Fly to Rome for $600 round-trip

By Clara Bosonetto Maerz

For ajc.com

Getting to Europe on the cheap has been close to impossible since the major carriers made the move to reduce seat capacity across the pond during the worst of the nation's economic downturn. The reduction of seats was a smart plan as airlines found they could easily fill planes without having to lure customers with slashed prices -- as we saw throughout 2008.

But today there's been a break in the pattern of super expensive airfares with deals from USAirways.

Plan to start a trip across the pond on or before March 18 to qualify for the following rates:

- $218 Madrid, Spain

- $279 Frankfurt or Munich, Germany

- $289 Brussels, Belgium

- $370 Amsterdam, Netherlands

- $395 Paris, France

- $440 London, England

Give at least a two week advance purchase notice. Stay a weekend to 30 days. Depart Sundays-Thursdays and return Mondays-Thursdays. Other days are $20 more each way.

Taxes, fees and surcharges are in most cases higher than the actual airfare. Add roughly $400 to the above rates for a complete price.

Buy tickets through Feb. 11.

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One exceptional offer from USAirways is a $228 round-trip rate to Rome, Italy when trips are started on or before March 21.

The rules vary slightly on this offer. Give a one week advance purchase notice and purchase tickets today, Tuesday, Feb. 2. The complete price is $602.30 for travel on off-peak days of the week.

http://www.usairways.com