flight prices aug 2012

[mackay_j]

I have not been for a few years now but I can't believe the prices are so high now.

I am getting quoted preview prices from man direct at £1100pp with virgin and with stops at £799 and upwards. We have never paid more than £590 before, even over Xmas and new year. I was about to book OKW for 1-14th Aug to get the free dining but I am not willing to pay £4323 for flights for 4. Has anyone else noticed this diff over the last 2 years, and does anyone have any idea if prices drop less than the preview ones, after full release.

If not looks like we won't be going

 

[amacspad]

We have booked saratoga for this aug and booked virgin flights at a cost of approx £2200 for 2 adults and 1 teen, just come back from WDW flying with monarch at approx £420 each (school hol wk) and it was absolutely fine, if I want to book for next aug I will def get a price of monarch first!

Debs x

 

[micksn]

Just booked with Thomas Cook from Manchester £709 + baggage and meals, best i could find!

 

[wayneg]

Far too early for me to be getting prices for next August yet, I will wait until at least Sept for flight only. Although £709 is not that bad compared with some prices I see.
Yes prices have gone up, deals are harder to find in August but they are still there from time to time, this year I want direct so paying more than I usually would fly out eco and return PE cost £880pp if I had waited I could have booked indirect for £380pp which is more like what I will be looking for next August.

 

[Fwapp]

We booked our flights a few weeks back with Thomson, and they came to about £750 direct (2 adults, 2 kids, but the same price each). Checked the same flight just now, and it's gone up nearly £200!

 

[jono77]

wayne, you seem to be the flight guru on here!!. we are looking at flying next aug, want to go direct usually from MAN, have flown 3 times previously with virgin, 12/13/14th aug flying out on these dates. Do you have a strategy for finding cheapish fares etc, charters are already ranging from £800 -£850 inclusive of luggage and seats etc.

many thanks

 

[wayneg]

wayne, you seem to be the flight guru on here!!. we are looking at flying next aug, want to go direct usually from MAN, have flown 3 times previously with virgin, 12/13/14th aug flying out on these dates. Do you have a strategy for finding cheapish fares etc, charters are already ranging from £800 -£850 inclusive of luggage and seats etc.

many thanks

If you want to stick with VA your options are very limited, they are the only scheduled carrier from Manchester so they can charge what they like. This August I have got Miles & Money, fly out economy and return PE for £880pp, considering PE adds approx £200-£300 each way I don't suppose its too bad compared to price some have paid.
Once the flights are released in Sept you need to check prices often, I check 5-10 times a day when searching for flights, as I am now for this Oct.
If you have some miles look at M&M or reward seats if you have enough, only problem is you might have to be patient, might be months before they are released and then sell out in a few hours.
Another option is delay your trip a week if possible, prices fall around 21st/22nd August.
Last option is consider indirect, this Aug managed to find some for burt(Martin) at £380pp
Getting harder every year, just hope some deals appear when they are released later in the year.
Good luck.

 

[ford family]

We don't normally travel to Florida in August as our children are grown up but this year we are meeting up with some family who work in a school so have had to face up to the higher prices. We usually go with Delta, hubbing through Atlanta to our local airport at Sarasota/Bradenton. The flights were coming out in the high £700s so we decided to fly into Miami instead and spend the last week of our five week trip on the Allure of the Seas.
Anyway, the flights, Delta LHR to MIA, were still nearly £800 each so we opted for their new business class at £1,250 each. The price difference seems good value especially when compared to Virgin or BA. Looking forward to the new "lie flat" beds.

ford family

 

[crabbie1]

We don't normally travel to Florida in August as our children are grown up but this year we are meeting up with some family who work in a school so have had to face up to the higher prices. We usually go with Delta, hubbing through Atlanta to our local airport at Sarasota/Bradenton. The flights were coming out in the high £700s so we decided to fly into Miami instead and spend the last week of our five week trip on the Allure of the Seas.
Anyway, the flights, Delta LHR to MIA, were still nearly £800 each so we opted for their new business class at £1,250 each. The price difference seems good value especially when compared to Virgin or BA. Looking forward to the new "lie flat" beds.

ford family

Nice if you can afford it but majority on here are lucky to fly economy now where as could do PE 2 years ago. Thats not a nock at you .Fare play.

 

[wayneg]

Anyway, the flights, Delta LHR to MIA, were still nearly £800 each so we opted for their new business class at £1,250 each. The price difference seems good value especially when compared to Virgin or BA. Looking forward to the new "lie flat" beds.

ford family

I did the same last August with Delta into Tampa. On the day I booked VA wanted almost £1,300pp in economy into MCO, I book Delta Biz class for £1,170pp worth every penny if you have the money to do it.

 

[disneyholic family]

my new favorite airline to price, american, only has prices into may 2012...
the rate for end of april/beginning of may is £629 indirect..

 

[wayneg]

my new favorite airline to price, american, only has prices into may 2012...
the rate for end of april/beginning of may is £629 indirect..

Been watching their prices for past few weeks as we want a cheap week end of Oct, problem is its school half term week. From London they were £437, from Manchester £495, kept watching for better flight times being offered at the lower rate, now the cheapest is £650+, might have missed the boat now(or the plane)

 

[disneyholic family]

Been watching their prices for past few weeks as we want a cheap week end of Oct, problem is its school half term week. From London they were £437, from Manchester £495, kept watching for better flight times being offered at the lower rate, now the cheapest is £650+, might have missed the boat now(or the plane)

could be...they have multiple levels of pricing...
if you get in early, you get the cheapest seat.....as time passes and the cheap seats sell out, you get ever more expensive ones left..

however, overall, they seem to be cheaper than many of their competitors (each level seems to be cheaper than the corresponding level at the competitors..).

£437 from london is very cheap - and i think the plane they use on the london route is their good one - the updated 777, with seat back entertainment in coach....

oh well...maybe you'll be able to get delta cheap...

we bought for this summer about as late as can be, but we didn't do too badly...it could have been worse....
we had to pay a lot now for the business class for DH and DSIL...
DH wasn't going to fly business (first time in forever), despite how difficult it is for him in economy, but DSIL saw his orthopedist (after i'd already bought the economy tickets)....his surgeon told him in no uncertain terms that he could not fly economy for that many hours...
DSIL broke his back in a terrible accident 5 years ago (he's a miracle....they thought for sure he would die, then they thought for sure he'd never walk again.....he was in surgery for 25 hours straight as they put him back together with metal rods and pins...and found that despite the break, his spinal cord hadn't been damaged)..

anyway....DSIL told me he would stay home...say what?
this is supposed to be a honeymoon for the two young couples....how do you have a honeymoon with only 1 and a half couples?
so i told him i'd upgrade him to business....his doctor said business would be ok....
so when i told the travel agent to upgrade DSIL, i had him upgrade DH as well...
i didn't think it would be fair for DSIL to go in comfort and not hard working DH...
so they'll both be in business, while DD and i will be back with the cattle
but we'll have seat back entertainment so that's good..

even inside the US, DSIL and DH will be up front- in first class...

actually, it may be good - DSIL has to carry this special bed with him to WDW....it has to go on board with us to preclude it getting lost with the luggage....while it isn't heavy, it is oversized....hopefully business class will get that bag on as a carry on (it won't fit overhead, but maybe in the closet...or since they'll be upstairs, maybe behind the last row of seats)..

anyway, american coming down from JFK to orlando will be the more difficult people to convince about that case.....i told DSIL to bring a letter from his surgeon saying that he HAS to have that bed (which is true)..

it will be an interesting trip...
just don't ask how much it's costing........

life's short