cheap airfare?

Make sure when you are comparing that you are using the exact dates to compare. I know, particularly in the case of Aer Lingus, that there is a big difference between fares in March and fares in May. Even if you are not sure of your dates yet, use the same dates (or sets of dates) each time. That's the only way to get a good comparison.

In the past, as it got toward fall Aer Lingus would start to offer lower fares for winter and spring travel. There's no telling if they will do that again this year, but it's too early to see those fares now.

Part of the difference that you might be seeing between airlines now might be attributable to fuel surcharges that some airlines have added.

Ignore taxes and fees, only the total fare counts. The airlines are playing games with the pricing structures. Taxes are basicly the same but fees are not. The game that they are playing is trying to first of the list of the air fares posted by the search engines. The search engines only look for the fare and not the total fare. The airlines whats to be first on the list because their research tells them that you will not look any further down the list than two or three fares. So by making their fare look cheap (even if the total fare is higher) they get in the top two or three positions on the lists.

Most of the rates are good, its the fuel surcharges that are making flights expensive. The one I plan on taking later this year is a Round trip from DIA Denver to London. $959. Flight itself is $381 (Normally around $600 for November), the rest is fuel surcharges of $430 and the rest is taxes. The fuel charges remain the same, but they are lowering prices of the Flights themselves to make it reasonable for people to still afford to go places. If the flight costs were the same as usual, the added fuel surcharges would push it so far up that no one would want to go anywhere!

I watch fares all year around just for fun and have found that making a reservation a year in advance is for those who worry about the price going up. I believe that you will find the best deals after January, but you will always be playing the lottery of "surcharges and taxes". Right now airlines are adding fuel, luggage, food, etc. surcharges and that can really raise any price. Also, I think that using a site like kayak.com (currently has nothing O'Hare to Dublin) will get you the best price. It compares about 100 sites for prices. Right now if were traveling this August the cheapest ticket is on SAS through CheapTickets if you don't mind a stop in Stockholm ;-). I agree that the bottom line is what you want to know, so watch out for those who already have added the surcharge for checked luggage (American, United to start with)

Linda, what do you mean when you say that Kayak shows "nothing from O'Hare to Dublin"? I got 503 results, with prices starting as low as $696 with one stop. You must have used the wrong code for one airport or the other to get no results.

"ignore taxes and fees"

Really? Wow, if I ignored them then my airfare from Seattle to London Heathrow on British Airways would only be about $750! With taxes and fees however it's $1100. You can't ignore that!!

In a private email David asked me to clarify my comments as he did understand why I said to ignore taxes and fees and that only the total fare counted. Using Tami's example of a $1000 fare to London. Other than taxes which may have a % application or some fixed fees such as landing fees, the airlines are free to structure their fare in any manner they want. Maybe taxes and fees are fixed at 200 for the London trip, then the airlines has $800 to play with. They fare at $200 and have a $600 fuel surcharge or an 800 fare and no fuel surcharge. But by pegging the fare at $200 the intent is to have this fare show up on the search engines as the cheapest fare even if the total cost is a $1000. Tami's suggestion that the airlines are lowering their fares so that we can still afford to travel is giving the airline credit they don't deserve. They are simply shifting expenses to a different area. Airlines would have much preferred to increase fares by $30 rather than this silliness of charges to check bags but then they might not be the lowest fare on the web site. Therefore, the amount that the airlines charge for fees, taxes, fuel, surcharges, etc. have no basis for comparison or rationality. The internet is driving this crazy game and the only number that is important is what goes on the charge card.

The taxes should be the same, in a perfect world...

Frank, I was just repeating what my travel agent told me. That if they are to charge the full, average trip to London airfare of $700 or so, then add the $430 in fuel charges, then $181 in taxes, etc... then it would be even more expensive to go anywhere. But what you say does make sense. That they are just changing what to call what, and in the end its still pricey!

But Tami, that is the point. If they charged the full fare, then they would not have to add taxes or fuel surcharges BECAUSE those costs would be included in the full fate. That is the game.

Ah i get it... why cant they just standardize the whole mess? Youre right, I can see how it can give you the wrong idea when those cheapo airfare websites play games with the numbers....

I like sidestep.com for checking rates on flights. You can also have it send you email updates on fares.

The fares do go up and down based on a lot of things, not the least of which is what competitors are doing.

When you shop rates, you should always see what happens to the rates if you leave/return on a different day of the week. Check nearby airports where you are willing to drive to get a significantly cheaper fare. And check different European destinations; sometimes it will surprise you. I was recently making a decision about flying into London for one itinerary or flying into Copenhagen for another(from DC area). I was really surprised to find Copenhagen flights were less.

I'm always looking at three or more vacation options and make the decision based on which is the best deal at the time. A loop through England is a great vacation but if it will cost $300 more per ticket to get there, I'll do it later.