legends92

I just don't get it. Family of four from Los Angeles to Paris is $4,700. The other way around is $6,461.

BobTL

I don�t know what class of travel you want to fly, when you want to fly and the quoted prices are one way fares or return fares?

If you want cheap fares then flexibility is key. So you can consider flying from and to another airport. So for example xxx-CDG-LAX or LAX-CDG-xxx. Also be flexible with dates.

When and how do you want to fly then I can think with you. But you need to give some more information.

legends92

Taking a family (4) trip to Europe next summer.

Los Angeles > Amsterdam > Brussels > Paris > Los Angels.

Everything up to Paris I'm good. Direct flight to Amsterdam via KLM ($4,500). Thalys between Amsterdam, Belgium, and Paris.

From Paris to Los Angeles is a $6,460 via Air France. I'm trying to find a less expensive flight back home, but also not use a budget airline.

Best I think found is Aer Lingus flying through Dublin for around $3,600.

Wondering if I have other options.

BobTL

Again i don�t know when you want to fly? What dates? Are you traveling with children or 4 adults?

I don�t know you were thinking of buying 2 one way tickets LAX-AMS and CDG-LAX but you can book an open jaw ticket from these destinations.
Additionally you can often include Thalys train in your flight ticket and it will have a KL flight number. The benefits are that you are covered in case of irrops and also you will earn miles and XP�s on these legs.
Now it�s also still early to book. I would wait a couple of months then fares will probably move a bit.

legends92

Apologize. June 12th through 23rd.

dlflyer2

Check out Air Tahiti Nui, on one tickets they consistently price out better than Air France, especially with otas

BobTL

I think it will be a very bad idea to use a OTA and actually also Air Tahiti Nui.
As you have seen last summer the risks of irrops is significant and then you are totally ....ed with an OTA as the airline can not help you directly. Everything has to go through the OTA. Additionally Air Tahiti doesn�t operate a lot of flights so if their flight get canceled for some reason then you are totally stuck. With KL-AF there are tons of options, especially in combination with DL.
When traveling with family that�s very valuable.

BobTL

ok and 4 adults ?
fares are expensive now. Aer Lingus is a cheaper option but if I�d be you I�d wait a few months. Tickets will not get more expensive than they are now. Open jaw ticket on KL/AF is around 2k USD now including Thalys to ZYR (Brussel railway station)

see this link:

https://www.google.com/travel/flight...QTXenbLeQzwQJ7

Coder33

Because a lot of people want to fly between these two big-markets ? Are you familiar with offer and demand ?

irishguy28

Not sure how you got those prices.

EDIT: Never mind, I now see the OP was buying two one-ways....

And starting from LAX rather than PAR as I incorrectly assumed....

What you need is an open-jaw ticket; into AMS, out of PAR

Two cheapest options for your dates:

With Air Transat, you can even get a day sightseeing in Montreal on the outbound.
With both airlines, you clear US customs and immigration at the transit point (YUL for Air Transat, DUB for Aer Lingus)

BobTL

Indeed.


But yes with one way fares it gets really expensive
The link i have was including return Thalys tickets for 4 persons, which are worth 150 USD per person, so 600 USD so 5.400 USD for the AF/KL flights.

irishguy28

I didn't see your link, but budgeting $150 per person to get from Amsterdam to Brussels, and then on to Paris, is paying far more than you need to for trains....
Even on Thalys, Amsterdam to Brussels starts at €29 per person (The IC Brussels train starts from €25 per person). The same €29 starting-from fare also applies from Brussels to Paris on Thalys.

EDIT: Your link doesn't allow them any time to see either Amsterdam or Paris, but rather keeps them in Brussels for the duration of what I understood was to be a 3-centre vacation. Rather than fly into AMS and out of CDG for a Brussels-based vacation, it would be quicker and cheaper to fly directly into BRU! And if they want a 3-centre vacation, it's best to not add any train sectors to their airtickets; the train travel is cheaply and easily arranged separately.

largeeyes

Have you tried booking as an OJ instead of two one ways?

legends92

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Learned a lot from this post.

As I already purchased a refundable ticket from LAX to AMS via KLM, I went ahead and canceled and requested a refund.

I think for now my new plan is to purchase a round trip ticket to Paris via Air France.

From Paris, specifically CDG, take Thalys directly to Amsterdam and start my vacation that way.

Brendan88

As everyone described above, have you tried an open jaw/multi city booking? So go to klm.com or airfrance.com where you can choose one-way or return you can also choose multi-city. Then you can do LAX-AMS and CDG-LAX in one booking. Saves you a train (or flight, which is also possible in your booking) from CDG to AMS.