Originally Posted by OccamsNosehairTrimmer

I've booked myself on a Rick Steves "Best of Italy" tour that will run from late September to mid October. I'm older than dirt, but not a highly experienced international traveler...can the more savvy visitors to this forum give me some insight on the best time to book my flights, so that I can get the seat I want without getting completely hosed on price? I'm aware that since the end of the pandemic, Italy is a high-demand tourist destination - one Youtube channel I follow showed cheek-to-jowl crowds at some Rome tourist sites in just the past few days. My instinct's telling me that business-class flights aren't likely to get any cheaper. What's the community's opinion? TYVM in advance!