Over £1,200 for an economy flight to mco

Hi

Been following this forum for over a year now and have to say I am addicted, just took a while to register!

I am really frustrated with Virgin Atlantic with how they increase the fares over the Easter and Summer holidays to catch a captive audience ( as do all airlines). I fly to Florida at least twice a year, sometimes 3 depending on how work is and nearly always use Virgin. I am a family of five and sometimes six if the nephew comes with us and cannot believe how much the fares are varying from less than £500 to over £1,200 a seat depending on when you choose to go.

Is there any way of getting reasonable fares over the school holiday periods? Every year just seems to be getting more and more expensive.

Thanks

[Neil]

Welcome.

The key is quite simply book early. We're going at Easter with our family, we are in PE and paid £1200 and family is in Y and they paid £750, but we booked the day the flights came out and they have only gone up since.

We have just also booked for Xmas/New Year and while again we are in PE, prices for Y were as low as £620 when the flights first came out, now nearly £900.

Unfortunately it is a case of supply and demand, and flight prices will always be higher during the peak periods simply because they airlines know they can charge more and people will pay it.

Neil is quite right I'm afraid.

Virgin are reportedly on course to lose £135m this year. There's no way they can reverse that by offering cheap fares on flights they know they can fill at times when everyone wants to travel.

As you say, all airlines do it. I'm afraid from a business point of view it's a no brainer. But if you can plan 11 months ahead instead of 2 or 3, and are ready to buy the day flights go on sale, there are cheaper fares to be had. Many other savvy passengers know that too, though, so you really do have to be quick.

One other possibility, albeit a less convenient one, is to look at flying into, say, New York where numerous daily flights and lots of competition can mean more competitive fares. Then book an internal flight down to Orlando. In August that route can still be had for under £900 - still a lot but 25% less than the direct flight.

There is no doubt that flying has gotten much more expensive in recent years - I track my flight costs and a W PE to New York that was £1,500 in 2009 is £2,300 now at the rack rate. Fuel has 'fuelled' this but prices have also risen - note BA and even AA have followed suit.

Delta consistently seems to be the cheapest across to the US.

It's not that long ago that you could pick up a Ryanair European flight for 2p (plus taxes and charges of course). Nowadays that same base fare would be at least £20.

And the days of a £200 fare to New York are, sadly, long gone. Memories ...

have you looked at going via somewhere less touristy and then take an internal flight ? Maybe New York

Thanks for all your replies.

I normally am fairly lucky and have paid around £500-£550 when we go in February half term. Our school are fairly flexible and encourage the educational trips!

The last 2 summers I have ended up flying into Miami as it is a considerable saving on a large family, but It is not the nicest place to be with your kids but served the purpose when we were staying in SW Florida.

As I have left I too late to get a reasonable fare this summer I have ended up booking with Air Canada from LHR to MCO via Toronto. Pretty good flight times but having to change which we have never done before so a bit daunted by it all especially if flights are delayed. FYI paid £670 per ticket. Anyone done this type of configuration before?

Anyway will make sure I plan ahead and book early! And looking forward to going to sunny Florida for the summer!

Thanks

The advantage of flying via Toronto (a great city to visit btw) is that you will pre-clear US immigration and customs there and will arrive in MCO as a domestic passenger.

And the days of a £200 fare to New York are, sadly, long gone. Memories ...

I remember those days. Where for £30 - £50 less you could land at EWR and take the train into NY Penn for less than $5

And the days of a £200 fare to New York are, sadly, long gone. Memories ...

I remember those days. Where for £30 - £50 less you could land at EWR and take the train into NY Penn for less than $5

Ahh memories indeed, back in the days when one dressed in a hat and tie to travel ii)

between 2005-2010 I was flying to Orlando 2-3 times a year and in that time I saw the prices rocket. My first PE flight was about £650, and I don't think I paid more than £800 for PE. Then the prices suddenly rocketed and for someone that isn't in the posistion to be paying over £1000 just on a flight the option became economy or nothing. And now even Economy is going the way to price a lot of people out.
It would be different if wages were increasing at the same level as everything else. but that's another topic...

It would be different if wages were increasing at the same level as everything else. but that's another topic...

Ha ha, I hear you on that one n(

Perhaps start another topic on this in the Galley Ian and see what kind of tirade follows

Ha ha, I hear you on that one

Perhaps start another topic on this in the Galley Ian and see what kind of tirade follows

I'm too much of a coward to open that particular can of worms... :w

I'm too much of a coward to open that particular can of worms... :w

Lol, go on give it a go. To get ya started, ONS figures are 18% price hikes with wages and salaries rising 10% in the 5 years to April 2012.

Would be interesting to know about V-Flyers from around the world actually and how the pricing models set in the UK affect the overseas market in air travel.

my first transatlantic trip was with good old Freddie Laker in 1978.
paid £199 return. on the LGW-JFK leg we got bumped because they oversold.the next flight was delayed and because it went over a 4 hour delay we got 50% back so the whole trip ended up below £100

on the return flight we got half way down the runway before a loud bang and the Captain announcing 'you may have noticed a slight problem !!!'

good old Freddie !!

anyway in 1978 that would have been about 10% of my annual salary , an EC today would be considerably less so I guess its still good value

My GF is a school teacher, so you have my sympathy.

We try to visit Tampa/Sarasota once a year, and the way we cut costs is by using VS flying club. We use our PE AMEX voucher to get ourselves to somewhere like NY or Washington, and then grab an internal connection down to Florida, usually with JetBlue.

VS can get these all on one booking for you so if you miss your connection you'll be re-booked.

If we can't get a decent connection on the way there, we'll take the Friday evening VS17, sleep at the Marriott EWR and then take the first flight of the morning down to Tampa.

ditto what Clarkey says , a detour has a few advantages especially with the amex voucher

Will definitely look at the detour route if I am un-successful getting a reasonable fare direct. Although 3 kids in tow and all the luggage, strollers, car seats etc is a bit of hassle.
Fair to say I need to be more on the ball with booking early as it seems it is catching on.

Am in the flying club but have only used miles and money fares a couple of times to get a discounted economy flight. Premium and Upper are not in my reach what with 5 travelling and a couple of trips a year!

On a separate note went to Orlando last month and flew in the bubble(economy)Good flight and refurb plane is a massive improvement on the old type which were verging on 3rd world class.