What's the Deal: Europe This Summer? It Can Be Done
If you've spent the past months scouring Web sites in an attempt to find an airfare of under $1,000 round trip to Europe this summer, you most likely haven't booked yet. There have been a couple of short-lived sales, but none that have had broad appeal. Blame jet fuel, Europeans flying here to shop, the alignment of the planets, whatever: The bottom line is that getting across the pond this summer is pricey.
In a creative attempt to beat the system, we've come up with one alternative that could save you a couple of hundred. Zoom Airlines is a discount Canadian carrier that has flights between New York's JFK and London Gatwick. It's charging about $750 round trip, including taxes, for flights this summer. Add $150 for a round-trip ticket from here to New York and you're in Greenwich Mean Time for about $900 round trip. And Gatwick, unlike Heathrow, offers flights to European destinations on discount carriers, including easyJet and Monarch.
It's worth pricing out your itinerary that way to see if you'd save any money compared to ticketing your European vacation right from Washington.
Makes me ponder how much money I'd need to save to overcome the inconvenience of connecting in New York and London to get to a city on the Continent. I think $300 would be my tipping point. What's yours?
By Carol Sottili |
February 29, 2008; 7:19 AM ET
| Category:
Carol Sottili
,
Deals
,
Europe
Previous: Tales From the Road: Ode to a Suitcase |
Next: Insta-CoGo: Frequent-Flier Changes at US Airways
View or post comments
Posted by: Tom | February 29, 2008 4:18 PM
Yes, I think more along the lines of $500. I know someone who's entire trip was messed up because the flight to JFK was severely delayed. If anything, I'd try to not get on one of those frequently delayed commuter flights (if there is anything else).
Posted by: Adrienne | February 29, 2008 5:01 PM
Post a Comment
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
Changing planes as opposed to flying directly brings a cost in terms of time and hassle and the potential for a delay. If something goes wrong you can't just drive home, or spend an extra day at your vacation location. In snow season, I would need a $500 price advantage to fly through JFK, but in the summer, I might require only $300.