OT - We're going to Ireland this summer!

[mickeywho?]

Can't wait! It will be great to take the family to see my native country and will give me a chance to recharge. I haven't been back since my granny's funeral about 11 years ago - so I've really missed it.

It's a big trip. My mum is paying for us all to stay together in four cottages over four weeks (in four very different areas). We get a chance to be tourists which we've never done before. All other visits were spent visiting family (we're a bit worried they'll be ticked we don't spend all our time with them - we probably won't be in Belfast for more than a day that they'll know about!)

We're starting to look now at airfare and WOW it's expensive. Even out of Buffalo we're looking at about $1200 each RT. If any of you have any tips on scoring decent airfares and car rentals overseas I'd appreciate it!

It's not Disney - but it's a Dream!

 

[iluvwesties]

Can't wait! It will be great to take the family to see my native country and will give me a chance to recharge. I haven't been back since my granny's funeral about 11 years ago - so I've really missed it.

It's a big trip. My mum is paying for us all to stay together in four cottages over four weeks (in four very different areas). We get a chance to be tourists which we've never done before. All other visits were spent visiting family (we're a bit worried they'll be ticked we don't spend all our time with them - we probably won't be in Belfast for more than a day that they'll know about!)

We're starting to look now at airfare and WOW it's expensive. Even out of Buffalo we're looking at about $1200 each RT. If any of you have any tips on scoring decent airfares and car rentals overseas I'd appreciate it!

It's not Disney - but it's a Dream!

Hi

sounds like a dream trip, you must be on cloud 9

Instead of flying from Buffalo, sometimes Air Transat will bring out really good airfares to Gatwick and you could get an easyjet or ryan air fare over to Ireland for a lot less

My daughter did this last year, she flew to UK to visit her Grandmother, then continued on to Belfast to tour Northern Ireland (cost was 20.00GBP on easyjet) which would work out a lot cheaper

Try www.easyjet.com for fares to Belfast or www.ryanair.com for fares to Dublin. Flying to Shannon is another option

Keep checking www.airtransat.com as my daughter found that reasonable fares are posted for the summer around end of March, beginning of April. Her flight last year was $49 + taxes Toronto to Gatwick and $49 + taxes Belfast to Toronto. She didn't pay more than $350 total return air, taxes in

Hope this helps? Keep an eye out for those specials!

iluvwesties (aka Carol)

 

[Mickeysfriend]

How nice. Ireland really is a beautiful country. My sister in law lives there and we plan on going back summer of 2009. Try www.flyglobespan.com, they fly out of Hamilton and often have really reasonable prices. Of course July and August are the most expensive months, but you might find a deal there.

Good luck and have a fantastic trip.

 

[Pokemom]

Aer Lingus Vacations has a really good deal on right now, but it has to be booked by Feb. 29. You get return airfare from New York or Boston and 6 nights in deluxe 3 bedroom Villas at Adare Manor and a car for $999 US (about $1130 with tax). You can fly from other airports, but the cost is a bit higher (also weekends were a little higher than weekdays). The Villas rent out for $600 Euros/night on their website and the hotel was voted #1 in Ireland last year. We are going to Europe this summer and were going to fly Air Transat to London from Edmonton, but I think we may switch to this deal (we can get to Boston with Aeroplan points). Air Canada is quite high now to London, and I'm not sure if the seat sales for summer are going to come through.

 

[mom_rules]

Try Zoom. Even had reasonable rates over christmas!

Direct flight to Belfast.

 

[FLVacationGirl]

Ohh, Ireland is so nice! I spent one month there on a business trip a few years ago and really miss it. I was mostly in Northern Ireland and was based in Omagh. People think Canadians are nice, but man are the Irish ever nice.

Keep an eye on Travelzoo for airfare deals too.

Have fun in Dublin for me! It will be a few more years before I'm ready to fly overseas with my little ones.

Aimie