JuliusPIV

I just learned that my wife's mother suddenly passed away today in Europe. She wasn't unhealthy, wasn't sick. We're blown away.

Because she passed away at the hospital, they need to have the body removed within a few days. We negotiated an extra day or two because my wife & I are in the US but we have to have her out of there, or have the funeral there at their little chapel, by Monday.

We're both more than a little distraught & crushed and I am trying to do a little research:
http://hackmytrip.com/2012/01/advanc...nguage-in-ita/
http://boardingarea.com/pointstobema...lights-part-3/

The following yields a tickets starting a little over $1700 per person.
FROM: MIA,FLL :: X+
TO: CDG,ORY
DEPARTURE: 4/24

If I do a roundtrip, its nearly $2000 per person.
FROM: MIA, FLL :: X+
TO: CDG,ORY :: X+
DEPARTURE: 4/24
RETURN: 6/6

We (wife & I) really cannot afford that.

Is there any chance someone could help me find a flight around $1000 using the ITA Matrix?

Is it really just packed ("it is what it is") and I have really no choice but to figure out a way to pay for that?
Or is it a time of day issue meaning I will have better luck first thing in the morning?

I don't care if I have to go through Lisbon, London or some other city in the US or Europe just as long as I get to Paris on 4/25.

Help.

JuliusPIV

So, maybe I'm going crazy with this, but am I on the right path with trying to find routes wherever?

X?+ IAD? X?+ FLL? X?+ MAN? X?+ LHR? X?+ YYZ? X?+ LGA? X?+ JFK? X?+ CLT? X?+ LIS? X?+ FRA? X?+ YYZ? X?+ DFW? X?+ KER? X?+

I don't care where the connection is - just as long as I get there no later than 4/25.

Often1

If you are absolutely 100% certain that you will not need to make any changes for any reason, you should look at consolidator fares sold through large TA's. These may be cheaper than published fares, but they are unalterable. In other words, if you want to change a flight, you must purchase a new ticket and your old one is worth $0.

Also consider whether there is a relative or a friend who can handle local logistics such that your mother's remains can be moved immediately, but a service held when you can make it there.

JuliusPIV

Never heard about consolidator fares but I'm Googling now! Come hell or high water, we have to be there by the 25th so we can prepare. We have other family making their way as well but its unclear if they're going to make it on time. I'll keep everyone posted.

Many thanks for your advice.

adambrock

I don't think it's necessary to include the connection points in the routing codes. You can leave that blank and it will price out all options on all carriers.

I found a $1,019 flight on Aer Lingus. JFK-DUB-CDG. Looks like you can get an AA MIA-BWI-JFK flight for $319. You won't be able to interline bags, and may have to transit security, but that will get you there for about $700 less pp.

New York (JFK) to Dublin (DUB) - Thu, Apr 24
Aer Lingus Limited 104 Dep: 5:30PM Arr: 5:10AM
Dublin (DUB) to Paris (CDG) - Fri, Apr 25
Aer Lingus Limited 520 Dep: 6:50AM Arr: 9:40AM

AA 2392 MIA 8:05AM BWI 10:40AM 2h 35m Boeing 737 Economy (S)
AA 3026 BWI 3:00PM JFK 4:20PM 1h 20m Embraer ERJ-145 Economy (S)
$309.00


I wasn't sure if 6/6 was the actual return date, so I didn't price it round trip.

To find the flights to CDG I entered "JFK, ATL, LGA, CLT, MIA, DCA, IAD" in the "departing from" box. Those were the large airports on the east coast that popped into my head.

adambrock

Holy cow... I just added BOS to that list. Found a $780 fare to CDG. US can get you from MIA to BOS for $325. It's a red eye in economy, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

You will need to clear security at BOS (you'll go from terminal B to terminal E). There is a bus that goes to all terminals that runs fairly regularly (every 15 minutes or so).

US 1003 MIA 8:50AM PHL 11:30AM 2h 40m Boeing 737 Economy (N)
US 1726 PHL 2:45PM BOS 4:01PM 1h 16m Embraer RJ-190 Economy (N)
$325.00

Boston (BOS) to Dublin (DUB) - Thu, Apr 24
Aer Lingus Limited 138 Dep: 9:00PM Arr: 8:05AM
Dublin (DUB) to Paris (CDG) - Fri, Apr 25
Aer Lingus Limited 524 Dep: 1:40PM Arr: 4:20PM

Also, US Air has some round trip fares from BOS for $965 pp.

Boston (BOS) to Paris (CDG) - Thu, Apr 24
US Airways, Inc. Boston (BOS) to Philadelphia (PHL) - Thu, Apr 24
US Airways, Inc. 740 Dep: 3:30PM Arr: 5:14PM 1h 44m Embraer RJ-190 Economy (E)
Layover in PHL 1h 1m

US Airways, Inc. Philadelphia (PHL) to Paris (CDG) - Thu, Apr 24
US Airways, Inc. 754 Dep: 6:15PM Arr: 7:55AM 7h 40m Airbus A330 Economy (E)

Fri, Apr 25

Paris (CDG) to Boston (BOS) - Mon, Jun 2
US Airways, Inc. Paris (CDG) to Philadelphia (PHL) - Mon, Jun 2
US Airways, Inc. 755 Dep: 11:15AM Arr: 1:40PM 8h 25m Airbus A330 Economy (E)

Layover in PHL 1h 35m

US Airways, Inc. Philadelphia (PHL) to Boston (BOS) - Mon, Jun 2
US Airways, Inc. 723 Dep: 3:15PM Arr: 4:36PM 1h 21m Embraer RJ-190 Economy (E)

JuliusPIV

I got some great feedback and found some decent prices.
I found an upper $900 fare on TAP. I booked it, but couldn't book the second ticket (different return time; gotta work to pay these tickets) - refreshed the page and it was $2700!

I was able to get a refund and with the great information provided here was able to get some flights together.

Thank you so much for this. Learned of the death this evening and its been just awful. Many thanks for your help.

IanFromHKG

Julius, first of all, so sorry to hear of your loss. For future reference re the sudden uplift on TAP - try clearing your cookies. Airlines track how often you look at particular flights - if you keep going back, the price goes up. Clear your cookies and you may go back to the original price. May be too late for your current trip, but I mention it in case you could save more money that way

Condolences again - nothing anybody says will cure the grief you feel, particularly coming from a stranger, but having been in a similar position myself when my father died I truly empathise

Ian