COMINGANDGOING

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UPRIGHT AND LOCKED

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Europe: It'll Cost You

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So what's up with these exorbitant summer fares to Europe? $1,036 to Rome, $1,044 to Paris, $1,131 to Madrid: Even historically cheaper London is $850 and up. Not only are regular prices $100 to $200 higher than usual for travel between Washington and Europe, but the summer sales that typically erupt by now haven't materialized.

"It's the classic cheap-seat-seeker dilemma," said Hugo Burge, president of Cheapflights.com, a Web site that posts airfares. "Do you wait or do you buy?"

Here's CoGo's game plan:

· If you absolutely need to be in Amsterdam on July 14 for your sister's wedding, buy the ticket already. But if you have flexibility, be patient. Financially strapped airlines are waiting longer to see if the planes will fill up at high prices. Don't expect sales to be announced until 60 to 90 days before high season.

· Look at alternative destinations, departure cities and airlines. "People usually think Paris or London," Burge said. "Look at other cities." Burge noted that Delta, for example, just announced new service to such cities as Barcelona, Kiev, Athens and Edinburgh, and is offering lower fares to attract travelers. Also, fares out of New York are usually cheaper, even with the cost of getting to New York. Also check fares on smaller airlines, such as Aer Lingus and Icelandair, which sometimes post Web-only sales.

· Consider traveling during the shoulder seasons of May to early June and post-Labor Day. A recent check on a round-trip ticket to Paris, for example, came up with a $691 fare on Icelandair May 30-June 6; for travel just two weeks later, the fare was $881.

· Even if fares come down some, accept that they will be pricier this year because of higher fuel costs. Even domestic discount carriers, such as JetBlue and Southwest, have indicated that the high cost of jet fuel will bring higher fares.

· "If you see a good deal, snag it," said Burge. "Do not wait." CoGo's advice, exactly.

ROOM KEYS

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Smells Like a Sheraton

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Marcy Goodwin of Los Angeles loves Sheraton hotels, but was upset to encounter a perfumed lobby during a recent visit to San Diego. Goodwin, who is allergic to perfume, fired off a letter of complaint to the manager.

"It is true that we will be introducing a Sheraton-inspired fragrance in the lobby of Sheraton hotels," he wrote in response -- a fragrance delivered through "our new Scent Machines ." But he assured her that the use of the fragrance was "certified by the leading international trade group, the International Fragrance Association ."

That's like asking a fox if he should be given the key to the chicken coop, Goodwin groused to CoGo.

Goodwin has stumbled on to a trend: " scent branding ," aka " aroma marketing ." Hotels, theme parks, casinos, department stores and even defense contractors have partnered with companies like ScentAir to develop unique fragrances, which can be sent out in such low concentrations they affect only the subconscious part of a patron's olfactory senses.

ScentAir's Web site ( http://www.scentair.com/ ) notes that its clients include Hyatt, Omni and some Disney hotels , among others. Omni's branded scent is "elements of lemongrass and green tea." Hard Rock Hotel's lobby in Orlando has "Ocean" scent , and the hotel draws visitors to the ice cream store on the ground level by blasting a "Waffle Cone" scent up the stairway. ScentAir, by the way, has partnered with Muzak to "define a whole new industry called sensory branding ," the Web site says.

The scent machines in lobbies of select Sheraton hotels are a test, said spokeswoman Nadine Ayala.

TRAVEL TICKER

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Frequent fliers on Southwest are now able to earn miles for ATA flights. Details: http://www.southwest.com/ . . . Baltimore is offering two-for-one deals from now through Mother's Day for museums, the aquarium, zoo, plays, concerts and special events. Details: http://www.baltimore.org/women.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK

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Long Island for Less

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Fly nonstop on Southwest from BWI to Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y., for $29 each way. The sale, good for travel through Aug. 3, requires a seven-day advance purchase. Round-trip fare with taxes is $79. Fare on other airlines for connecting service starts at $156. Purchase online at www.southwest.com by April 3.

Reporting: Carol Sottili, Cindy Loose.

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.