Anonymous wrote:I’m also surprised by the emotion this thread has elicited. Lots of strong feelings on both sides. At the end of the day, travel is not all about money. It takes a lot of knowledge, planning, and skill to travel smartly. But international travel is not as expensive as many on here seem to think, especially relative to other purchases in their life I’m sure, although at the same time there’s no question it’s a luxury item. But it’s the best investment you can make in yourself or your children, and that’s more true today than ever.

There's no emotion here, except being confused that OP doesn't understand basic economics, and that people have different travel preferences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

I don't think I've see roundtrip to Europe for $300 in nearly 20 years. Please show me where and when that is happening.

A base fare from DC to Paris (off peak season) on WOW Air is about $380. It would be a little over $400 when you include a bag or a carryon. The problem I see, and I see it from my friends, they pay $1600 for a big airline like United or Air France, they stay at a hotel chain like the Sheraton or Hilton and then eat at the most expensive restaurants. Of course that trip will be expensive.

I don't really want to fly on a super budget airline and stay in a a Paris youth hostel and eat baguettes for dinner in the park with my 6 year old ... For that same amount of money I can fly to say Denver and hike in the Rockies, no passport required.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

I don't think I've see roundtrip to Europe for $300 in nearly 20 years. Please show me where and when that is happening.

A base fare from DC to Paris (off peak season) on WOW Air is about $380. It would be a little over $400 when you include a bag or a carryon. The problem I see, and I see it from my friends, they pay $1600 for a big airline like United or Air France, they stay at a hotel chain like the Sheraton or Hilton and then eat at the most expensive restaurants. Of course that trip will be expensive.

Since this is a site for moms and dads, I'm going to guess that most of us have kids and can't go during the offseason, which is the school on-season,

DH and I always go off season because it's easier to get overnight sitters or grandparents to watch our kids while they're in school all day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

I don't think I've see roundtrip to Europe for $300 in nearly 20 years. Please show me where and when that is happening.

A base fare from DC to Paris (off peak season) on WOW Air is about $380. It would be a little over $400 when you include a bag or a carryon. The problem I see, and I see it from my friends, they pay $1600 for a big airline like United or Air France, they stay at a hotel chain like the Sheraton or Hilton and then eat at the most expensive restaurants. Of course that trip will be expensive.

Since this is a site for moms and dads, I'm going to guess that most of us have kids and can't go during the offseason, which is the school on-season,

I’m also surprised by the emotion this thread has elicited. Lots of strong feelings on both sides. At the end of the day, travel is not all about money. It takes a lot of knowledge, planning, and skill to travel smartly. But international travel is not as expensive as many on here seem to think, especially relative to other purchases in their life I’m sure, although at the same time there’s no question it’s a luxury item. But it’s the best investment you can make in yourself or your children, and that’s more true today than ever.

I'm kind of surprised this thread is still going, because the OP seemed so unbelievably clueless and tone deaf.

First, to level set, I've had a passport since I was 2 mos old and my parents took me back to their home country for my uncle's wedding. I've regularly traveled internationally since I was an infant.

But some of the posts here remind me of things people would say to me when I was studying abroad in the UK. They would talk about how only x% of Americans had passports. My response was 1) yeah, but I'm obviously one of them so why be rude. And 2) going from Nebraska to South Dakota is a longer trip than France to Germany. For all of their worldliness, Europeans have no sense of American geography and what a huge country this is.

Would I like to see more Americans travel abroad to get a better sense of the world? Yes. Do I think a European who's been to the UK, France, and Germany is vastly more cultured than an American who's been to 10 of 50 states? I do not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's weird not to have a passport. I'm not super rich, just a nurse. I can work ONE day to pay what passports for my family of four costs. ONE day every five years!!
If people are that cheap or weird, I feel bad for them.
Stay in school people!

You make $520/day, and you don't think you're particularly rich??? That's $130K

I work 2 days a week.

So you make about about $4500 per month. You have to pay rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, food, travel expenses to work (whether insurance/gas or public transportation) and you still have $500 that you can spend on a luxury that you may not use? Must be nice. Most people who make $54K a year, do not have $500 that they can spend on something that they may not use. Unless you also have a spouse who makes more money and you don't have to live and support your family on your income.

Since you make about the median US income, you are most definitely NOT a typical middle income American.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

I don't think I've see roundtrip to Europe for $300 in nearly 20 years. Please show me where and when that is happening.

A base fare from DC to Paris (off peak season) on WOW Air is about $380. It would be a little over $400 when you include a bag or a carryon. The problem I see, and I see it from my friends, they pay $1600 for a big airline like United or Air France, they stay at a hotel chain like the Sheraton or Hilton and then eat at the most expensive restaurants. Of course that trip will be expensive.

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

I don't think I've see roundtrip to Europe for $300 in nearly 20 years. Please show me where and when that is happening.

Anonymous wrote:There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.

Meant trip not team.

There's a significant chunk of Americans who will never leave the state, let alone the country.

As others have pointed out, affordability is another reason but international travel has gotten a lot cheaper, you can find airfares to Paris on WOW Airlines for example for probably $300 roundtrip when you include a bag. There's Airbnb so you don't have to pay $700 for a hotel. There's tour groups that build your itinerary for you and have payment plans. IDK...I get it, but some are making it out to seem like a Europe team will cost you 10K.