More input for the "when to buy debate"

Good for you Carol. I am curious whether you used a tool like Google Flights to alert you to this fare, or just persistent checking.

Stan, I just check on flights prices periodically. We have a preference that any connections be made in Europe, so I look at the airlines that fly non-stop out of Seattle.

Personally, I would buy those tickets, even at $780. You know when you want to be there and as you point out, you can spread out your costs. I do the same thing. I just bought open-jaw tickets from SFO to Budapest (1 stop in Frankfurt), then Munich to SFO (non-stop) in mid-May for $970. If I find flights on a preferred airline that depart/arrive at times I like and I've set my dates, that's when I know it's time to buy.

What’s the debate? If you discover a good or great airfare, buy it.

I may not have been clear. The debete is that there are those who insist that the best prices are about 6 months out and people should wait for that time. Others say get ASAP.

I certainly agree that when you find a price you know is reasonable and you can live with it, buy it.

The algorithms for airline pricing are complex and therefore prices fluctuate, sometimes hourly. When you find a decent fare buy your ticket and stop looking at prices.

Go, Carol! I do the same -- when I see a fare that's extraordinary, I jump on it. I read this forum daily using "all topics" to see the newest postings and when people write about great fare sales, I check the airlines involved.
It's like the stock market -- after the fact you can always see when you should have bought/sold.

@Carol, if you are considering travel insurance don't forget that most companies require you to buy the insurance within a specific time after the first travel purchase in order to cover pre-existing conditions.

Self-anointed experts in predicting the best airfares don’t live near my airport.

$660 RT is pretty good in my opinion. I'm looking at Newark to London prices and the lowest I have seen is $720.