Airfares SFO to Frankfurt in September

[skim118]

I have to go to Germany for a family reunion during the third week of September.

Does anyone have a suggestion on when there would be any airfare sale, because most of the fares I am getting are close to $1000 incl taxes ?


thanks,
Sara

 

[Carolinian]

With most airlines it is still high season until mid-September, then it goes to shoulder season. Sometimes there are good fares on www.icelandair.com , but not always in summer. You might also watch www.skyauction.com but be sure you catch all of the add-ons.

 

[spike]

I too plan to go to SFO to Frankfurt this September. Polar route on United or Lufthansa. Prices drop in early September so I plan to book evereything then. I'll have backup refundable tickets just in case.

 

[camachinist]

Baseline:

Fare Details
 
Departing Airport 	OAK
Arriving Airport 	FRA
Departure Date 	09/21/06
 
Note:
The fares listed do not include airport and/or security fees.
 
Fare Basis 	Airline 	Booking Class 	Trip Type 	Fare 	Effective Date 	Expiration Date 	 
275 Fares Returned
WKXANE 	LH 	W 	Round-Trip 	609.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
LKXNR5 	AZ 	L 	Round-Trip 	610.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
WKWANE 	LH 	W 	Round-Trip 	669.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
LKWNR5 	AZ 	L 	Round-Trip 	670.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
NKXNR5 	AZ 	N 	Round-Trip 	690.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
MKXRCNA 	BA 	M 	Round-Trip 	692.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
UKXNR5 	DL 	U 	Round-Trip 	719.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
UKXNREU 	DL 	U 	Round-Trip 	719.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing

Routing for LH:

Routing Rules
 
FARE BASIS CODE
WKXANE
 

    QTE  F/B        BK    FARE   EFF  EXP  TKT  AP MIN/MAX  RTG
  1   -  WKXANE     W R   609.00   -    -    -  ?? SUN/ 1M AT01
 
*** USE OF YY NLX TYPE FARES OAK-FRA NOT PERMITTED ON LH ***
 
AT01 /VIA THE ATLANTIC/
     OAK-LH/UA-WAS-LH/UA-ATL/BOS/EWR/MIA/NYC/ORL/PHL/TPA-ATL/
     BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-WAS-LH/UA-ATL/BOS/EWR/MIA/NYC/ORL/PHL/TPA-ATL/
     BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU
     /CPH/DUS/LON/MUC/PAR/ZRH-BD/LH/OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-DEN-LH/UA-DTT/IND/ORL/STL-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/
     DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-DEN-LH/UA-DTT/IND/ORL/STL-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/
     DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU/CPH/DUS/LON/MUC
     /PAR/ZRH-BD/LH/OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-DEN-CLE/MSY-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA
     /NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-DEN-CLE/MSY-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA
     /NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU/CPH/DUS/LON/MUC/PAR/ZRH-BD/LH/
     OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-PHL-WAS-ATL/BOS/EWR/MIA/NYC/ORL/TPA-ATL/BOS/CHI
     /CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-PHL-WAS-ATL/BOS/EWR/MIA/NYC/ORL/TPA-ATL/BOS/CHI
     /CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU/CPH/
     DUS/LON/MUC/PAR/ZRH-BD/LH/OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-SFO-LH/UA-LAX-LH/UA-PHX-LAX/SFO-LH/UA-DFW/LAS/
     PDX/PHX/RNO/SAN-LH/UA-DEN-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU
     /MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-SFO-LH/UA-LAX-LH/UA-PHX-DEN-LH/UA-CLE/DTT/HOU/
     IND/MSP/MSY/ORL/STL/TPA-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/
     MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-SFO-LH/UA-LAX-LH/UA-PHX-LAX/SFO-LH/UA-DFW/LAS/
     PDX/PHX/RNO/SAN-LH/UA-DEN-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU
     /MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU/CPH/DUS/LON/MUC/PAR/ZRH-BD
     /LH/OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA
     OAK-LH/UA-SFO-LH/UA-LAX-LH/UA-PHX-DEN-LH/UA-CLE/DTT/HOU/
     IND/MSP/MSY/ORL/STL/TPA-ATL/BOS/CHI/CLT/DFW/DTT/EWR/HOU/
     MIA/NYC/PHL/WAS-LH/UA-AMS/BRU/CPH/DUS/LON/MUC/PAR/ZRH-BD/
     LH/OS/UA-FRA-MUC-LH/UA-FRA

Fare rules for LH:

Fare Rules
 
FARE BASIS CODE
WKXANE
 
BK CODE
W -

RES/TKTG
RES MUST BE MADE NO LATER THAN 21 DAYS BEFORE DPTR FROM ORIGIN. TKT MUST BE PURCHASED NO LATER THAN 21 DAYS BEFORE DPTR FROM ORIGIN OR 3 DAYS AFTER RES IS MADE, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. SGMTS USING THIS RULE MUST BE CONFIRMED.
 
MIN STAY
RETURN TRVL IS VALID ON THE 1ST SUN AFTER 12:01 A.M.. MEASURED FROM DPTR FROM GATEWAY.
 
MAX STAY
RETURN TRVL MUST COMMENCE NO LATER THAN 1 MONTH. MEASURED FROM DPTR FROM ORIGIN TO DPTR FROM LAST STOPOVER POINT.
 
DAY/TIME
APPLIES AT ANY TIME MON-THU ON INTL SECTOR. DAY/TIME IS BASED ON TRIP DATE OF INTL SECTOR.
 
SEASONS
1APR-25MAY, 6SEP-31OCT OR 10-26DEC. SAME DATES APPLY EACH YEAR. SEASON IS BASED ON DATE OF ORIGIN AND IS DETERMINED BY DATE OF DEPARTURE OF OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
 
BLACKOUTS
NO BLACKOUT RESTRICTIONS APPLY.
 
FLT APPL
APPLIES TO ANY FLIGHT EXCEPT UA 1700-3799/LH 1412-1419 ON THE DEPARTURE OF EACH TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
 
STOPOVERS
NO ENROUTE STOPOVERS ARE PERMITTED. A STOPOVER OCCURS WHEN THE PASSENGER DOES NOT DEPART AN INTERMEDIATE POINT WITHIN 24 HOURS.
 
TICKET RESTRICTIONS
TICKETS MAY BE ISSUED: BY PTA AND SATISFIES TICKETING REQUIREMENTS NOTE: PASSENGERS MUST BE NOTIFIED PRIOR TO TICKET ISSUANCE THAT FARES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

Prices are, for LH, plus taxes and fuel surcharges, if any. Also, consider consolidators, though the margins have tightened of late. SFO and SJC are marginally higher, though that can change. MUC is same as destination currently.

My advice is to watch and wait and pull the trigger at 450.00USD+.

Pat

 

[skim118]

My advice is to watch and wait and pull the trigger at 450.00USD+.

Pat

Thanks for your advice; I will be on the lookout as suggested.

I was concentrating on AA, since I was planning to do a "gold challenge", but at this point I will take any flight near $500.

Sara

 

[camachinist]

Thanks for your advice; I will be on the lookout as suggested.

I was concentrating on AA, since I was planning to do a "gold challenge", but at this point I will take any flight near $500.

Sara

Fare Details
 
Departing Airport 	SFO
Arriving Airport 	FRA
Departure Date 	09/01/06
 
Note:
The fares listed do not include airport and/or security fees.
 
Fare Basis 	Airline 	Booking Class 	Trip Type 	Fare 	Effective Date 	Expiration Date 	 
65 Fares Returned
MKXRCNA 	BA 	M 	Round-Trip 	692.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
QKAX1MUS 	IB 	Q 	Round-Trip 	739.00 (USD) 	04/01/06 		View Rules    View Routing
QKAX1MUS 	IB 	Q 	Round-Trip 	741.00 (USD) 	04/01/06 		View Rules    View Routing
MKWRCNA 	BA 	M 	Round-Trip 	752.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
NKSX2MUS 	IB 	N 	Round-Trip 	839.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
NKSX2MUS 	IB 	N 	Round-Trip 	841.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
KKXRCNA 	BA 	K 	Round-Trip 	842.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
KKWRCNA 	BA 	K 	Round-Trip 	902.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
SHX21E1L 	AA 	S 	Round-Trip 	989.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
SKSX2MUS 	IB 	S 	Round-Trip 	1019.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
SKSX2MUS 	IB 	S 	Round-Trip 	1021.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
HKXRCNA 	BA 	H 	Round-Trip 	1042.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing
SHW21E1L 	AA 	S 	Round-Trip 	1049.00 (USD) 			View Rules    View Routing

Fares for 1W alliance partners.....

I'm not familiar with that alliance so cannot offer cogent strategies for it. If BA translates for your challenge, that might be your best bet. IB (Iberia) is not an airline I'm familiar with.

Pat

 

[Carolinian]

BA is what I call a ''limited partner'' of AA. You are not allowed to earn or burn AA miles on BA over the pond. That's the big reason I struck AA off of my list in looking for a new airline back when DL trashed its Medallion program.

The only BA miles on that trip likely to count toward the challenge would be the segments bewteen London and Frankfurt.