Oh, I forgot to mention that we can travel on Tues-Wed-Thurs. Departing approx June 10 and returning approx June 23.

Where have you already checked—so we do not repeat efforts? Have you tried the tips and links in our new user thread? (top of this forum)

A quick check turned up ORD-MAD $1063 your dates, and $1091 if you return from Malaga instead.

Have you considered adding Moroccan airports to your flight search? Which cities will you visit there? I occasionally see decent fares to Marrakesh and Casablanca. An open-jaw (aka “multi-city”) flight itinerary would be ideal if the price is right—arrive Madrid, and return from Marrakesh, for example. Would save you backtrack time and expense.

Another idea: I’m seeing CHI-LIS or DUB around $765 for June. From LIS-MAD $25 each way with Easyjet (watch the baggage allowance with low-cost airlines). This might be an easy way to add another interesting place to your itinerary, and save about $250 on the airfare. I don’t see much on DUB or LIS to Morocco, however. www.whichbudget.com and www.skyscanner.net

I have checked the Eurotrip tips. Some good ideas there. I’m receiving fare alerts from kayak, etc. I’ve also been looking at airlines directly: aer lingus, british airways, air france, iberia, – and checking out different EU destinations. My husband says I’m obsessed with airfare; clearly I’ve looked at a lot of options. However, I hadn’t researched going to LIS – so far that’s the cheapest fare I’ve seen. I do like the sites you recommended www.whichbudget.com and www.skyscanner.net.

I considered flying into Morocco as well – we’re going to Marrakech – but it didn’t look like the prices were really any better to Morocco than Spain. We went ahead and booked our lodging for Morocoo towards the end of our trip, so that pretty much rules that option out.

I see there are some good Spring travel deals. My big question is: Are there likely to be some summer travel deals, or – because that is peak season – are those pretty rare?

And, if I hold out, waiting for a better deal, is there a risk that the flights will fill up and rates will go even higher?

I know there is no guarantee – but with no experience flying to Europe, I just don’t know what is “usual” and what is not.

Summer sales are rare and never as cheap as sale prices in the off-season. Holding out for something better does run the real risk of all the cheap seats getting sold out. Summer transatlantic flights are usually very full, and sometimes oversold.

Don’s offering sensible advice, so I’ll chime in with a gambler’s view Madrid has been among the cheapest European destinations the last few years and there have been good, but short-lived, summer sales the last few years. I’m personally waiting for a sale. Only do so if you’re willing to take the chance that fares won’t fall and if you’re committed to checking often and pulling the trigger when you see a low fare. Holding out for a sale is not a good strategy for people who only check fares once or twice a week. Some of these sales are around for a few days, but others only last for a few hours. Welcome to the airfare obsessed club

Don and Augustin, thanks for insights. I’m going to keep checking for a while anyway. And yes, I’ve been checking at least daily. I guess my husband gets to deal with an obsessed woman for a few more weeks!

FYI – I booked my RT flight on Swiss Air, from JFK to Barcelona for $513 each traveling from mid to late June. Booked this a couple weeks ago – I was traveling for work and couldn’t access my eurotrip account. We didn’t plan to go to BCN initially – this gives us the chance to check out annother great Spanish city.

I was able to get a good price on Spanair from BCN to Seville. Now I’m working on the KC to JFK portion. I knew I’d have to get to Chicago or NY probably anyway for a decent rate, and I think I can do this for a few hundred bucks per person.

Maybe I could have held out for a better, more direct deal… but I feel good that it’s booked now!

Thanks for all the great info!

Thanks for the update. At $513 for mid-June, you snagged a really good offer!