Originally Posted by
joelax
I guess it's time for me to look into booking with an A* partner that is not yet in price-gouging mode.
You will find that all members of the *A TATL joint venture (UA, AC, LH, LX, OS) offer the same fares to Europe. And the main competition (OneWorld and SkyTeam carriers) are usually in the same range. You might find a cheaper close in J ticket on TK, though that's a bit inconvenient for flying to Germany. TP, LO, or SK also may offer cheaper fares. google flights is the best tool for finding these. You may also get a discount through the IAPA if you have AMEX Platinum card.
The basic issue you're running into is that the airlines assume anyone buying within 7 days of travel is a business traveler and thus price insensitive.