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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