This just in from BestFares.com (click link for details):

Save Up To $500 RT: Airfares To Madrid From Over 100 U.S. Cities From $298 RT Nov. 1, '02 Thru March 31, '03

Bestfares.com members can travel from over 100 U.S. cities to Madrid from $298 roundtrip. You could save up to $500. Request SU-K-NET discount when booking. Here are the fare rules:

- Travel is available between November 1, 2002 and March 31, 2003.

- Travel is available Tuesday through Thursday; add $25 each way for other days.

- A Saturday night stay and a 14-day advance purchase are required.

- The maximum stay allowed is 30 days.

- There are no blackout dates.

- A processing fee and a fuel surcharge may apply.

- The roundtrip fares and departure cities are:

$298 -- Hartford, Washington (DC), Boston, Baltimore, Newark, New York City, Buffalo, Islip, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Albany, Providence, Manchester (NH), New Haven, Worcester (MA), Bangor, Portland (ME), Lebanon (NH), Atlantic City, Syracuse, Rochester (NY), Erie (PA), Harrisburg, State College (PA), Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Burlington, Killington (VT), Charleston (WV), Parkersburg and Morgantown

$348 -- Atlanta, Louisville, Chicago, Little Rock, Indianapolis, Columbus (OH), Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton, Cleveland, New Orleans, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Jackson (MS), Norfolk, Charlotte, Raleigh, Knoxville, Huntsville (AL), Birmingham (AL), Montgomery, Mobile, Augusta (GA), Athens (GA), Columbus (GA), Savannah, Lexington, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Charlottesville, Richmond, Roanoke, Greensboro, Fayetteville (NC), Wilmington, Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia (SC), Myrtle Beach, Charleston (SC), Hilton Head, Chattanooga, Memphis, Fayetteville (AR), Cedar Rapids, South Bend, Fort Wayne, Canton/Akron, Evansville, Toledo, Saginaw, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Madison, Springfield/Branson (MO), Omaha, Lincoln, Wichita and Topeka

$398 -- Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle

Date: 09/22/2002
Purchase By: 09/27/2002
Last Travel: 03/31/2003
Story: 66132

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Also on BestFares.com (click link for details):

Europe On Sale: 65 U.S. Cities To Madrid From $368 RT Depart Oct. 1-31, '02

Bestfares.com members can travel from 65 U.S. cities to Madrid from $368 roundtrip. You could save up to $250. Cities and fares are listed below. Request promotion SU-12/20/22 when booking. Here are the fare rules:

- Depart October 1-31, 2002 and return by November 30, 2002.

- Travel is available Monday through Thursday. Add $30 each way for other travel days.

- A Saturday night stay and 21-day advance purchase are required.

- The maximum stay allowed is 30 days.

- There are no blackout dates.

- A processing fee and other governmental taxes may apply.

The roundtrip fares and cities are:

$368- New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Washington (DC)

$388- Manchester (NH), Burlington (VT), Bangor, Islip, Providence, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, Portland (ME) and Hartford

$408- Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville and Ft. Myers

$428- Atlanta and Chicago

$448- Charlotte, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Toledo, Norfolk, Richmond, Cleveland, Nashville, Louisville, Columbus (OH), Dayton, Knoxville, Memphis, Greensboro, Greenville, Charleston (WV), Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, Little Rock, New Orleans, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Ft. Wayne, Des Moines and Sarasota

$468- Dallas

$478- San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco

$488- Raleigh, Omaha and Wichita

$498- Orange County, Seattle and Phoenix

$518- Houston and Denver


Date: 09/22/2002
Purchase By: 09/27/2002
Last Travel: 11/30/2002
Story: 73257

MM-
It says extra governmental taxes and fees may apply, for the $408 trip from florida cities, do you know how much that comes out to?

Also, obviously you're a member. Is it worth it? And if you sign up, can you order tickets for more than one person? In other words, would it be ok for me to order tickets for myself and my sister, or are you limited to ordering tickets only per member?

I just want to get an idea before I sign up for a company and then still end up paying the amount of a regular fare (right now my dates are in the $540 range.)

Thanks MM!

Espe3, I really have no idea what the "extras" would be if flying from the Florida cities.

I'm not a member, no, but I did happen upon the special. In fact, from what little I could gather, you get membership just by subscribing to their monthly (?) travel magazine. I'd be certainly willing to get the subscription for, what could it be, $20-$30 to save $100+. It's those hidden taxes and fees and "extras" they don't specifically list that make me nervous.
(as I is, I get the Frommer's Budget Travel (good mag) and the Condé Nast Traveler (nice, glossy mag for higher-incomes-than-mine)).

Saludos, MadridMan

ok, thanks!
You're right about spending the $20-30 though, except that its $60, and like you said, those extras that they don't list, very easily it can add up to the $100 and more that you thought you were saving! :o We'll see! Its off to the airplane fare wars I go!

Before you join Bestfares, check out the Fodors European board . There seem to be many negative posts regarding Bestfares.

Another suggestion - go to www.Travelocity.com - find the area that allows you to choose destinations and point of departure - then check the box that requests them to email you everytime the fares on any airline drop by $25. You will get updates on a consistent basis and can then ticket your flight. I have used them for years both back and forth to Spain and domestically and have never had a problem.

Best Fares is a joke. When I tried to go to Spain this summer using them, they promised $359.00 rt from Richmond, VA and when I called, they could get me there, but couldn't get me back. There wasn't any date that matched my criteria, not even 3 weeks from my first departure date. I got suckered into joining, but I will not renew.

This is my situation and you're situation may be different in this case.

Shawn