We would love to go back to Germany next summer for 2 or 3 weeks, during August (peak time).
We don’t need a hotel, just car and airfare for 2 adults and 2 kids.
Anyone know of consolidators from Detroit ( or even Flint) to either Hamburg or Frankfurt) or any other places for discount fares?
I’m routinely checking Orbitz and travelocity.
Thanks.
I’d check Expedia, too. We just bought tickets to Denmark, and at the time we bought them, Travelocity was $400 higher for the same flights. As of today, they’ve both gone up, but now the disparity is even bigger, and Travelocity doesn’t even have a fare available for the better itinerary that Expedia is still offering (and the one we got). Expedia is at $1,157 from Los Angeles to Denmark and and Travelocity is $1,909 with a considerably later arrival time and a much earlier departure time on the return. That’s HUGE!
And though it’s not that much of a difference at this time, a random fare check for Detroit to Hamburg, from August 5th through the 20th, 2006, has Expedia at $20/ticket cheaper for the Air France flights and $10/ticket cheaper for the KLM flights. It’s not hundreds, but $80 is a couple of meals, tours, or several days of car rental.
You might try calling the airlines directly. Unless it is a special, online prices arn’t always the cheapest. I’ve gotten tickets half the price of what I could find on any online site by calling them up saying “I’m going here. I don’t really care what day or time it is, and I’m willing to fly out of any airport within a couple hour’s drive.” Anyway, it never hurts to check.
Try going directly to some of the “other” international airlines, even if it means scheduling a domestic flight to reach an airport they service.
https://ibp2.scandinavian.net/ibp/planandbook/searchAvailView.aspx?MKT=US
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/uk?ctest=9080885900
Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, JAL Japan Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air Canada.
Or maybe even the old fashioned way, call a travel agent.