I'm looking for Info for the cheapest RT airfare for a small group (10+ one baby) from Columbus, Dayton, or Cincinnati to Paris in early July for about 2-3 weeks (roughly 7/7-7/28ish).
All the airfare sites only let you pick 6 passengers. The best we found was $1200 a person from Indianapolis through American Airlines. Any help is appreciated.
Posted by
Freedonia
16283 posts
As someone who has worked in the tour industry and dealt with booking group travel......go direct to the airline's group department to book. Don't worry about what fares they're offering on their website. Group sales are totally different. It's not too early to buy tickets.
Pick the airlines you want to fly on and call each one's group sales department. Play one against the other.
The only reason to use a travel agent is to see what they can do. Then go directly to the airline to see if they will beat it. I'll bet they will. The airlines would prefer to work directly with you.
Posted by
OP
Blacklick, OH, United States
6 posts
I tried Delta's group booking number and the price they quoted me was more than the price on the website! :/
Posted by
Freedonia
16283 posts
Suggestions:
1) Don't stop after one phone call to one airline.
2) Try other airlines.
3) Then take the cheapest quote back to Delta to see it they will match it.
4) Did you mention their online rates were cheaper?
5) Did you try Delta on another day. Quotes will vary by agent.
6) Do you like negotiating? The more you're willing to negotiate, the better you will do. That's why having quotes from other airlines will help.
7) If you don't want to do the above, then get a travel agent experienced in group travel to do this for you. You will pay a fee.
8) Also keep this in mind. While some travel "experts" will say to get your ticket about 4 months out, it's different for group travel which is usually done 9-12 months out. And...you're are traveling at the height of tourist season. It's going to be tough.
Posted by
OP
Blacklick, OH, United States
6 posts
I told them we had a price $ almost 300 cheaper per ticket from AA. She just said "Thank you for calling".
I checked the site after I got off the phone (out of curiosity) and saw the price was under her quote. Nearly everything we see is between $1200-$1400 RT from anywhere within 100 miles from May through August.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2790 posts
Well, buy 6 and 4.
However, there's a risk.
While the "cheap" fare you see is out there, it might not have 10 tickets. So when you put in 6 tickets, what the systems do is search for the "cheapest" fare where there are 6 tickets. So if AA has 1 seat left at $800, 2 seats at $900 and 10 at $1,000 when you put in 6 you get the $1,000 price, not the cheaper seats. So when see the $1200 I would actually call AA and see if you can get that for 10.
However, if AA is cheapest call thier group travel. That said, it's not that good a deal anymore.
If you can find a decent TA they can check to see how many seats are left at the fare classes and help you book the cheaper seats first.
Posted by
Seattle
80 posts
Keep calling the group lines.
Also try a few travel agents.
They maybe be able to get good consolidator tickets (keep in mind that most "group tours" where airfare is included travel on consolidator tickets).
A nice list of good travel agents is on Flyertalk at this link:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileage-plus/113379-list-uniteds-consolidators.html
I haven't used any of them myself, but I will be calling off that list for my fall trip.