What would be your "I'm happy with that" flight price for end April 2015 flights?

[emmamc252]

Just looking for opinion really, not travelled this time before. Looking to fly around 16th April so it's in the Easter holidays but right at the end of it, flying back may 2nd/3rd.
Not bothered if we fly virgin or thomas cook, need to fly from Manchester.
Thomas cook at the minute are showing £520. But I have looked at prices wo virgin for feb and March and they are under this. Virgin also discount the child's flight (only about £70 but still part of te equation) and I have enough air miles for miles+money seats for all of us (3adults a child age 3 and an infant who will be nearly 2 but will happily sit him on our knees for the price difference!)

Virgin with air miles is £635 at the moment which is WAY over what I was thinking. In march they are like £480, with the miles.

Any advice or tips from people who have travelled this time before.

 

[strawberry blonde]

We have decided to go with SIL and her DH and have an adult only trip. This will be really weird leaving the boys behind but they will be almost 20 and 23

They will book a package deal with Virgin Holidays from Glasgow whereas I'll book independently from Gatwick.

Originally we were looking about 18 April 2015 but now may go beginning of May. April prices are about £690 and 1st May £1001 Don't think so. We will wait for a sale. Usually May has some great deals if you book last minute but as we're going with family we won't risk it. Paid £543 in june last year. Hope you find something.

 

[emmamc252]

See if virgin came down to the £520 thomas cook want I'd be happy, not because they're virgin but because thomas cook flights give us 16 nights, virgin fly every day so can have 17! That's what's bugging me!

 

[wilma-bride]

See if virgin came down to the £520 thomas cook want I'd be happy, not because they're virgin but because thomas cook flights give us 16 nights, virgin fly every day so can have 17! That's what's bugging me!

But that is the difference between scheduled and charter flights and the reason why scheduled are generally more expensive because they don't have the same limitations that charter have. Does the price for the TC flights include baggage, in flight meals, drinks etc. because obviously your scheduled flight price would include that.

 

[emmamc252]

yes the thomas cook long haul do include luggage etc.
i just cant figure out why end april/may is so much more than feb march. im hoping the feb march ones were more when they first came out and its just a waiting game...............i hope

 

[2Tiggies]

Most UK schools and colleges get a two week break during April regardless if when Easter falls so it's treated as peak season

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[maclondon]

flights easter 2015 are almost all gone already.
well london ones anyway

I had a quote from Virgin Holidays - which i wrongly assumed was fixed for a period. I went back two weeks later and it had gone up from just over 10,000 (for everything - not just flights) to almost 16,000. that was leaving a couple of says before the easter holidays started.

there were literally no flights left - as they had gone on general sale - virgin holidays get to sell tickets before they go on general sale.

that said you could still get some flights via the virgin site direct - i think holidays only get so many.

even with miles+money it was coming to over £6500 just for flights (3 adults and 3 'kids')

i switched to may and saved £4500.
I think the general sale is something like 9 months before the date - so call virgin and ask when they go on sale and buy on that date!

you can wait for a sale - but its risky if you want school holiday flights.

 

[emmamc252]

Ok I'm really confused
Schools in my area are off 2nd April-20th
If I'm looking to fly out 16th April and return 2/3rd may how is this school holidays?
We picked these dates because they weren't school holidays?

Am I wrong?

 

[2Tiggies]

Ok I'm really confused
Schools in my area are off 2nd April-20th
If I'm looking to fly out 16th April and return 2/3rd may how is this school holidays?
We picked these dates because they weren't school holidays?

Am I wrong?

They might be your school holidays, but the Easter break varies from one region to the next within the UK. Some schools have a set break regardless of when Easter falls, others work on a different pattern, but April is pretty much a high season month throughout. Even if only your departure date falls within the higher peak season, it will affect the overall cost of the airfare. That is not to say there are no bargains to be had, but you may need to be willing to work harder to find them and to be a bit more flexible (if/where possible) with your airport, flight times etc.

 

[Laurafoster]

Ok I'm really confused Schools in my area are off 2nd April-20th If I'm looking to fly out 16th April and return 2/3rd may how is this school holidays? We picked these dates because they weren't school holidays? Am I wrong?

A few schools here don't return until the 22nd April. So most of your first week would still count as a high season. We have booked flights for just after Easter holidays on a few occasions and have sometimes found that prices don't drop until right at the last day or two of the school holidays or even a few days after.

We have had bargains in the past though, this year though our schools returned to school on the 21st and the best prices I could find for flights weren't until the 26th April.

You just need to keep looking. I checked daily for this years flights, sometimes twice a day and then one day prices dropped (at around the 9month mark I think).