August flight price???

[buzz for boys]

We have been told that we cant take kids out of school ofr holidays anymore and this has left us in a bit of a quandry. I cant imagine going for less than 10 days and after a search on the various flight websites at August flight prices Im worried we will never make it out to Orlando again!!

Are the flight prices of £780 per person realistic???
When is the best time to book august flights- I realise im very late to the party!!

Is that the best price we will get??
Any advice welcome as we are used to going in term time and the prices im finding at the moment are a bit of a shocker!!

Louise x

 

[Kath2003]

In my experience, Easter holiday flight prices are significantly cheaper. We've had three trips in recent years:
2009 - £320 per person (1 stop)
2010 - £340 per person (1 stop)
2012 - £420 per person (1 stop)
We go for 9-12 nights, depending on flight prices.
If there's 6 of you and you could match that, you'd save just over £2100 on the price you've listed above.

Last trip I took in August was in 2008; paid £550 but it was a multi-city trip so more than just UK-Orlando return.

 

[DISWolves]

Unfortunately, you have joined the club that many of us are in. As you are aware, If you travel a week or so outside of the school hols prices can have a drastic change. I suppose indirect is the best way to lower the cost, but having small children may put this in a different light. A lot of people on here prefer indirect to direct, but I prefer to get there (and back) ASAP
I look on indirect flight the same as changing hotels during your holiday. The waiting at the airport is the worst part of my holiday, but if the price is right.........go for it

 

[wayneg]

There has been lots of very good prices for next August indirect from around £400 each, try Charter travel they sent an email out recently saying they have some new deals for next summer.
No-one can know if any more offers will come up or not, I did not expect all the deals that have been around so far.

 

[scottish mum]

If you are prepared for a drive, have a look at Glasgow or Edinburgh prices. Our schools go back mid August so prices usually drop around then.

 

[floridaforever]

Hi, I just posted this comment in another thread, so there is hope!

For us a cheap deal on flights is a must....its the difference between going or not. There are 5 of us (which was obviously my choice) but that means 5 x everything cost-wise. In reality this means that I do spend months checking flight prices and we also realise that this means if we don't find the right price - we won't be going that year.

That said I have used this strategy since 2006 and we have been during August school holidays every year since. The latest I have booked flights was in May for that August. So it must go to show that deals are almost always available but we are willing to fly indirect if necessary. We have flown with Virgin, Aer Lingus, United, Continental, Delta and next year with American Airlines - every year a different deal - every year a different airline. It helps that my husband is self-employed and not tied to set holiday dates and that we live an hours drive from either Heathrow or Gatwick. I know that most people would hate that uncertainty but it works for us.
__________________
I have paid just under £2100 for 4 adults and 1 child for next August 13-29. Heathrow - MCO changing in Miami with AA.

I will keep looking along with others and post if I see anything.

 

[buzz for boys]

Hi, I just posted this comment in another thread, so there is hope!

For us a cheap deal on flights is a must....its the difference between going or not. There are 5 of us (which was obviously my choice) but that means 5 x everything cost-wise. In reality this means that I do spend months checking flight prices and we also realise that this means if we don't find the right price - we won't be going that year.

That said I have used this strategy since 2006 and we have been during August school holidays every year since. The latest I have booked flights was in May for that August. So it must go to show that deals are almost always available but we are willing to fly indirect if necessary. We have flown with Virgin, Aer Lingus, United, Continental, Delta and next year with American Airlines - every year a different deal - every year a different airline. It helps that my husband is self-employed and not tied to set holiday dates and that we live an hours drive from either Heathrow or Gatwick. I know that most people would hate that uncertainty but it works for us.
__________________
I have paid just under £2100 for 4 adults and 1 child for next August 13-29. Heathrow - MCO changing in Miami with AA.

I will keep looking along with others and post if I see anything.

Thank you for posting this you have renewed my hope that all is not lost!!

I will keep looking and fingers crossed for something like the price you paid as there are 6 of us so paying £800 per ticket is definatly not an option!!
Thanks again

 

[Peebee]

It all depends on the dates I think Louise - are you looking at beginning of August or 2nd half? There are some real bargains on certain days.

We finally booked yesterday for August 21st and into the first few days of September (we managed to get this ok'd before the school changed their policy a few weeks ago). Floridaforever - same route as your LHR-MIA-MCO, on AA.

In the end it's cost a touch over £500 per person indirect for 4, but we are happy with the flights, departing airport: LHR nearer than LGW for us, and connection: Miami means the last flight is short and sweet. Would Cam be ok on indirect flights?

We could have gone with BA if we'd compromised a bit on dates, but i've always found American pretty good, and two hour stopover in Miami should mean enough time for passports and a bite to eat before the final leg of the journey - then we can grab shopping on the way to the villa rather than have to grab food first.

Paul

 

[2Tiggies]

and two hour stopover in Miami should mean enough time for passports and a bite to eat before the final leg of the journey - then we can grab shopping on the way to the villa rather than have to grab food first.

Paul

This is the beauty of indirect. For us the trip to NY was shorter than going direct to MCO and with 90 minutes it made a shorter trans Atlantic flight, time to get through immigration and get that out of the way, time for a bit of shopping and a coffee and snack and then a very relaxed stroll through to sit at the gate for our next flight - all in 90 minutes. If I could have done indirect this year I would much rather have had that as it is so much more relaxed.

 

[WiganTony]

Keep checking flight prices on the flight search engines (Kayak etc) and this forum for any tip-off about cheap flights/offers. Also, if you can be flexible on airports and can fly indirect, you can widen your searches to fly from BHX, LHR, MAN, LGW into Orlando, Tampa or Miami.

For our visit last August, we booked direct flights from LHR to Miami with AA in November 2009. Yes, it did mean a 4 hour drive from Miami to Orlando and back, but at the time of booking it cost us £403 each against £750 each from MAN to Orlando with Virgin Atlantic which more than paid for all of our theme park tickets.

For next August, we managed to get one of the Delta "glitch" prices of £499 fflying MAN - CDG - MCO, not quite as cheap as 2010 flights but significantly less than the £900 each VA were quoting at the time for MAN-MCO direct!!