South Florida To Amsterdam May 2016, Help Please

[happy 2 b cruising]

We have a cruise booked May 26, 2016 for 12 nights round trip out of Amsterdam. Airline pricing is outrageous. Pricing from the airlines was just released. We do not have miles to use. How far out do most people book? In the past we were early airline bookers, now we may have to cancel our cruise because of the airline pricing. Should we take the wait & watch approach? Would appreciate your help, thank-you.

[CantanaLobo]

Could you define what "outrageous" means to you? Random dates 5/24-6/4 I see $1008 on Aeroflot, $1311 on Turkish MIA-AMS

Edited July 12, 2015 by CantanaLobo

[happy 2 b cruising]

Could you define what "outrageous" means to you? Random dates 5/24-6/4 I see $1008 on Aeroflot, $1311 on Turkish MIA-AMS

 

Appreciate your response. We use the following airlines out of MIA or PBIA; Delta, KLM, British Airway, United, American, Air France and the above prices are what they are quoting presently. There are not any direct flights, all these rates have one or two stops each way. We fly coach.

[Alaskanb]

We allow about $1500 pp when we travel to Europe. What are your dates?

Have you looked into getting to an Icelandair hub and then flying to AMS via Reykyavik. You can fly from FLL and also get a no-cost, except hotel etc, in Iceland.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Alaskanb

[pjs678]

Also look at Norwegian Air out of FLL.

[Alaskanb]

Check out google flights for dates around those you want to fly. It's a little early for your return dates. Also consider what you want to do in Amsterdam, or the rest of Europe, pre and post cruise. Perhaps a short stay in Paris or another city then train or flights to Amsterdam.

[FlyerTalker]

Appreciate your response. We use the following airlines out of MIA or PBIA; Delta, KLM, British Airway, United, American, Air France and the above prices are what they are quoting presently. There are not any direct flights, all these rates have one or two stops each way. We fly coach.

When you limit yourself to a subset of the available airlines, you limit your access to the full range of fares.

 

If you want DL, KL, BA, UA, AA or AF, you will get the prices they charge. If you are willing to fly other carriers, you can get better pricing and better experiences.

 

As I've said before on this forum, flying TK through IST is a great deal and a great opportunity to get a stopover in a wonderful city. You can maximize your travel dollars by getting an additional place to visit for the same TATL cost.

[LHT28]

KLM usually have seat sales in January if you can wait that long

[wowzz]

Not sure how the price would work out, but how about flying from Tampa to London Gatwick on BA, and then using Easyjet to fly to Amsterdam ?

[waterbug123]

Appreciate your response. We use the following airlines out of MIA or PBIA; Delta, KLM, British Airway, United, American, Air France and the above prices are what they are quoting presently. There are not any direct flights, all these rates have one or two stops each way. We fly coach.

 

Any particular reason you won't consider FLL? You still won't get a nonstop, and price may not vary much from PBI but it's worth keeping it in your search parameters.

 

As for when to purchase, I wouldn't rush. You still have plenty of time to cancel your cruise, and since airfare just came out for your dates, give it a little time.

[LHT28]

Norwegian Air out of FLL connects in Oslo in the $600-700 USD range

They only fly certain days so play with the dates see what can work for you

 

http://www.norwegian.com/us/

[happy 2 b cruising]

Any particular reason you won't consider FLL? You still won't get a nonstop, and price may not vary much from PBI but it's worth keeping it in your search parameters.

 

As for when to purchase, I wouldn't rush. You still have plenty of time to cancel your cruise, and since airfare just came out for your dates, give it a little time.

 

FLL is fine but their return flights want to take me to Canada, Detroit or Dulles on June 7th as a second stop over before FLL. Final payment is in March so I will keep checking daily.

[LHT28]

FLL is fine but their return flights want to take me to Canada, Detroit or Dulles on June 7th as a second stop over before FLL. Final payment is in March so I will keep checking daily.

 

Not sure where you want to connect

I use this site to choose the airlines & routings I like

matrix.itasoftware.com/

then go to the airline website to confirm prices

 

Most flights to/from MIA or FLL connect in those cities

[Gardyloo]

FLL is fine but their return flights want to take me to Canada, Detroit or Dulles on June 7th as a second stop over before FLL. Final payment is in March so I will keep checking daily.

As of today, June 7 is one day shy of the farthest out you can buy tickets. Quite often airlines do NOT make their cheapest seats available this soon; there are too many unknowns in the next 11 months for them to risk things like the price of jet fuel going up, currencies to weaken or strengthen, etc.

 

You are in virtually zero danger of the flights selling out, and very little danger of prices shooting up, for months to come. By all means keep checking, but just remember that early birds don't always get worms, sometimes they get cats.

[zoncom]

When I lived on MB I always found best pricing on Lufthansa. Seems I remember an article about European air pricing best 7 weeks out.

[Globaliser]

Seems I remember an article about European air pricing best 7 weeks out.

There's no such rule. Nor could there be, otherwise everyone would simply wait until 7 weeks out before buying their tickets and everyone would get a cheap one. Why would the airline allow that?

[waterbug123]

FLL is fine but their return flights want to take me to Canada, Detroit or Dulles on June 7th as a second stop over before FLL. Final payment is in March so I will keep checking daily.

 

Search again. There are plenty of one stop options available on June 7 going from AMS to FLL. You can fly from AMS into JFK or DTW or ATL and then on to FLL from there, via KLM/DL.

[Ine]

Check Icelandair. They have excellent rates for one ways. Theyu fly from Amsterdam to Ft. Lauderadale with a short transfer in Reykjavik. The plus is they offer more free luggage. Check their website: http://www.icelandair.us

[Zach1213]

Check Icelandair. They have excellent rates for one ways. Theyu fly from Amsterdam to Ft. Lauderadale with a short transfer in Reykjavik. The plus is they offer more free luggage. Check their website: http://www.icelandair.us

 

The website will clarify that the closest they fly to FLL is Orlando. They don't currently fly to any Miami-area airports.

[Ine]

I found rates and times for May 2016, at icelandair but indeed now noticed it is with 2 transfers. One in Reykjavik and another one at JFk new york.

[Zach1213]

I found rates and times for May 2016, at icelandair but indeed now noticed it is with 2 transfers. One in Reykjavik and another one at JFk new york.

 

Yes, Icelandair partners with JetBlue, so you'd be on a JetBlue plane from FLL-JFK-FLL, and then Icelandair from JFK to AMS via Keflavik (which is, actually, a different airport than Reykjavik. Reykjavik is a small, almost (or completely) domestic airport; Keflavik is the international airport quite a bit south of town)

[TruckerDave]

Not sure how the price would work out, but how about flying from Tampa to London Gatwick on BA, and then using Easyjet to fly to Amsterdam ?

 

 

The OP is in Palm Beach...going via Tampa is really out of the way. And no need to when they can just go out of Miami. MIA-LHR-AMS all on BA or a AA/BA combo platter.

[TruckerDave]

The OP still hasn't said what their airline budget is. Flying to Europe during the summer tourist season will not be cheap. If they can find anything close to 1k the better jump on it.

[happy 2 b cruising]

The OP still hasn't said what their airline budget is. Flying to Europe during the summer tourist season will not be cheap. If they can find anything close to 1k the better jump on it.

 

We always travel in May to Europe, fares have been between $1.200 - 1,300 p.p. coach. Hopefully the current fares of $1,726 - 2,022 will come down before final payment on the cruise. Just read in the paper that Delta had very high earnings, maybe we will catch a break.

[FlyerTalker]

We always travel in May to Europe, fares have been between $1.200 - 1,300 p.p. coach. Hopefully the current fares of $1,726 - 2,022 will come down before final payment on the cruise. Just read in the paper that Delta had very high earnings, maybe we will catch a break.

Hope is not a strategy.

 

Why do you think they will come down? What are you going to do if they don't come down, but instead pass the $2k level? Are you prepared for that?

 

Just inserting a bit of a reality check here. Wish, hope, pray, - none of these are terms of rational economic thought.

 

And, if DL has been successful with their current fare and yield management strategy, why should they change it now? To "give a break"? Please tell me you were only kidding about this.

Edited July 17, 2015 by FlyerTalker