UK, with a tax hit from their side as well. It makes the numbers in big type in the newspaper look pretty meaningless. Airlines will also price aggressively with limited supply and high demand for July and August, especially. Many hotels take the same approach. It'll be more reasonable in fall and winter but still not cheap.

Even travel within Europe has gotten more expensive. A few years back I used to be able to fly on the LCCs for as low as 40euros r/t, but today am happy to find something for 80euros r/t. Normal prices seem to be around 150euro, at which point the LCCs aren't much cheaper than the legacy carriers (whose prices have come down a lot.) Seems mostly to be taxes/fuel surcharges which add to the cost of a 10 euro ticket. Train travel seems to be more expensive too. Priced out tickets on Eurostar Paris-London for 300euros r/t one month out and not finding anything under 150euros for future bookings. Booking 3 months out I was "lucky" to get Thalys tickets from Paris-Brussels 90euros r/t where I used to be able to get Paris-Cologne for 70 euros. I did manage to find one of Thalys' promotional 10 euro fares, but the return fares were pricing at 110 euros...

Look at it this way -- your miles have more value now than before! :)

Look at it this way -- your miles have more value now than before! :)

Except that you still have to pay the higher taxes and fuel surcharges on those "free" tickets :td: Best to use my miles for intra-asia flights.

I think that travel has gotten significantly more expensive this year. Having said that loads are up, so the airlines are doing the right thing. Consumers want to fly and are willing to pay. I have been surprised at some of the fares I have been offered--even advanced purchase fares. In some cases they're $300 and $400 over what I paid in 2005 and definitely significantly higher than prices in 03/04.

November to March is usually the most affordable times and I will be watching for late fall sale fares.



Agreed. Summer doesn't seem like the best time to make the "rising cost" comparisons. (now, I will say that even this summer's fares seem at least a hundred bucks or so higher than last summer's). The real "check" will be in the fall, that mid-October thru early March time, to see if this year's fall/winter sales are "as good" as last year's. I doubt they will be THAT low again, but that would be the better comparison gauge IMHO.

Well Maybe travelling to Europe indeed has become more expensive, but it also depends on how you like to travel. You can save a lot of money if you know how to travel :) where you can eat cheaper and many other things..

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:)) will be helpful..:)

enjoy ..