[Anonymous]

[Dave101]

I’m trying to book a return flight to the US in mid-July. The BA prices to New York are currently coming in at GBP 900 economy / GBP 1300 premium economy. I don’t remember ever paying this much for this route so far in advance. Questions – (1) should I wait for a potential sale nearer to the departure date, and (2) assuming there is no sale, what are the chances these seats become even more expensive?

[AMcWhirter]

Dave101 – Some the information contained in a previous posting about London-Dublin fares and airline pricing policies may be helpful.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/BA-to-Dublin-in-December-big-spike-in-fares

[Dave101]

Thanks AMcWhirter – that is helpful. Regarding my second question, any feel for whether GBP 900 economy / GBP 1300 premium economy is towards the high end for this route?

[timothy222]

I guess that you need to think that it is the start of the school holidays in England and Wales and most of Europe are starting or have started the school holidays too. Airlines will charge higher even VS in mid july is around the GBP900 so it isn’t just BA…

Guess it is the same as that old adage about the holiday companies increasing their package holiday costs in July and August by sometimes as much as nearly 100% to go in school holidays

[johnsmith111222]

Both BA and Virgin ran long sales this year over December/January. It may be that lots of people bit at those lower prices and so fewer deep level discounted tickets are available in any event.

[AMcWhirter]

The fares are on the high side but I guess it’s because the summer-time is the time of year when the airlines make money out of economy class passengers flying transatlantic.

If there’s only a £400 difference between Y and Y+ then I’d be tempted to opt for the latter.

Even budget airline Norwegian isn’t as inexpensive as you might think.

Check its LGW-JFK prices for July and you’ll find you’d be paying roughly £700 return (some days are slightly cheaper, some are more expensive) to which you must add a further £60 for baggage check and catering.

No dates were provided for your New York trip … but you may find a better rate with Icelandair via REK.

BA might have a seat sale nearer the time. You can hang on and chance it. But on the other hand you may not get the times or dates of your choice.

[Bath_VIP]

Last year, I researched some prices to Toronto and found economy fares were more expensive than business class fares in the summer. When I used to travel regularly to New York a few years ago, it was always noticeable that premium economy fares in the summer were generally twice that of the winter.

[ekond111]

It’s not an expensive economy fare in the Summer….it’s just not discounted….gone are the days of APEX fares etc….I think there is a seat sale for travel in he summer months -usually it’s the Business Class fares that prove to be a bargain.

[onajetplane]

Even more frustratingly… BA has fares of £590 ex-DUB via LHR to NY in mid-july… or £570 codesharing with AA on their direct flight from Dublin…

I still think it is absolutely ridiculous that the APD doesn’t apply to transfer passengers! Its completely non-sensical to think purely due to taxes it would be cheaper to fly:

LHR – DUB – LHR – EWR/JFK – LHR

than it is to fly

LHR – EWR/JFK – LHR…

[SergeantMajor]

In peak summer, you often get best value from Business class fares as there can be fewer people on business, but demand is high for economy fares and to some extent for Premium Economy fares.

You can often get exEY Club World London City fares for around £1350 rtn to New York aboard BA’s A318.

I’d recommend you try and exEU Business fare, or consider flying exParis on OpenSkies Premium Economy cabin, which is the most comfortable seat in that category:

http://www.flyopenskies.com/en/classes/premium-economy-premplus-on-board.html

[Author]

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