Having felt homesick in Bangor and Budapest, Munich and Medford, Amsterdam and Amherst, Jakarta and Jamaica, I've stopped purchasing APEX fares altogether, because I never quite seem to make it to the time of my fixed return date.

ISLAND HOPPING, SHOPPING, SLEEPING AND EATING Getting There TAP Air Portugal, the national airline of Portugal, flies direct from Boston to Terceira once a week, with round-trip APEX fare from $480 in winter to $674 in summer.

A round-trip midweek APEX fare of $684 will be offered through March 31, but a lower fare is being offered for a limited time.

A traveler who can plan far ahead and qualify for a 14-day advance purchase fare can still get low fares, although APEX fares are not as low as they were, particularly to the larger cities on major routes.

Most are APEX fares, which require booking 30 days in advance, midweek departure, a minimum stay of three days and a maximum of three weeks.

Air France is offering a free companion ticket for round-trip ticket holders traveling to Paris from Newark on its APEX fares, which are $771 on weekdays and $831 on weekends (fare must be purchased by Oct. 15 for travel between Nov. 1 and March 21).

The APEX fare is £222 return with either airline.

The APEX fare on S.A.S. remains $387.50 one way, based on round-trip purchase 21 days in advance.

Round-trip air fare from New York to Nairobi on British Airways ranges from $1,768 for super APEX fares, booked four weeks in advance, to $5,162 for first-class.