How to save up to 43% on gouge fare routes to Europe on American, Delta, and United with air-and-land packages
While we’re thankful that Europe is opening up, airlines are price-gouging on some routes. So we say, if you can’t beat ‘em, package ‘em.
Our favorite airline, Delta (dripping with sarcasm here), has high fares across the board, while certain routes such as New York-Venice are gouge (think 2X to 3X more) opportunities for multiple airlines. You can also find disproportionately high fares from cities like Savannah, Atlanta, and Miami to destinations like Athens and Rome. More on fare trends here.
Package pricing, on the other hand, doesn’t fluctuate like fares do. That’s because the tour operators generally get flat-rate, year-long contracts that aren’t renegotiated any time there’s a lockdown, political situation, or anything else.
The tour operators typically negotiate with airlines and hotels and commit to high-volume buying in exchange for rates that are attractive to online and offline travel agencies and airline’s leisure marketing units who then go on to sell the packages to their leisure travel customers.
When fares skyrocket as we’re seeing now on a number of routes, package deals make for big wins for travelers in the know.
Wrap It Up
We’re talking seven-night packages with premium class round-trip airfares, staying at four- and five-star hotels. Just the refreshing break you need after all this lockdown nonsense. The packages also feature nonstop flights from the U.S. to Europe in Business Class on American, Delta, and United. Today’s report covers bookings made through American Vacations, Delta Vacations, United Vacations, and Orbitz.
Put a Bow on It
If you were to fly nonstop from Dallas to Rome and back, you’d pay $10,027 in Business Class on American for two tickets. Then there’s accommodations at the St. Regis Hotel, which is gorgeous, but it costs $3,987 for those seven days. Altogether you’re paying $14,014.
Compare that cost to the package deal we spotted with AA Vacations for $9,793 for the exact same trip. That’s $4,221 (30%) in savings, as evidenced in the following screenshot.
If you were to fly nonstop from Chicago to Zurich, you’d pay $8,709 for two Business Class tickets in late August on United/Swiss, plus accommodations at the Kameha Grand Marriott’s Autograph Collection, but it costs $2,467 for seven days. Altogether you’re looking at a hefty payment of $11,176.
Now compare that to the package deal with Orbitz for $6,408 for (again) exactly the same trip. That’s a savings of $4,768 (43%).
You can find more package deal goodness in this chart.
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Booking packages online is easy using these links: AA Vacations, Delta Vacations, United Vacations, Orbitz.