And here is the really GREAT news: we are not flying on Air Canada!
I was looking for tickets on 4 December 2014, just to get a baseline price. No intention of buying until at least January or later.
Throw in some fooling around, trying out various ideas, a couple different websites, and just plain luck; POOF! I found round-trip, nonstop tickets on Norwegian Air, "voted Europe's best airline 2014."
Oakland to Oslo for $891.
Yup.
I didn't even hesitate, I just bought them on the spot.
And yes, the price includes advance seating assignments, meals and luggage (though we will just have carry-on, as usual).
I knew for a fact that, once on the European Mainland, I could pick up connecting flights, as needed, on the cheap.
So that's what I did. Once I had the tickets to Europe, I figured out the connections: Copenhagen to Rome, Malta to Venice, and finally Düsseldorf to Oslo and our total airfare comes to only $1140 per person.
I told my friend Charles about this, and he got online and picked up two tickets, same flight, but leaving in September and coming back in October. His cost?
Both tickets for $890 total!
My neighbor is also taking Norwegian Air, San Francisco to Stockholm, and got a similarly great price.
I wish you could buy tickets a few years in advance. You know, like you invest in oil or corn futures? I would invest in "Travel Futures."
Anyway, check back on this page in a couple weeks, and I will let you know how the flight really was.
Updated on 11 June, from Oslo: The flight over was good. Read about it here.