How do you search for flights?

[scoobydooby]

As I only ever fly direct and have, up until now, sucked up Virgin's prices I am inexperienced at looking for flights. I really don't want to go indirect but am grudgingly considering it for 2014. I look on Skyscanner but beyond this am not well versed. I should very much appreciate any insights.

 

[MrRomance]

I typically start by searching with the big 2 (VA & BA) to see what the price is for the direct flights. Then I'll go to the flight consolidator sites like ebookers, travelocity, opodo, etc. To be honest, they all pretty much give the same prices but I usually check more than 1. If you or any of your party are students, STA travel is often worth a look too.

 

[london75]

Hi, we just booked for this August by using orbitz.com. It's a US site but all perfectly legit for UK residents.

I tick "Flights only" put my rough dates in and then MAN and MCO in the two boxes. I tick the include airports within 80 miles box under MCO as this then includes Tampa which is only 20 minutes further away from Disney than Orlando airport as crazy as that sounds.

Put the number of people in and tick the search 3 days before and after box and take it from there.

That's how we found flights for $780 or £500 for this August in school holidays! The flights are to Tampa and indirect but that looks to be the only way now unless you want to blow the best part of £1000 per person on economy direct.

Hope that helps.

 

[scoobydooby]

Thank you both. I'm looking for October 2014 so have time to practice! Got stung for £1,100 each direct this August with Virgin. It's my preference but its getting too painful.

 

[wayneg]

You have a higher limit than me for direct, my limit is £700 in August. For £1100 2 of us can usually go indirect but we have no problem doing indirect, getting immigration done elsewhere is a big plus for me just so I avoid arriving on a plane with 400 other people collecting luggage and lining up for car rentals. I just find direct more stressful and indirect a more relaxing way to fly for some strange reason.

Kayak is good search engine, thats the one I search everyday until I get really serious about booking, then I search every site I know til I am happy nowhere is cheaper.

When you are ready to book post what you want and price then others like myself will let you know if there is any better deals around.

 

[scoobydooby]

Thank you. I don't fancy indirect at all but at £1.1 k I am definitely at our limit. Part of the issue is I can only get 2 weeks off work at a time with no extra days for flight recovery and have to book it in advance around 4 other people whilst begging and doing a fire dance. Public service

 

[london75]

Thank you both. I'm looking for October 2014 so have time to practice! Got stung for £1,100 each direct this August with Virgin. It's my preference but its getting too painful.

We flew direct with Virgin for years but after trying United last year indirect, I'm now sold on the "just get there any way you can" approach to flights. I'm debating the £600 we could spend on extra leg room, can't decide if that is worth it but not going Virgin again until I've got enough miles to go for free.

 

[darthtatty]

Thank you. I don't fancy indirect at all but at £1.1 k I am definitely at our limit. Part of the issue is I can only get 2 weeks off work at a time with no extra days for flight recovery and have to book it in advance around 4 other people whilst begging and doing a fire dance. Public service

Like you, we dont fancy indirect either and with my husbands job we need to book as early as possible and fit in around the company and other staff.
We are going through things at the moment and trying to DIY everything.
One thing I checked out yesterday was the fly drive price with VH, I didnt think the price was too bad. One bonus is that we can book now and let work know asap. Just an idea, may not be the cheapest but easy less than £1000 each.

 

[scoobydooby]

Like you, we dont fancy indirect either and with my husbands job we need to book as early as possible and fit in around the company and other staff.
We are going through things at the moment and trying to DIY everything.
One thing I checked out yesterday was the fly drive price with VH, I didnt think the price was too bad. One bonus is that we can book now and let work know asap. Just an idea, may not be the cheapest but easy less than £1000 each.

Thanks. We have done this a couple of times but both times I booked the flights the day they came out. They only got more expensive! For this you need to know your dates 11 months out, so will check it for October next year.

 

[MrRomance]

I agree with Wayne, we paid £515 for economy in 2012 indirect (via Paris) for July/August. For 2013, we're travelling in Oct but I paid £725 direct in Premium Economy on BA. My advice is to consider your options, what are the prices to fly into Tampa? It's about 80 minutes from Orlando. Don't limit yourself to MCO. Be as flexible as you can with departure and arrival airports. For the £515 flight, we had to travel to Birmingham but it saved us money.

 

[scoobydooby]

I agree with Wayne, we paid £515 for economy in 2012 indirect (via Paris) for July/August. For 2013, we're travelling in Oct but I paid £725 direct in Premium Economy on BA. My advice is to consider your options, what are the prices to fly into Tampa? It's about 80 minutes from Orlando. Don't limit yourself to MCO. Be as flexible as you can with departure and arrival airports. For the £515 flight, we had to travel to Birmingham but it saved us money.

Happy to fly from Brum it's closer to home than Manchester! Which airline flys from there? I have been looking at indirect flights but they are all at least 14 hours at least one way. I don't want to do that really, I'd rather stand in line at MCO.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Going indirect is really simple, especially if going indirect via an American airport. We like it as you do your immigration then, so when you arrive in Orlando, you arrive as a domestic flight and not at the same time as a billion other UK flights. You then walk straight through having done immigration!