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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 12:05:34 GMT -5
I'm flying from Detroit to Milan on June 9/10 and coming back Aug 24..the cheapest ticket I have found is about $1400 including taxes and fees and travel insurance. But my parents think I can get it for much cheaper...anyone know of any websites or even a traveling agent I can call?
I've tried all the well-known websites online...the cheapest came from flycheapabroad.com
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rbrettg
Full Travel Member
Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 12:54:09 GMT -5
do u have to leave on june 9th or the 19th? and can it be flexible by 2 or 3 days cuz this could make a huge difference, in some instances up to 500 or more dollars!! and on the 24th can u come bakc like a day or 2 in either direction? ill try to find u a fare if u can
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rbrettg
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Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 12:55:34 GMT -5
oh also! how far away is chicago from you?
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Post by Eagle on May 14, 2007 12:56:09 GMT -5
scribbledhearts, I always use a Travel Agent to book flights abroad (however I often book regional flights on the net). However, I also always research flights on the net before visiting the Travel Agent, so that I have some idea on which flights are available and what my cost will be. I prefer to book through a T.A. for several reasons:
1.) Occasionally they can find me a better deal than what I've found on the net (sometimes using Carriers I hadn't thought of).
2.) In this area, air tickets purchased from a T.A. are insured by a governmnet-regulated travel insurance fund. I'm sure there are some that remember the collapse of Canada 3000 (and others), and the resulting high ticket charges that stranded travellers had to pay just to get home!
3.) My T.A. offers a "full service" agency, so I can also arrange Travel (medical) Insurance, Car Rentals, Lodgings and other items at the same time I book my air tickets.
I'm not too familiar with the airlines that are operating in your area, but it occurred to me that it might be less expensive to fly from Canada using one of our charters. However, that adds additional complexity to the equation. Here's one example that I found:
- Travel from Detroit to Toronto (budget flight or Greyhound - about a 6 hour trip to the downtown Toronto terminal - you'd still have to get to Pearson Airport)
- Air Transat to Munich (price listed today was Cdn$1033 including all taxes - that's approximately US$900).
- Rail from Munich to Milano (a long trip at 7H 15M, 0 changes - the fares on that route seem to vary from €95.10 to a "special rate of €32.50?)
The "bottom line" is that since you'll be travelling in somewhat of the "peak" season, there probably won't be too many good deals. Given the fact you'll be dealing with jet lag, my preference would be to pay the $1400 in order to make the trip as simple and easy as possible.Best advice - talk to a Travel Agent to see if they can come up with any better pricing than what you've found on the net.
Good luck!!!
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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 14:17:53 GMT -5
rbrettg, it's june 9/10, sorry. yeah i'm flexible, but one +/- day...I need to be in the states by Aug 25.
eagle, which travel agent(s) do you use? i called one in my area and they were very nice, but it was only a little bit under $1400.
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rbrettg
Full Travel Member
Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 14:29:14 GMT -5
how close are you to chicago
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Post by WillTravel on May 14, 2007 14:31:33 GMT -5
Another alternative: Get up to Hamilton or Toronto. If Hamilton, go to FlyGlobespan.ca . Note this combination of flights (or some other). June 10, Hamilton to Liverpool August 22, London Gatwick to Hamilton Total: $540 CAD, including all fees. Go to www.whichbudget.com . Note that Jet2.com has a flight for 33 pounds total (possibly also a small credit card fee) to Milan-Bergamo, from Manchester, on June 12. You'd have to get from Liverpool to Manchester (not far) and stay over one night. On your way back, you'd have numerous options to get back to London Gatwick. All told, I think you could do this method for less than $900 USD, including Greyhound, transport from Liverpool to Manchester, budget flight to Milan, budget flight back to London Gatwick, and transport to/from airports. (Almost certainly less than $1000 USD). Some other combinations are possible with canadian-affair.ca and flyzoom.ca and exit.ca . The main thing to be concerned about with such itineraries is allowing *plenty* of time for things to go wrong. |
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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 14:42:36 GMT -5
Pretty close to Chicago...actually Chicago would be good because one of my friends live there and she wants me to visit her.
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rbrettg
Full Travel Member
Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 14:47:20 GMT -5
air travel from toronto and hamilton is much cheaper than air travel from chicago or cleveland or even detroit. is it possible to get up there or do u want me to look for u in the usa?
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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 14:50:18 GMT -5
tell me how cheap it is first...it's inconvient, but if its really cheap, i could get up to toronto. not sure where hamilton is
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rbrettg
Full Travel Member
Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 14:53:02 GMT -5
hamilton is outside of toronto.. but actually closer to detroit than toronto is.
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rbrettg
Full Travel Member
Posts: 42
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Post by rbrettg on May 14, 2007 15:20:37 GMT -5
holy crap i just found something awesome.. flyglobespan.ca from hamilton to london stansted! departs june 11th from hamilton ontatrio (closer to detroit than toronto).. arrives london stansted (home of discount airlines in europe) and arrives at 10am departs from london stansted at august 23rd at 12 in the day.. all this comes to 446 incl tax and fuel charges. and thats in canadian dollars.. according to xe.com tghat comes to 402USD.. you then have ot buy a discounted airfare from london stansted ot milan (if thats where u want to go).. and that should not be hard.. stansted has SO MANY! ok so here i found ryanair (the leader of discount airfares/airlines  ) it is 2.98 pounds plus tax.. so that comes to 47USD incl taxes.. so i mean this is only 450USD.. then u have to get transportation to hamilton.. if i lived there i would be booking this far immediately.. any other questions of comments i can continue to help u but this fare is amazing and im sure others will agree |
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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 17:59:32 GMT -5
ooo thanks, i'm checking it out right now...whats the priority checking on ryanair? you can't check in any bags?
also did you find anything from chicago?
thanks for your help!
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Post by scribbledhearts on May 14, 2007 18:07:54 GMT -5
yeah it's near impossible for me to get to hamilton from detroit unless i drive...ughh
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Post by WillTravel on May 14, 2007 18:13:21 GMT -5
I don't know if Priority Check-in is possible if you aren't a EU citizen, or at least resident. So I wouldn't expect to be able to do that.
I don't think it's exactly impossible to get to Hamilton. Greyhound gives a time estimate of about 4 hours and 15 minutes, with no changes, from Detroit bus station to Hamilton bus station. Then you'd need some method to get to the airport (and probably would want to stay overnight in Hamilton, or at least arrive really early). Maybe it's too much hassle to do it that way, which I can understand.
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