How do I find inexpensive tickets from JFK to London for Sept? (hotel, to buy)

[LeoNYC]

I am amazed how expensive all the airline tickets to Europe are this summer. I wanted to spend a week in London in September. I would consider pretty much any dates, including midweek departures and arrivals. I cannot find anything for less than $700 round trip (including taxes and fees). In fact, for all the direct flights, the prices are closer to $800 per person round trip. I have been looking for several days on various travel sites, but I am wondering if those who travel to the UK often know any good discount sites or any other way to buy a cheaper tickets.

Historically, the tickets to London from JFK have been relatively cheap, except for the summer months. I guess because of the economic recovery and airline consolidation the airline prices have been unusually expensive.

[Cornerguy1]

Have you tried using a different departure point such as LaGuardia or Newark?

[LeoNYC]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

Have you tried using a different departure point such as LaGuardia or Newark?

Yes, I always use "NYC" which translates on most travel sites into "All NYC airports". And use "LON" for London to make sure that all of the London airports including Gatwick are considered.

[PA2UK]

$700-800 isn't too bad - I've seen it well over $1000 in the past. Just the way the market works, the prices are always going up and down. Maybe one of those "name your price" websites would give you a better deal - but I've never tried them. I imagine if they did offer anything remarkably lower, everyone would know about it and use it but I've never known anyone to do so.

[tennesseegirl95]

^ 700 - 800 isnt bad at all.
Also, try going at off times. Going in the summer holidays are quite expensive. I went to Italy in March, stopping in London PLUS hotel was 5,000 dollars. Buy of the century as I say.

[Fear&Whiskey]

I'm pretty sure that it is cheaper to fly to Newark or Philly from London than New York itself but I'm not sure if the reverse is true from your end. I'm looking for the exact reverse situation in fact but off peak around October/November time.

I was looking today and Heathrow to Newark or Philly seemed to have the best offers and I found a return flight for around £370 (including fees) at a bargain basement cheap offers comparison site. I'd say there was probably a few more hidden fees to be added on so I'd say all in all it would probably come to around £420-£480 pounds return all in all which is still a pretty good deal. I was thinking of taking it, as a matter of fact. Here's an example of some of the offers around from this end of the Atlantic for September http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Newark/London/ just slightly off peak. Gatwick for a while was offering bargain flights to and from New Jersey in a bid for companies based there to compete with London's other major airports but those flights have sadly finished. At present though, even at Heathrow, off peak fares are very reasonable and a similar ballpark to before the relocation from Gatwick of some of these flights.

[tennesseegirl95]

^ Fear&Whiskey is right. Smaller less commercial airports are cheaper. I know when I lived in CT, Westchester in NY was cheaper rather then La Guardia or JFK. Keep scratching around though! If you aren't sure on when you are going - don't jump the gun. You may find a steal for JFK or LGA.. Also, I booked in Expedia. Which gave me the hotel + roundtrip airfare. But then again, I went in March, so that was a off time for travelers!

[Fear&Whiskey]

You know, you're right, I'm glad I didn't buy the tickets, but it was tempting because I'm determined to revisit New York because I know that if I don't go before Christmas for one reason or another I might not have the opportunity again for a very long time.

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly look into JFK, LGA, Westchester, other airports and Expedia for help and shop around first. I'm taking a month and it will be my last whirlwind visit to New York/New Jersey (and hopefully Philly too if possible) before a merciless few years of slaving, saving and craving for those days when I didn't have to face quite so much economic reality. Luckily I can be flexible to a degree so that should help.

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by Fear&Whiskey

I'm pretty sure that it is cheaper to fly to Newark or Philly from London than New York itself but I'm not sure if the reverse is true from your end.

That's not always the case. My husband and I just recently flew into JFK even though my family live outside Philly because it was cheaper than flying into Philly or Newark. Granted, we flew from Manchester not London but the point is, the market is all over the place and there is no hard and fast rule for who/what/where provides a better deal.

[Fear&Whiskey]

I was always under the impression that smaller airlines tended to use smaller, secondary airports and that this was a factor that contributed to hese airports receiving lower priced flights. After all, the perception at least is that you are arriving at a less desirable and central location, and a compromise is subsequently seen to be made on behalf of the traveller in order to save on cost and I thought this was reflected in a certian airport's market value. I also tended to find that to compete with the biggest airports smaller airports cut fares accordingly to entice customers. This has always being the assumption that I have made and something I have found to be the case in the past though perhaps this could've been fluctuations in market value that made it appear as such. I just found that the bigger airports didn't need to be as competetive and founf this to be reflected in cost.

Either way, I hope you're right about JFK, that would be my most convenient and preferred arrival destination though I'd love to visit Philly if the flight was cheaper, and take the chance to stay a day or so there too as I've always wanted to visit Philly. If I can get a reasonable JFK flight though, I'll probably take it.