With lower fuel prices and a worldwide recession in 2009, look for airlines to cut fares from the usual summer levels. In fact, early summer buys for trans-Atlantic fares are looking quite promising.
For example, Air Berlin's Summer Sale allows you to buy fares between Europe and California, Florida or New York. Their early summer season one-way fare between New York and Düsseldorf was under $300 USD, quite a bit lower than prices airlines were posting this time last year.
Aer Lingus has been offering low fares to Europe for quite a while. Check their home page for offers. Remember that even if Dublin is not your final destination in Europe, it is a hub for budget airlines. Many budget travelers find the best fare to Dublin and then get a low-cost flight elsewhere.
Look for Mexico's swine flu outbreak to have an impact on airfares long after concerns about the illness diminish. Check the Delta and American home pages for possible deals, as both of those airlines started cutting Latin American fares in May.
Looking for some good student fares? Check out STA Travel for a long list of great fares originating in North America.
Cathay Pacific's All Asia Pass is not specific to summer travel but worth considering at $1499/person. It affords 21 days of travel to your choice of 24 Asian cities. Other stops not included on the pass can be added for a fee. The pass is good for Monday-Wednesday mid-week long-haul travel only. Price does not include U.S. taxes, fees and security charges.
Overseas passengers traveling to Malaysia on Malaysia Air can buy a Discover Malaysia Pass that adds $199 USD to the price of each ticket and up to three more cities served by the airline. If you're interested, move quickly on this one, because the offer expires at the end of June.
If your planning stalls or you just want to leave town without much regard to destination, consider offers from Lastminute.com.
