Booking Air Travel from the US

Thanks to all for their help yesterday on the Visa/Passport questions. Now I am on to booking my travel. I am looking to go either in mid Dec or early Jan. On most sites I am not able to get any booking earlier than Mid Jan. But on Air India's site I could book early Jan. WE are to return by Jan 18th and were hoping for a month together.

1 -Do you all book your own flights?

2- What is an average range for fares? (I can leave from anywhere on the east coast from VA to NY).

3- Is there a forum specifically dealing with air travel? I have been wandering around this site for two days, but I find myself distracted by so many of the conversations, that I have yet to find one.

BTW - I spoke with my sister today, (NiccNY) and she said to pass on her thanks to all who guided her on her trip. She is having a wonderful time. She leaves Rishikesh for Kerala this week.

Fares drop drastically after a day or so after New Years. You shouldn't have to pay more than $1,300 or so for your roundtrip ticket. Even if you depart Richmond or DC/BWI, you'll probably just head to New York to meet the outbound 747.

I usually fly KLM, which seems to have the most reasonable fares. I've also flown Air India, which is fine. Delta is usually a little more, and I've only flown them on a voucher.

If you are trying to fly sometime during the xmas/New Years' window, your flight will be more costly by an order of magnitude.

I don't know if you have tried this already but as recommended by Indiamike check makemytrip.com, when I was looking for flights this was the cheapest arifare I could find. Good luck!

A good travel agent can beat internet fares to India. makemytrip.com has low fares but I have never purchased a ticket through them. You might be better off buying 2 sperate tickets --- on international to and from the major cities, and your domestic one to get to a major US airport.

Pick up your local Asian newsweekly (check at any Asian grocery store). There should at least a few ads from consolidators and other travel specialists. A round trip for $1000-$1100 including taxes is not difficult to find if you do a little investigating. If your Sunday paper has a travel section you may seem some little tiny ads with great deals. Check these places out as well. Nothing you find online will be as cheap, in my experience.