<p>Hi!
We are going to London in June for D’s graduation present.
I have been before-years ago (pre internet!)</p>
<p>I was wondering how early to book flights? I tried using Bings fare predictor -but it wasn’t available for the flights I was interested in. For international flights should you book early or wait?</p>
<p>We are going to rent a flat.
Any other thoughts- tips you have for London I would love to hear.
Thanks!!</p>
<p>When we went to London, we booked our whole trip about 4 months in advance. Personably, I would research airlines and start checking fares directly with the airline. We flew
British Air and had a terrific experience but that was 6 years ago.</p>
<p>Thanks Thumper!</p>
<p>I do this journey fairly frequently - maybe 4 times a year. I have found it difficult to guess when the fares will be best so my current strategy is the “good enough” fare. If the price and itinery seem reasonable then I go ahead and buy the ticket when I’m sure of the dates. If you’re travelling in June, the fares are going to be higher than say in February. I’m not on the coasts so have to first fly to an international airport. Typically decent prices for me have been around $850 off season and $1400 ish in the summer if that gives you a benchmark. The trick is to get both a reasonable fare and acceptable itinerary and typically in my experience the longer you wait the more difficult it is to get both. I second the suggestion to look at fares both through travel sites like Travelocity/Expedia etc. as well as the airlines for a bit and get an idea of what the going rate is. Then, you’ll be ready to buy when you see a “good enough” one! Good luck. Also, if you’re thinking of renting a car, I’ve found AAA has the best rates if you’re a member.</p>
<p>Thanks!
Looking now they are running about 1400 just like you said</p>
<p>Check into Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys. It requires lots of advance planning but breathtaking and free. You may want to check into rental requirements for the flat before you finalize your flight. Some rentals require specific check in days. Have fun!</p>
<p>Agree with the good enough strategy. For me the other factor is that I much prefer an aisle seat and those book up fast. I will pay a little more for that guaranteed aisle seat.</p>
<p>I would suggest starting to look now, so you have a good idea what the prices are. Also check many different sites, alternative dates, etc. Then when you are ready to buy–or if a really good deal springs up–you can buy then, but know that you are getting a good price. </p>
<p>Also, be prepared for frustration. When I was looking for tickets, albeit for a complicated trip last spring (H and I were traveling separately on different dates to different countries but wanted to return together), I finally decided the price wasn’t going to get any better, so I decided to buy. I had been watching the site that I usually use for travel, but when I clicked on my choice, suddenly it wasn’t available, and the only available fares were MUCH more expensive. </p>
<p>Because I knew what I wanted, I started exploring other sites. I finally was able to get the fare I wanted for myself via the American Express travel site, but I couldn’t get H’s there. I tried about 4-5 other sites and finally was able to get the fare I wanted for H via travelocity. But that was only because I knew what the fare/flights I wanted were. Otherwise, I might have ended up paying 1/2 to 2/3 of what I should have.</p>
<p>Personally, I haven’t had any luck with airline sites, but I always look. I think they work better if you can fly to your destination on a non-stop flight. Our trips are usually complicated (at least 3 flights) with multiple airlines involved.</p>
<p>In the past (recent past) there have been some great mileage offers with British Airways if you sign up for their VISA credit card. Has anyone tried that? I researched a little, but ultimately did not sign up for a new credit card. I did buy a ticket directly from the BA website, paid a fare in US$$ and was annoyed when my credit card company charged me a 3% foreign exchange fee on the transaction.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>We did the British Airways Visa and originally thrilled to get enough miles for family to fly to Europe. Hitch is that BA charges so many taxes and fees that it’s over $500 pp. If you can book the flight using BA miles but use one of their partner airlines it’s only $20 pp but we haven’t been able to find availability even 10 months in advance.</p>
<p>H and I rented a 2 bedroom, 2 bath flat with another couple in mid-September from a company called Boutique London Lets. The flat was in a very convenient location as it was very close to Buckingham Palace and just 2 blocks from the Victoria tube station. You can PM me if you’d like more info.</p>
<p>I use Kayak to compare fares and airlines and there is a new site a friend told me about called hipmonk. You can also set fare alerts at Kayak.</p>
<p>The other thing is if you have miles you might be able to use a partner airline. 2 years ago my husband took my son to London and we had Continental miles but the airline person found a trip using Virgin. For the same number of miles, they flew first class on Virgin. That number of miles would have been coach on Continental.</p>
<p>Try ITA, best by far. <a href=“http://matrix.itasoftware.com%5B/url%5D”>http://matrix.itasoftware.com</a></p>
<p>I use kayak also. It searches all the databases and lists prices, then you can click a link direct to the airline to purchase. </p>
<p>I go to London every summer to visit my Mum and brother. Usually June so my brother and I can go to Wimbledon. This year it was July because of other commitments and to go to a couple of Olympic events. I have never paid as much as $1400. Usually between $1000 and $1100, though to my surprise I got one for under $1000 this summer (I thought it would be more with the Olympics). I usually check Kayak daily - often prices differ depending on what day of the week you are buying as well as what day you are travelling. Often good prices pop up on tuesdays and wednesdays and sometimes in the middle of the night so check late at night. Also, if travelling on a specific day is not an issue, check various different days of the week to travel. It can make quite a diffference.</p>
<p>Thanks all!
Illinois Mom -sending you a PM</p>
<p>I have not used this… but my son has had good luck (US flight) with the flight cost predictor on Bing.</p>
<p>D just went to London last month and flew non-stop on British Airways (from IAH). She had been asking for this trip to see b/f since September 2012 so I looked at the fares then - too high for such a trip for me so I told her no. She ended up getting the trip as a Christmas present from another person and bought the ticket about 2.5 weeks in advance - roughly the same price as when I looked in September (~1200.00). That was my experience.</p>
<p>She LOVED BA and the return flight was virtually empty and what few passengers were on the plane had the whole row of seats to themselves! She proclaimed, “BEST FLIGHT EVER!”</p>
<p>It also didn’t hurt that she is legal drinking age on BA versus US carriers - if that matters for you.</p>
<p>I was surprised at how much better BA fares were. We still haven’t booked.
Thanks everyone</p>
<p>Also -does anyone have experience with “premium economy” seats?</p>