Has anyone found airfare to Madrid to be cheaper than $1000. Call me crazy, but I cannot remember the last time tickets to Madrid were $1500! Last year I went to Malaga in August and my airline ticket and hotel weren't even than much. What is up?

I am having the same problem. I just keep waiting and watching, but it just keeps getting worse. I think the most I have ever paid was $800 in the summer, so this is rediculous! Good luck in your search!

US Airways has some excellent promotional fares to Shannon, Dublin & Glasgow AND AerLingus has good ones from Dublin to several destinations in Spain. If you get to Glasgow you can probably take RyanAir or EasyJet (or some other discount air carrier) to Spain.

That way you can have a pint or two of Guinness along the way.

If you're trying to go anytime after la Virgen de Carmen (16 Jul), you can forget about Part II of that proposed itinerary! Everything going to Spain from Ireland and the UK will probably be 'sold out!'

You know Eddie, you are really smart! It never ocurred to me to do it that way. that is the reason I planned to travel this winter because with the dollar so deliriously low, the rates are more economical then. We educators don't make enough for the classier Summer rates !

I would love to stay in Ireland for a day or two and take in more than a pint! Is RyanAir really that inexpensive?

Booklady,
Isn't it pathetic! I agree it was always higher this time of year but not this high. It almost takes all the fun out of it. I may have to wait till october to travel.

Hey carabijto.....your last name isn't Caraballo by chance??? If so we may be related??? He! He!

How depressing!I guess it has to do with the very high cost of fuel these days.Out here in California we have been getting hit pretty hard at the pump.Premium unleaded has been at near $3/gallon for a long while.

Hey,did you all hear that US Airways got bought out by America West.Will this affect their route to Spain?In the past US Airways has been just about the most economical carrier.

Marques,
I just received an e-mail from US-Air and the new bonding will be under the US-Air name. They will honor both frequent flyer miles. So now I can use my US-Air miles to visit California

Sure,we'll love to have you visit us Booklady.But now you have a big decision to make.Do you want to spend your miles to visit Spain or California?

Carmen (aka BookLady) writes: I can relate to that! Yes! Two years ago I had to get from Dublin, IE to London (Luton) to catch an Easyjet flight to Madrid. I booked my RyanAir flight early: One Pound sterling; but with taxes & fees it came out to about $22 USD. The EasyJet flight to Madrid (Barajas) was similarly inexpensive. This year AerLingus is apparently competing 'head to head' (Mano a mano if you prefer) with flights from Dublin at similarly low fares. I think I would go with AerLingus, partly because RyanAir is very restrictive on baggage weight.
BTY
My EU-member Country Passport is Irish Republic (Legacy): I figure if someone of the Jewish faith can get a (Legacy) Israel passport if his mother was Jewish and I can qualify for an Irish Republic (Legacy) passport, why not??

GREAT/TERRIBLE NEWS! ¡ME VOY!

Just bought my ticket to Madrid for mid-June and DID pay the Sky-high airfares! ARGH!

I checked (Obritz, Expedia) online and found the best deals wouldn't get me into Madrid until the next EVENING and included 2-stops. So instead, I decided to pay MORE, get into Madrid in the morning, AND only have 1-stop (JFK).

I'm flying on Delta and originally considered a somewhat cheaper, 2-stop flight on Air France (I love Air France; great food & bread, free wine, and individual video monitors) but I'd get into Madrid at something like 8pm the next day so no thanks. Also, during the summer months, Air France is NOT a codeshare partner with Delta.

In the end I booked through the www.Delta.com website as it was cheaper than on Orbitz plus I get extra airmiles for doing so. Tried to use my airmiles through Delta but nothing was available - big surprise.

So that's that. This'll be my first visit to Madrid/Spain during the summer months so let's see how I survive the heat. I'll be there until June 29th - only 11 days.

Saludos, MadridMan

Have fun MadridMan!Wish I could be there with you.I'll probably return sometime during the fall.It's been almost 2 years since my last trip to Madrid and I'm getting really anxious.And don't worry too much about the heat,just make sure you drink plenty of ice cold Fantas de limon

Que viva Espana!

Congratulations, Madridman! Have a great time!

Does this mean there will be a get-together with Madridman in Madrid? I'm still new to all this. Even though I don't leave for Spain until May 31, I've already fallen in love thanks to all you wonderful people and your posts. Unfortunately, I'm losing sleep following the many threads! But I love every minute of it! I'll be in Madrid June 1 - 3 when I go to Valladolid. I'll be back in Madrid June 19 (hopefully speaking a little Spanish) and leaving for home June 20.

La Tortuga et.al.: it remains to be seen if a "Party with MadridMan in Madrid" will take place during my short visit next month. It's possible but if it does happen it'll likely be a lower-key, less formal get-together. But unfortunately, I arrive on Saturday morning, June 18th and I don't expect to have a gathering THAT night as I'll likely be quite tired/jet-lagged. Sunday the 19th is out because, well, it's Sunday. So that's it. Sorry!

But back to the topic, hope ANY of you can get some decent airfares. Upon choosing seats on my Delta flight I could see on the graphic that ONLY A FEW REMAINED! I was able to get aisle seats the whole route, thank goodness. A couple of $4 French wines with dinner are still worth the money - helps to ease my excitement so that I MIGHT sleep on the plane - which almost NEVER happens.

I found a SURPRISING FEW airlines offering 1-stop flights to Madrid via the consolidated airfare finder websites like Orbitz and Expedia. MOST of the lower cost flights (i.e. $1,100+ ) had 2+ stops Seems the airlines are trying to cut costs by offering (nearly) only multi-stop flights while still raising the prices a bit more so they can make a little more $$$ per seat.

There's also an excellent chance I'll be returning to Madrid for another 10+ day visit in October so I expect the airfares THEN to be about half (or there abouts) what I paid for this June ticket.

Hope the rest of you have better luck. Saludos, MadridMan

Check with the Iberia.com US site during June. The last 3 years I have been able to lock in a September fare around $525. It goes away in July.

I once purchased a one-stop ticket on Continetal for labor day weekend for $425 tax included. It was a last minute deal on Travelocity.

Otherwise, it is my experience that it is hard to find fares less than US$800 from September until November 1st.

BTW, I agree with MadridMan about Air France. I once spent an enjoyable trip drinking free splits of French Champagne with a man next to me who claimed to be at different times a diplomat, a member of the French underground and an expert oenophile. He was such a good raconteur, it didn't matter if they were true!

Regarding autumn fares - British Airways currently has a pretty good offer if you book by May 26 - $179 each way NY & Newark to London. Plus taxes and fees (about $110). You can pick up a cheap flight on to Madrid.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ussoff/public/en_us?prim=specoff

I started to look for flights to Spain in September/October. If there going to be "Party with MadridMan in Madrid" in October I will make my plans for October. Also how many days is this party? Maybe someone should post some target dates in October that way people have an idea when it might take place.

Right now Iberia has posted on their website prices in the early fall which I think are reasonable, but I going to wait a few weeks to see if British Airlines or Air France will have specials in the fall.

Bill

If you don't have specific dates guiding your trip, watch the paper. We saw 225.00 round trip tickets to Ireland and England. Then the inter-europe flight to Madrid was around 100.00.(one-way).

We were dictated by dates and we booked through a travel agent. Flight from JFK to Madrid, another flight to Paris, a third flight to Dublin, and finally a flight from Dublin home to JFK...all this for 1000.00 per person. We were happy!