Direct Flight only prices October 2012

[higgy66]

Hi Guys

We have always gone with Virgin Holidays as we have never been able to find a better deal with the FF discount and price match etc

This year they did a price match and I worked out that I would have had to get direct flights from Manchester for £650 or less to have beaten the price doing it DIY


Roll on November 2011 and did I check the prices to see what they were - No! Doh!

When I did get round to checking i which wasn't that much later - they were silly prices!

As we try to go the week before half term we are not that flexible with dates - I want to be back for the start of Autumn term so need to leave either the Thurs/Friday the week before last of term time so we take 6-7 days leave form school max

So what I'm asking (after the long winded post) is what people paid for their flight only for on or around 19th October from Manchester

I would consider in-direct if the savings were huge - if not we prefer direct

Could I beat the package holiday Prices as I never seem to be able to but then I read some of the threads here and started to wonder for 2013.......

I have plenty of miles to do M&M fares but then I want school hols so it's whether they come up or not??

2013 is the last year we can go October as eldest starts high school 2014 so we will have to start looking at end of August - unless they approve school hols and we can tag a week to October as usual

 

[dixonsontour]

We've been Oct 2010 and Oct 2011 and are booked for October 2012.

Luckily DD gets 2 weeks off school but we are wanting that same last 2 weeks of October period as you.

Manchester flights that weekend are expensive on release as everyone wants them.

2010 - I booked flydrive with jetsave (Virgin flights) about 6 months out - after a haggle paid about £550 each. Flew the friday.

2011 I flew indirect with US airways on the Friday and got flights for £500each, booked 11 months out.

This year the thurs/fri/sat dates were at least £640 indirect so we are going Monday 22nd for £500 each indirect (DD will miss 2 days of school)

Virgin prices were sky high for the weekend dates - several hundred more than indirect. They had some ok prices for the Tuesday 23rd onwards maybe £750 mark.

 

[wayneg]

We went last Oct half term, I paid £490pp indirect with AA. These 3 seats gave enough airmiles for 3 nights free hotel worth about £60/nt(booked for this July) so in reality the flights cost around £430pp.

 

[mollies_mum]

I will be looking for direct flights for the last two weeks of October 2013, I'm hoping for flights around the £550 price, £600 max. I also have some m+m and will be booking asap from the 11 month mark, this is my first time diy....fingers crossed that you get a good deal x

 

[Twinkly-Tink]

We fly out MAN with VA on 23rd October back 7th Nov and paid c£550 each after averaging out (did 2 bookings 1 M&M, 1 without)

Was pleased with the price, especially seeing where they are at present this is our first time DIY and so far, so good!

 

[higgy66]

Many thanks for the replies guy - very useful

I think as we always want to go on a set date and usually a Friday/Saturday the flexibility is lost - I don't want to go after the weekend and start back to school late

I think looking at the difference in direct flight prices we wouldn't have saved that much - i.e low £100's not high £100's to £1000

I agree indirect would save money so I may discuss this with DH as an option

As I suspected to get the exact dates we want flying direct we might be looking at a package again with some discounts and price matching!

I think when we look at going in August when the girls are at high school we can be much more flexible with our start and end dates and then we'll definitely have to book DIY

 

[aaronandterri]

we paid 430 each for our flights direct with virgin but int Miami and were driving down.