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Plane tickets to Europe?

Marzipan13Marzipan13 member
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in Honeymoon Discussions
We're planning our honeymoon in Munich, for Oktoberfest!  
Do any of you have any tips for finding deals on airfare, especially to Europe?  How close to the honeymoon should I hold out for plane tickets?
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Re: Plane tickets to Europe?

  • emmyg65emmyg65 member
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    I always check Kayak for airfare. Depending on where you live, you might want to check different airports. I live in the Northeast, so I check JFK and Newark. Remember to check different dates. Since Oktoberfest is usually about two weeks, you have some flexibility. Flying on weekdays is cheapest (especially Tuesday or Wednesday). In general, the closer to your trip, the more expensive tickets get. So as soon as you see a good deal, snap it up!
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  • Marzipan13Marzipan13 member
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    That's great to hear!  We are planning on leaving during the week (a few days before Oktoberfest opens), and I check Kayak as often as I can.  
    With airfare and prices of everything fluctuating, it's hard to try to determine what's reasonable as far as ticket prices... Right now they're about $2400 (for both of us), but I'm really trying to find them for less than $2000... is that crazy, or is that doable?  

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  • jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    Marzipan13 said:
    That's great to hear!  We are planning on leaving during the week (a few days before Oktoberfest opens), and I check Kayak as often as I can.  
    With airfare and prices of everything fluctuating, it's hard to try to determine what's reasonable as far as ticket prices... Right now they're about $2400 (for both of us), but I'm really trying to find them for less than $2000... is that crazy, or is that doable?  

    They generally only get that cheap during off seaon aka winter. Oktoberfest is a very popular tourist time so I do not see them dropping any lower than the $2400. Last time I went to Greece was $1600.  

                                                                     

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  • Jells2dot0Jells2dot0 mod
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    Place the flights you are interested in Yapta.com. Save the $2000 as a target alert and it will send you a note if and when it drops.

     

    Also, consider looking at other area airports- Frankfurt, Salzburg, or even Zurich. If it's that much cheaper, you can just plan to take a train into Munich. The rail network there is extensive.

     

    FWIW, I always seem to find that munich has the best air prices in the area, but as pp mentioned, it is a busy time of year.

     







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  • kjvaracallikjvaracalli member
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    Make sure you set a price alert on Kayak too. Can opt for email or text notification.  I did this for us (going to Italy). Sadly, not too much difference in price for Italy in May.  
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  • Marzipan13Marzipan13 member
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    Okay, great, so it's not too crazy of a thought!  I've definitely been checking out other major airports around Munich (like the above mentioned), with the hope of cheaper tickets through there, and then taking a train to Munich (staying in Garching).  This just might work yet!
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  • freebread03freebread03 member
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    I like Jells suggestion of flying into another airport-the drive (or train) is beautiful anyways, and its a fun way to see another part of the world.  FI and I drove through Austria and Slovenia this summer and passed just into Germany not too far from Salzburg, and it was just breathtakingly beautiful-I wish we'd gotten to detour to Salzburg (we drove from Vienna to Bled, Slovenia, to Kitzbuhl Austria).  Sounds like an amazing trip-I'm jealous!
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  • freebread03freebread03 member
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    Forgot to add, I almost always end up booking through Vayama-I've gotten great deals through them and find it easy to look at varying European routes.
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  • thejucheideathejucheidea member
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    Norwegian is running AMAZING deals flying into Oslo now, so if you'd be willing to connect in Oslo or take the train from Oslo to Munich, you could get it for mad cheap. Our flight from NYC to Oslo was $250 each.

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
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    The earlier you book the flights the better. You are traveling there during a very popular time & finding cheap rates will be next to impossible. Our family found this out first hand when trying to book a flight there in September just two years ago. Only time cheap to fly to eurpose is Feb - Mar. Also if you haven't booked your rooms, do that ASAP as there are only so many hotels in Munich and they will fill up quickly. If you have the flexibility check on different days of the week. Flying in on the middle of the week can be cheaper then closer to the weekend or on the weekend.

     As some of the other pp have suggested, I would look into flying into another town, or country & take the train. Skip the car rental as parking in Munich is bad enough during regular tourist season, let alone during Oktoberfest. Plus gas is 3-4 times the cost it is here in the US, so you would need to add that plus parking fees (they charge to park everywhere over there).  

    My mom has been going to Germany every year for the last 20+ years to visit family, my father and I go on average every 5 years, so I feel pretty confident in the information I am giving you.

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  • mellyD2014mellyD2014 member
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    I think $2400 each is a normal price to be paying that time of year. Flights to Europe in general (from the NY Metro area anyway) will could drop below $1000 each but it would be during the off season - and unfortunately Oktoberfest won't be considered off season. I would agree with PPs - set some price alerts on those sights (I'm a fan of kayak as well; my father who travels often prefers cheapoair) but I would recommend booking ASAP. The prices will only go up as you get closer, so I wouldn't wait very long.

    I'd also recommend checking out Bing's flight predictor. It will tell you with varying degrees of certainty whether the flight path you're searching for will become cheaper or more expensive over the next few weeks. I use them all the time when I'm trying to ascertain when I should buy flights. Oktoberfest is popular enough that I bet their prediction would be pretty accurate.

    You're going to have an absolute blast on your honeymoon. Good luck! :)
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