NewHere

I'm wondering what is the typical price range for direct flight from Boston to Paris in late April (ie around 4/19)? When is usually the best time to buy air tickets for April departure.
Last week, I saw round trip BOS-CDG direct Air France flight for $1100. However, when i decided to book it on Monday, it was gone. I'm pretty sure that it was still there on Saturday night. Now, for the same flight, it is almost $200 more.
I'm wondering if the price increase due to :
- sold out of seats (but iooks like more than half of the airfare is still available for selection)?
- temporary increase and might come back to lower fare again?

i'm wondering what is the chance that it will drop back to around $1100 again. Does Air France or Delta do promotions when they still seat left couple weeks before departure? If yes, typically how many weeks/days before departure?

We have a party of 6, so I'm going to have to pass if I have to pay close to $1300 per ticket and think of other destination. We are only interested in direct flights because we have young children traveling with us.

Thank you all in advance for your input.

sparkchaser

Price increase is probably because the fare bucket you were looking at sold out.

protip: If you see a price you believe to be good, BUY IT.

You didn't mention your return date but I see some $1193 fares with Air France. Also, I would reconsider your aversion to connecting flights because you can get tickets as low as $860.


<i>Does Air France or Delta do promotions when they still seat left couple weeks before departure?</i>

Those days are long gone. The norm these days are oversold flights.

Ackislander

Aer Lingus connecting in Dublin has been offering the best fares to continental Europe and the UK from BOS.

At some times, there are two daily flights from Boston to DUB. The earlier flight gets you to Dublin too early. Immigration and security are lightly staffed so frustratingly slow, and the airport concessions are either still closed or understaffed, so getting a badly needed cup of coffee is difficult. Take the late flight even though we usually think "earlier is better."

Aer Lingus is sort of tied with icelandair in the "service? what's that" sweepstakes, but the flights are very short eastbound.

sparkchaser

OP want to avoid connections.

kerouac

Air France is having a sale at the moment, but I don't know when the tickets need to be used. Most of the US is being sold for 769 or 799 euros.

NewHere

thank you so much for the responses. so it sounds like chances price will go down is unlikely and most likely go up.
unfortunately, my kids are young (i.e. toddler and preschoolers) so it would be hard for connecting flight.
thanks again.

tom_mn

There are April flights on Icelandair near $1000.

Rethinking the nonstop preference:

Icelandair has free inseat movies to keep the toddlers occupied and provides free meals for children, so you don't have to give those things up for flying a discount airline.

You will do your passport control in Reykjavik, not Paris, making the arrival in Paris easier (like a domestic arrival).

You won't have to deal with CDG Terminal 2, but the smaller Terminal 1 (although the RER train goes directly to Terminal 2 if you are taking the train to Paris).

The terminal in Rekyavik is small and can make a nice break and run around time. The space age public toilets there thrill children.

Ackislander

I didn't miss her not wanting to avoid connections. I just don't think she is going to find both a low price and no connection unless she gets very lucky.

iris1745

Last week I bought 4 tickets BOS to CDG, non-stop for $1138, departing June 29th and returning on July 11th.

They did not open many seats for this price, but I got 4 seats together. We have the same seats on the way back.

Prices change frequently, so look every day.

Still looking for 2 seats Boston to Nice, Leaving on July 3rd and returning on July 11th.

tracilee

NewHere, another thing you might try is to look for 5 seats on the flight you want and then 4 or 3, etc. Sometimes they don't have availability for 6 seats at the discounted price, but you might be able to get some of them at the lower price. You'll have to do two bookings, one with the maximum number of seats they have at the lower price and then a second booking for the remaining seats at a higher fare.

Good luck!

NewHere

wow, non-stop for $1138 in the late june. that is really a steal. they must have some kinda of promotion last week...that was when i saw tons of fares at around $1100 in late april.
i wasn't planning to go to paris but couldn't resist the price. i had no idea what the price should be and by the time i decided to make the purchase, that price was no longer available =(
i should have done some research earlier.

iris1745

Check today on Air France, non-stop.

For my dates on Sky Scanner AF is $1115.

djkbooks

<<Does Air France or Delta do promotions when they still seat left couple weeks before departure?>>

And, the closer to departure, the more seats will have surcharges.

You cannot just shop fares for Air France and Delta - you have to continue through the booking process to choosing seats to determine the surcharges and whether you can book seats together.

It's also not a good idea to shop fares with a default of 1 person, as when you change to the actual number in your group, the fare will likely increase considerably.

Years ago we switched from Air France to Aer Lingus Boston/Paris. The connection in Dublin is convenient and easy (though does involve a bit of walking). Agree with booking the later departure from Boston. Returning, we prefer the ~1PM versus 10 AM departure from CDG. The flight to Boston departs Dublin at the same time for either. Last I checked, the Aer Lingus schedule was far more convenient than Air France non-stop flights. And, if USA Preclearance happens to be open in Dublin on your return connection, that saves you going through US Passport Control and Customs at Logan.

Christina

No airline does promotions near the departure date that I've ever seen, definitely not for international flights.

I have seen fares spike up a bit and then go back down a few days later. I imagine it's because someone cancelled their seats that were at the lower price so some got freed up. Or maybe someone was even holding them while I was checking. If I have time to book, I usually give it a few days to see if that will happen, although you are playing roulette. I don't think I'd do that so close to departure as this is (Feb-April). I've done it maybe 5 months out.

NewHere

Got it.
I ended up purchasing the tickets rather than wait. it does look like it will most likely increase because all the cheaper fare are taken.
I got the tickets from a travel agent, she seems to offer a slightly lower price than most of the fares online. I ended up paying about $100 more per ticket rather than $200. for some reason, airfrance the airfare is the same for adult or 2yr for cheaper tickets.
thank you all for the help.