Between the impending holidays and the fact that winter is approaching, there seems to be no shortage of what basically amounts to one big fire sale on fares and packages to Europe. Make a New Year's resolution early to travel more, and take a look at these deals to Europe.
Airfare
Air France (tel. 800/237-2747; www.airfrance.us) is having a "Wild Winter Webfares" sale on routes such as Philadelphia-Madrid, priced from $179 one way; San Francisco-Munich from $205 one way; Chicago-Athens priced from $283 one way; and New York-Barcelona from $183 one way. All prices are based on round-trip ticket purchases and are valid for travel through March 31, 2007 and carry at seven-day advance purchase. You must act quickly -- the booking deadline today for European departures December 20 through March 31.
Air New Zealand (tel. 800/262-1234; www.airnewzealand.com) has a fare sale on flights from Los Angeles to London. Fares are priced from $348 per person for travel January 21 through May 31, 2007, and the airline offers complimentary food, wine and in-flight entertainment. The sale ends December 20. The fare includes fuel surcharge but not government taxes and fees, which amount to an additional $100 or so per person.
Cheap Tickets (tel. 888/922-8849; www.cheaptickets.com) has a special offer through Delta for round-trip, nonstop flights to international destinations including Europe, with prices gathered based on outbound flights on January 10 and a return date of January 17. Sample round-trip fares include Atlanta-London from $525, New York City-Dublin from $398, and New York-Frankfurt from $451.
Depending on when you are traveling and what kinds of restrictions your itinerary requires, you might do better with Expedia (tel. 800/EXPEDIA; www.expedia.com), which is offering a last-minute fare sale on United flights, starting from $253 round-trip. You must book by December 19 though, and a Saturday night stay is required for European destinations; the maximum stay is 30 days. Sample fares include Baltimore-Frankfurt from $323, Atlanta-Amsterdam $494, Houston-Dublin from $533, and L.A.-Madrid from $522.
Orbitz (tel. 888/656-4546; www.orbitz.com) is running a sale on Alitalia flights over the holidays, with a purchase deadline of December 19 for travel to over 20 destinations. Sample round-trip airfare from New York to Florence, for example, is priced form $370. You have to stay at least one Sunday but cannot stay for more than a month. If you all of a sudden have to travel to Italy from New York City, the fares are valid December 24, 25, 30 and 31. For travel from Boston (to Naples, $430) or Chicago (to Pisa, $440), the fares are valid for travel December 30 and 31, and from Miami (to Venice, $480), December 24 and 25.
Scandinavian Airlines (tel. 800/221-2350; www.scandinavian.net) has a clever holiday promotion running. For every day up until Christmas, the airline is offering a different sale. Head to the web site and watch Dr. Lucas present his findings and clues, which prove that Santa Claus really exits. At the end of the Flash animation, the airline posts its offer for that day only. For example, the offer for December 13 was for Paris from $199 each way, based on round-trip purchase and including fuel surcharges.
Travelocity (tel. 888/872-8356; www.travelocity.com) has a special promotion for flights on United and Lufthansa, mostly good for travel through March 31, 2007 but you must purchase tickets by December 19. Sample flights include Boston-Vienna, $642, L.A.-Dublin, $475; Houston-Warsaw, $465; Cleveland-Paris, $550; Baltimore-Madrid, $503. For most destinations, a seven-day advance purchase is required.
In the meantime, though if you have plans to travel to Copenhagen or Oslo, there's a fare sale from Newark to these destinations, priced from $204 one way, with fuel surcharges included. The sale is good for travel January 8 through March 21, 2007. There is a Saturday night stay required and a maximum stay of 30 days.
Packages
European Destinations (tel. 877/267-2247; www.europeandestinations.com) has a three-city package to Italy, with three nights apiece in Venice, Florence and Rome, priced from $839 per person including flights from New York City. The promotion is valid for travel December through March -- holiday blackouts may apply. It's a ten-day, nine-night trip that also includes hotel taxes, daily breakfasts (if stated in hotel information) and transportation in between cities.
Foreign Independent Tours (tel. 800/248-3487; www.fittours.com) is offering an eight-day tour of Malta from $1,199 per person. The package includes airfare from JFK, Washington Dulles or Boston, round-trip transfers, wireless Internet access at your hotel -- the Victoria Hotel Sliema, where you'll stay for six nights -- and half day tours of area attractions. Departures December 15-24 are priced at $1,659, departures December 25-26 at $1,499 and December 27-31 are priced at $1,479.
Gate 1 Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com) is offering a low-priced trip to London and Paris, for example, starting from $489 for six days in London for January departures and $499 for six days in Paris for Wednesday departures through March 2007. The trips include round-trip flights from New York to London, airline fuel surcharges, four nights' accommodations in a choice of hotels, and continental breakfast daily.
Gate 1 also has a 10-day Greek Islander on sale with two nights in Athens and three apiece in islands of Santorini and Mykonos, priced from $1,299. It's an independent package, but it includes all transfers, daily breakfast, round-trip airfare from New York City to Athens, flights and ferries between Athens and the islands, and airline fuel surcharges. You have several plans to choose from in terms of accommodations.
Go-Today (tel. 800/227-3235; www.go-today.com) has a Prague Special that's priced from $839 for six nights and air. The booking deadline is December 21, and the price reflects travel January 4 through March 25. Travel through January 3, 2007 is available from $839 and all prices reflect departures from New York, JFK or Newark, NJ. Airline fuel surcharges, continental breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges are included, along with your round-trip flight and six nights at a tourist class hotel -- you can of course upgrade to something more luxurious if you prefer.
The Madrid and Barcelona special is priced from $759 for travel January 1-March 7, 2007 and a departure of New York-JFK. The trip includes three nights in Madrid and three in Barcelona, flights between cities, continental breakfast daily, hotel taxes and service charges, and airline fuel surcharges. You can of course upgrade your accommodations from the tourist-class hotel that's priced at the low end of the special. This too carries a December 21 booking deadline.
Picasso Tours (tel. 800/995-7997; www.picassotours.com) is running a special to Germany, starting from $759 per person based on double occupancy and departures from New York-JFK. You spend three nights in your choice of Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, or Cologne. The prices reflect midweek travel in the low season -- January through March -- and do not include air taxes, of an additional $289 per person. You can choose from four or five-star hotels in your destinations.
Similarly, Picasso is offering a short trip -- four nights, five days -- to Zurich, priced from $699 per person for midweek departures through March 31, 2007 from New York-JFK. Air taxes and fuel surcharges are not included, but four nights' hotel accommodations, round-trip airfare and breakfast daily are. The price is also based on a three-star hotel such as a Comfort Inn or something similar and anyone who books to stay during Zurich's Christmas Stroll (through December 23) will receive free admission.
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