Thursday, July 31, 2008

International Air Fares Soaring

Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com sent out a very detailed look at international air fares this fall and winter. They're up. Sharply.

Here's his report:

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Arlington, TX -- Thursday, July 31, 2008 - "Airfares to Europe this fall and winter will be much higher than just a year ago" - states Tom Parsons, CEO and founder of Bestfares.com.

The primary reason for the increases are the fuel surcharges this year compared to last year. This week, we saw Delta, American, Northwest and United raise their fuel surcharges to most cities in Europe (except in England and Germany) from $330 to $350 roundtrip. "The fuel surcharge to London from midwest and east coast cities is now $302 roundtrip and cities west of Dallas are now a whopping $426 roundtrip" - adds Parsons.

The average airfare to Europe for the fall season (September 1 thru October 29) has risen by 16 percent. Destinations in England, including London, saw the largest increase with average airfares up 31 percent.

Airfares for the winter season (October 30 thru March 25) are seeing an even larger increase over last year. To most destinations, the airfares which include the new higher mandatory fuel surcharges are approximately 30 percent over the same time last year. Airfares to London and other destinations in England have climbed by an average of 53 percent. Airfares from Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco to London are as much as 60% higher than last winter.

"Travelers this fall and winter should brace themselves for these new airfare levels. Many travelers who were planning a trip to Europe may want to rethink their options. This week, we saw many airfares to the Caribbean and Mexico for the fall season up to 80% less than the cost of a ticket to Europe" - states Parsons.

Check out our air charts listed below comparing the fall and winter travel periods of 2007 to 2008. To see new fuel surcharges to other worldwide international destinations, please click here.



September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
New York City To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $310 $302 $612 $396 $130 $526 16% $255 $302 $557 $294 $120 $414 35%
Paris $385 $350 $735 $438 $150 $588 25% $297 $350 $647 $322 $170 $492 32%
Rome $420 $350 $770 $610 $150 $760 1% $340 $350 $690 $280 $170 $536 29%
Amsterdam $342 $350 $692 $435 $150 $585 18% $297 $350 $647 $280 $170 $450 44%
Madrid $346 $350 $696 $386 $150 $536 30% $310 $350 $680 $290 $170 $460 48%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
Washington, DC To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $410 $302 $712 $461 $120 $581 23% $311 $302 $613 $278 $120 $398 54%
Paris $595 $350 $945 $629 $170 $799 18% $503 $350 $853 $478 $170 $648 32%
Rome $673 $350 $1,023 $723 $170 $893 15% $489 $350 $839 $468 $170 $638 32%
Amsterdam $535 $350 $885 $522 $170 $722 23% $414 $350 $764 $396 $170 $566 35%
Madrid $526 $350 $876 $559 $170 $729 20% $391 $350 $741 $288 $170 $458 62%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
Chicago To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $460 $302 $762 $512 $120 $632 21% $346 $302 $648 $328 $120 $448 45%
Paris $646 $350 $996 $682 $170 $852 17% $541 $350 $891 $518 $170 $688 30%
Rome $697 $350 $1,047 $732 $170 $902 16% $466 $350 $816 $448 $170 $618 32%
Amsterdam $527 $350 $877 $560 $170 $730 20% $431 $350 $781 $408 $170 $578 35%
Madrid $420 $350 $770 $368 $170 $538 43% $377 $350 $727 $402 $170 $572 27%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
Dallas To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $453 $426 $879 $503 $130 $633 39% $357 $426 $783 $390 $130 $520 51%
Paris $656 $350 $986 $691 $170 $861 15% $568 $350 $918 $661 $170 $831 11%
Rome $770 $350 $1,100 $803 $170 $973 13% $479 $350 $829 $504 $170 $674 23%
Amsterdam $581 $350 $911 $615 $170 $785 16% $429 $350 $779 $411 $170 $581 34%
Madrid $456 $350 $786 $490 $170 $660 19% $467 $350 $817 $492 $170 $662 23%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
Denver To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $514 $426 $940 $564 $130 $694 35% $409 $426 $835 $393 $130 $523 60%
Paris $621 $350 $951 $673 $170 $843 13% $568 $350 $918 $548 $170 $718 28%
Rome $726 $350 $1,056 $776 $170 $946 12% $476 $350 $826 $458 $170 $628 32%
Amsterdam $682 $350 $1,012 $716 $170 $886 14% $483 $350 $833 $466 $170 $636 31%
Madrid $646 $350 $976 $680 $170 $850 15% $586 $350 $939 $568 $170 $738 27%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
Los Angeles To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $480 $426 $906 $530 $130 $660 37% $418 $426 $844 $398 $130 $528 60%
Paris $621 $350 $951 $621 $170 $791 20% $641 $350 $991 $688 $170 $858 16%
Rome $782 $350 $1,112 $785 $170 $955 16% $595 $350 $945 $518 $170 $688 37%
Amsterdam $682 $350 $1,012 $716 $170 $886 14% $539 $350 $889 $522 $170 $692 28%
Madrid $632 $350 $962 $666 $170 $836 15% $527 $350 $877 $539 $170 $709 24%


September 1 - October 28, 2008 Departures September 1 - October 28,
2007 Departures
October 29, 2008 - March 25, 2009 Departures October 29, 2007- March 25, 2008 Departures
San Francisco To: Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total %
Increase
Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total Airfare Fuel Surcharge Total % Increase
London $480 $426 $906 $512 $130 $642 41% $409 $426 $835 $388 $130 $518 61%
Paris $788 $350 $1,118 $838 $170 $1,008 11% $629 $350 $979 $608 $170 $778 26%
Rome $734 $350 $1,064 $785 $170 $955 11% $544 $350 $895 $518 $170 $688 30%
Amsterdam $691 $350 $1,021 $724 $170 $894 14% $516 $350 $866 $498 $170 $668 30%
Madrid $703 $350 $1,033 $736 $170 $906 14% $514 $350 $864 $488 $170 $658 31%



Tom Parsons, CEO and founder of Bestfares.com, a discount travel website that tracks airfare changes and travel industry trends, is one of the
most sought-after travel industry experts in the United States. Parsons has been chasing down hidden travel bargains and bringing them to the traveling public for more than 25 years. Parsons regularly appears on over 100 national and local radio stations and television networks each month, and is regularly quoted by countless newspapers and magazines. Even Herb Kelleher, Former CEO and Founder of Southwest Airlines, called Tom "the best low fare policeman on the beat."

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