Are there cheap fares from the US to Europe this summer?

That's the going rate this summer.

There are several threads on here

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/47424/another-air-fare-question.html

Can't find the other biggie right now.

Madrid is supposedly cheaper then other cities. You might try there.

It looks like Steve's point of less popular airports is right on the mark. I bought a ticket this week for our son to join my wife and I on our trip this summer. The trip was open jaw, Seattle to Madrid; and Barcelona to Seattle. We wanted to have him on the same flight as us returning home; so we booked him through Air France.

The trip I booked goes from Seattle to Paris; 2 hour layover; and then seperate flight to Madrid. The return trip from Barcelona has a short layover in Paris; then return to Seattle.

For grins, after reading this post, I queried Kayak for an open jaw flight into Paris same date; and leaving Barcelona same date. Essentially this itinerary would elimate the connecting flight from Paris to Madrid. The result was an increase in cost of $250 over the cost to continue on to Madrid. Exact same flights, but ending in Paris instead of Madrid.

Very interesting.

That is really "exciting", especially since the flights make a stop in Iceland. I wouldn't want to bet my summer vacation money on that.

carol--the other 'biggie' was 'advice for those waiting to book summer airfare', and it was my thread. i deleted it because sixty replies later, people started fighting. (and i'd booked my flight!)

sarah--just watch EVERY SINGLE DAY. i looked for four months until i found mine, and i still don't know why the fare was what it was on that one day (aer lingus JFK to london gatwick for $695); last time i checked--maybe a week ago--the exact same flight is $300 more. i really don't think there's any magic time or place. BUT--if you don't have a destination in mind, try this. go to kayak.com, click on 'more' in the left hand sidebar, and click 'buzz'. enter the month you're traveling and where you are flying from, select 'european cities' from the drop down menu, and search. you'll get results showing what actual people have paid in the last few days for actual flights. of course this only works if your destination and dates are a bit open (which it sounds like they are), but it IS what i will do for my next trip. a friend of mine got a crazy cheap fare this way last year (i'm not even going to post what it was because people continue to not believe me) but, again, the cheap fare determined where she went. but with airlines like easyJet, who cares where you land as long as you get there! (i'm just hoping this damn volcano allows me to land at gatwick in july!)

To be fair, Icelandic flights have not been affected as greatly as flights via other destinations in the region, so there is nothing wrong with flights through Iceland. Keflavik was only closed for a couple of days (as opposed to about a week in Europe), and flights were rerouted through Glasgow.