V-Flyer

Hey v flyers.

I'm think of going to New York after Christmas and taking my girlfriend along also. I want to go for about 1 week so from 27th December and I want to use my air miles to pay for part of it.
I currently have 60,000 and my girlfriend has around 40,000 ish I think.

I want to fly at least premium or if I can upper? What would be the best and cheapest way to go there?

Thanks

Firstly - check availability, NYC is very popular for New Year so reward seats could be limited in the premium cabins.

The best/cheapest option would be probably to buy an M fare economy ticket and upgrade with miles to UC (20,000 each way). If there isn't a lot of UC availability, you could cost up 1 x full reward at 90,000 and then 1 x Z fare, but that would probably cost more.

Do also check things like hotels etc, NYC is so popular at Xmas / New Year that hotel prices are crazy expensive as are most places on NYE with a lot of restaurants holding events rather than just offering usual meals.

Neil

I can confirm the hotels shoot up in December. I am in NYC in Dec & the hotels almost doubled in price on 1st December onwards compared to 30th November .
In the end we booked an apartment through airbnb for 4 nights for the same price one night would have cost at a hotel.
On the plus side... We were able to use miles to upgrade to UC for 4 pax however we are going mid December.
Good luck

Jodybuk wrote:I can confirm the hotels shoot up in December. I am in NYC in Dec & the hotels almost doubled in price on 1st December onwards compared to 30th November .
In the end we booked an apartment through airbnb for 4 nights for the same price one night would have cost at a hotel.
On the plus side... We were able to use miles to upgrade to UC for 4 pax however we are going mid December.
Good luck

Thanks for your help. I can spend my miles on premium which is 55,000 per person which then I have to pay £400 in the taxes ect.

When going to New York would it be best to try and stay in Manhattan near Times Square and Central Park?

I went years ago as a school trip so just be good to get some help really?

Thanks

It's worth looking at AIRBNB... We have booked a two bed serviced
apartment a few minutes walk from times sq & Central Park for £600..( 4 nights)
The hotels in Manhattan / time sq could be £300+ per night ... If you go a little further afield it does become cheaper but not that much.
The subway network Is very convenient & efficient though so moving around is easy.
I guess it depends on what you are going to be doing while you are there that will determine the better place to base yourself.
That doesn't really help much!! Hopefully someone else on here with more NYC knowledge than me will help to.

Jodybuk wrote:It's worth looking at AIRBNB... We have booked a two bed serviced
apartment a few minutes walk from times sq & Central Park for £600..( 4 nights)
The hotels in Manhattan / time sq could be £300+ per night ... If you go a little further afield it does become cheaper but not that much.
The subway network Is very convenient & efficient though so moving around is easy.
I guess it depends on what you are going to be doing while you are there that will determine the better place to base yourself.
That doesn't really help much!! Hopefully someone else on here with more NYC knowledge than me will help to.

I will take a good look on air bnb hopefully they have a good selection.

I think I would like to stay near Central Park and Times Square as I want to visit them and maybe a few shows and Statue of Liberty also and ground zero memorial site. And experience new year there.

What's the best thing to do on New Years in New York?

Wowser that's a tough one!!! If it were me ( and sadly it isn't ) I would be heading to time sq along with probably thousands of others!
You could look to see if the ESB is open at midnight.. I reckon that would be an awesome place to view the NYC skyline at midnight.
I've never done NYC at on NYE so once again can't be much help..... I have enough trouble deciding what I'm doing in this country on NYE & that only involves getting drunk somewhere!!

Fordie wrote:I think I would like to stay near Central Park and Times Square as I want to visit them and maybe a few shows and Statue of Liberty also and ground zero memorial site. And experience new year there.

You can stay in many of locations on NYC and still visit all the sites you mention; Ground Zero and Central Park are, for example, a fair distance from each other (have walkedit a few times). However, as well as the subway, NYC has a plentiful supply of yellow cabs that will move you around for a reasonable price.

Be warned - shows in NYC are *very* expensive and don't have the bargain ticket market that can be accessed in London. One recommendation for its unique nature in the "holiday season" is the Radio City Music Hall.

Paul

Midtown is a great place to stay but you will prob find yourself still having to get some sort of transport downtown to things like the World trade etc , saying that New York is the kind of place where you can just seem to walk and walk and enjoy , I didn't even take a cab when I was there earlier this week and I can assure you I'm no athlete !

Blacky1 wrote: I can assure you I'm no athlete !

I don't know If you and I went head to head in the booze stakes I'm not sure who would get the gold medal! )

Try Priceline.com I use it every year for NYC in December. Blew the budget in April, June and August with holidays so not going this year but I swear by them. I always stay in nice hotels - westin Times Square, intercontinental, Marriott east side... And have never paid more than £100 per room per night with them. Just use the auction part of their website.

Now is optimal time to book.
intercontinental the Barclaywas my favourite. I stayed their a couple of years ago the week upto Christmas (left 23rd) and each night they had a different choir, it was magical.

Rentals are illegal in NYC if less than 30 days duration. There are some serviced apartments but it is such a minefield.

Not wishing to send the OP away, I would recommend he has a read of the New York City forum on Trip Advisor.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum- ... _York.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g6076 ... ntals.html

Thanks for your commented so far.

I have just checked with the girlfriend and we have some plans for New Years now but I was then thinking I could book for 1st/2nd January as a surprise for 4 nights?

Would it be slightly cheaper on this date? For hotels I mean? It would still be amazing I think?

Also for 4 nights going what would you guys and gals recommend on spending money?

I was in Orlando for 4 weeks September just gone and it's different 4 weeks to 4 nights?

Thanks in advance

I'm off to NYC on the 2nd Jan. Hotels are cheaper, it's still quite Christmassy, the window displays are all still there, and it's not as busy round town. It's cold, but I don't mind that.

locutus wrote:I'm off to NYC on the 2nd Jan. Hotels are cheaper, it's still quite Christmassy, the window displays are all still there, and it's not as busy round town. It's cold, but I don't mind that.

Can I be mosey and ask where about you are staying? Near Times Square ect? And did you pay a lot? It's only a place to sleep I know that but I would like to be around Times Square maybe?

I wouldn't mind because you will be in the big apple!

Here's a good tip for you... Citizen M are opening very soon on Time Square and before Xmas. I can confirm the date once my contact gets back to me and can also provide you with a 'promo code' - very affordable luxury, would suit your needs down to a tee. Check out the chain, I personally rate their beds among the top I've ever slept in.

getinjonathan wrote:Here's a good tip for you... Citizen M are opening very soon on Time Square and before Xmas. I can confirm the date once my contact gets back to me and can also provide you with a 'promo code' - very affordable luxury, would suit your needs down to a tee. Check out the chain, I personally rate their beds among the top I've ever slept in.

Thanks for your reply, i would appreciate you doing such a thing? If or when you find out any details. It would be worth a look at especially if they will be opening soon.

Also if I do go to New York I wouldn't get a hire car so on my check out day what would I do with my suitcase? As the flight home wouldn't be until 6pm? I wouldn't know what to do

Fordie wrote:Can I be mosey and ask where about you are staying? Near Times Square ect? And did you pay a lot? It's only a place to sleep I know that but I would like to be around Times Square maybe?

I wouldn't mind because you will be in the big apple!

Intercontinental Times Square, £115 a night on hotels.com and with 10% cashback from topcashback too. (£134 pn with tax)

honey lamb wrote:

Blacky1 wrote: I can assure you I'm no athlete !

I don't know If you and I went head to head in the booze stakes I'm not sure who would get the gold medal! )

I'm sure you would romp home HL oo)

Fordie

It's just my opinion, but I wouldn't be too fussed about staying near Times Sq. It's not a particularly amazing neighbourhood and it feels very busy and touristy. (Imagine staying right next to Piccadilly Circus.) There are many other parts of Manhattan which are preferable (in my view), and the excellent public transport options means that you are rarely far from the action.

Plus, half the charm of New York is just walking around and sampling the little districts and neighbourhoods. There is less to see of that around Times Sq (and in Midtown generally) than (say) on the Upper East Side, or down in Chelsea or the West Village.

Having said that, I have stayed at the Intercontinental Times Sq and it was a decent hotel!

Have a great trip!

at240 wrote:Fordie

It's just my opinion, but I wouldn't be too fussed about staying near Times Sq. It's not a particularly amazing neighbourhood and it feels very busy and touristy. (Imagine staying right next to Piccadilly Circus.) There are many other parts of Manhattan which are preferable (in my view), and the excellent public transport options means that you are rarely far from the action.

Plus, half the charm of New York is just walking around and sampling the little districts and neighbourhoods. There is less to see of that around Times Sq (and in Midtown generally) than (say) on the Upper East Side, or down in Chelsea or the West Village.

Having said that, I have stayed at the Intercontinental Times Sq and it was a decent hotel!

Have a great trip!

Thanks for your insight. I understand time square can get super busy I thought it would be sort of Central? I would like to stay around Central Park area also but as many have said transport it good and efficient.

Also some views on spending money for 4 nights would be great and checking out and where and what to do with my suitcase?

You should be able to leave your suitcase at the hotel , they normally have storage areas
Money wise it obviously depends on what you want to do ,if your going to do attractions like the ESB you may want to think about buying in advance , I would suggest you would still want £200-300 per day depending on if you have expensive tastes or not

I went to NYC on Jan 2nd for five nights a few years ago. Fares were considerably cheaper as were the hotels. As there were three of us we stayed in the Affinia 50 which at that time was very popular on V-Flyer and very reasonable. It's a suite hotel situated on the corner of 50th and Lexington and was in walking distance of most of the attractions. It doesn't have a dining room or bar but there is an excellent diner a couple of doors down for breakfast and they did have a happy hour with free drink and nibbles in the exec lounge for all guests Mon-Friday.

The weather then was brutal. Very clear but freeeeeeeeeezing!! -5C but with a wind chill of -15C :0

Is there a way to find out of there how many available reward
Seats are still bookable on a flight? I was looking at the 3rd jan 2014 at 17:40pm from heathrow in premium ec

Where can I find out?

Only way I know would be to check availability for more passengers and see what it says. If it's got 2 then try 4 and see if it still shows availability? Or ring flying club and ask I'm sure they will tell you.

Edit: just had look online myself and it's not showing me any reward seats in PE on any flight on the 3rd.