Flights to Scotland - ??

[jennz]

Hi everyone!

We're planning a trip to Scotland in July and I was shocked at airline prices - about $1000 pp from Indy. I was expecting 600 - 800. Any tips on how to lower the prices (besides goind in February)? We have 2 adults and 1 child (age 8). I have departure on Thursday return on Saturday, are there better days to fly?

Thanks for any help!

 

[golfgal]

Try for a Saturday night stay over. Also, check into flying into London and going from there.

 

[golfgal]

Another thing, flights are the most expensive several months out. Wait until your trip is closer to book your flights. For domestic flights the least expensive flights are about 21 days before departure. I am guessing something similar is true for International. Sign up for fare watcher on Travelocity and they will notify you when the prices change.

 

[jennz]

Thanks - I was wondering about the timing too...our travel days are 9 days apart but I can change the return so we don't travel on Saturady. I'll check those options. I tried leaving from NJ or Philly or Chicago and it was actually more expensive than leaving from Indy w/layovers in those cities!

 

[Feralpeg]

This may seem a little round about. If you can get a cheap flight to Orlando, fly here and then to Scotland. Because this is such a big tourist destination and they want people from the UK to come here, they offer really good rates. You can fly from Orlando to the UK as cheap as you can fly to some places in the US. You need to look around and at different times, etc., but I usually see pretty good rates.

 

[Lesleyluvdisney]

Hi Jennz,

I am a travel agent who lives in Scotland, and those prices seem about right in reverse. I know that airfares to the US are cheapest November with Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar just a bit higher, and then really rising other months. When we book clients to say NY the airline requests a saturday night stay, also flying to London will be cheaper, then get a Ryanair flight, Easyjet flight up. United Vacations which are the UK tour operations side of United Airlines, so maybe try them. also KLM via Amsterdam may be cheaper.

This is why we only visit The World every 2 years!!! too expensive to get there!!

Good Luck

 

[jennz]

Thanks for the info - I'll try your suggestions and see what I get! My cousins come over to Orlando frequently and my mom goes from Orlando to Glasgow and they say they pay around $500. Well my cousins come in November and my mom visits in March so now I know why.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

It might also be cheaper to fly into Ireland (Shannon or Dublin), and then take a Ryanair flight over to Scotland.

Jen

 

[jennz]

Hmmm, I'll try that too (I'm making a grid here - it'll be worth it to save a few hundred dollars!). I saw a few of the flights had layovers in Ireland.