ANSWER: Unfortunately, you're not likely to find many bargain fares to Europe this summer, according to travel experts. High-season fares to the continent will easily exceed $1,200 per ticket, especially to the most popular destinations (London, Paris, Rome). But there are ways to squeeze some savings out of the airfare portion of your trip. First, be flexible about your departure: The later you leave in the summer, the bigger your savings should be. By mid-September, the high fares of July should be down by a couple hundred dollars. Also, you'll save money if you fly midweek, rather than on the weekend. Consider, too, flying out of Detroit, a Delta hub, with several daily nonstops to Amsterdam (though when I checked fares recently, they were no cheaper than travel from Cleveland). As for when to book? Advice is all across the board. That 54-day figure you reference came from travel site CheapAir.com, which analyzed thousands of fares in 2013 and came up with the best time to buy. But it applies only to domestic fares - airfare to Europe is another matter entirely. Its analysis of fares to Europe last summer found that the lowest fares were snatched 319 days ahead of departure. Almost a year ahead! (See more here: http://westhillconsulting.info/ .)