BA to NY - cheaper to buy premium economy hotel/flight package than just flights

cclarke12

If you are looking for premium economy seats with BA for NY then it is worth checking out packages on BA.com. For dates we are travelling in January the return premium economy flights are £800+ each. However if you buy premium economy flight and hotel package for 3 nights it comes out at £1350 in total for 2 passengers. I am not sure if this is an error on BA's website or not as it seems odd that a package is coming out so much cheaper than just booking flights on their own. I am not sure if this applies to other destinations or not.

I came across this as I had already booked an economy flight hotel package with BA but when I went in to my booking found they were offering me upgrades to premium economy for £89 each way. It wouldn't actually let me book the upgrade online and when I contacted them they said it wasn't available and was a mistake on their system as I had bought a flight/hotel package and wasn't eligible for the discounted upgrade. I wasn't very happy but there's not a lot I can do. Out of interest I then went to check how much my current pacakge would have cost me if I had bought premium seats which is when I found the price above. Had it been that price when I booked I definitely would have paid for premium economy.

dmg24

Could I ask which hotel it is for please, or does it seem to be across all hotels?

cclarke12

dmg24 wrote: »

Could I ask which hotel it is for please, or does it seem to be across all hotels?

for the dates we are travelling (8-11th Jan) they have:

Thirty Thirty - £1342
Hampton Inn - £1353
Metro - £1355
Marriott East Side - £1364


All prices are for 2 people including premium economy flights.
They are cheapest hotels but there are lots more hotels on there too.

dmg24

Thanks cclarke12, it does look like there are some good deals about, and even better in economy - the Thirty Thirty is available for £987 for three nights (although I think I'd pay £1100 and go for the Marriott Marquis)!

Having said that, this is something that you see often with flight + hotels deals. Expedia do this quite often, I found it to be the case when I booked for Washington (although I did end up booking separately as the hotel I wanted was not available).

Have a great trip!

M4RKM

Thirty Thirty is an illegal hotel in NYC. I would not book into that hotel

Moonchild

markymoo wrote: »

Thirty Thirty is an illegal hotel in NYC. I would not book into that hotel

What's an illegal hotel and why would BA sell it? It sounds quite speakeasy-ish - quite tempting!

Re: The OP - it's because BA has IT (Inclusive Tour) offers on at the moment - and often they don't match Seat Only specials (they run the offers at different times). There can be substantial savings to be made - worth keeping an eye on adverts from people like Trailfinders and Travelbag etc for the packages they are offering - normally a sign of an IT sale (rather than just focus on the flight only prices).

cclarke12

dmg24 wrote: »

Thanks cclarke12, it does look like there are some good deals about, and even better in economy - the Thirty Thirty is available for £987 for three nights (although I think I'd pay £1100 and go for the Marriott Marquis)!

Having said that, this is something that you see often with flight + hotels deals. Expedia do this quite often, I found it to be the case when I booked for Washington (although I did end up booking separately as the hotel I wanted was not available).

Have a great trip!

We got our 3 night package with economy flights staying at the Marriott East Side for £812 so we did have a pretty good deal to start with. Yes, we can't wait to go now!

M4RKM

with New York, the city has many different complex zoning laws. The Thirty Thirty isn't classed in the right zoning laws, and the city keep fining them for running an illegal transient hotel, if you want the proper terms.

If you are there, and the city raid the hotel, and close it down (it can happen, and it has in the past) then you're out on the street, literally. they may help you find alternative accommodation, but they won't help with the cost.. and probably your travel insurance won't help with the cost of it, because, you after all booked a hotel that turned out to be illegal. looking at all the docs on the websites that show what licences and zoning etc the building has, it occasionally gets just a temporary (60 day) document to run as a hotel, this however expired back in may this year, and there are no documents to say otherwise, therefore it is trading outside the laws of New York City.

why do travel agents, ba, expedia etc sell this hotel, that's not up to me debate, but rest assured, it has been asked many times on the trip advisor website, and people always state, and link to the complaints and the legal documents that prove that it is an illegal hotel.

my advice is not to book this and find something different, there is plenty out there, and legal, but some hotels and nearly all apartment rentals break the law in NYC.

M

malkie76

This is a well known deal - it's a holiday package with BA which opens up cheaper airfare buckets meaning a cheaper flight. It's worth pointing out that you don't actually have to use their hotel for your entire trip to get the cheaper airfare - book a single night (in the cheapest hostel) to open up the cheap airfare.

However these cheaper airfares are not eligible for online upgrades, so you are better to choose your preferred class of travel at the time of booking.

CM66

Arggggh i'm so gutted after reading this! I booked my flights last week (flight only with BA) and have just checked the website now with the prem economy and a hotel package and it would have only been £200 extra!

I'll just have to pretend this isnt true - otherwise it'll do my head in! :mad:

Moonchild

malkie76 wrote: »

This is a well known deal - it's a holiday package with BA which opens up cheaper airfare buckets meaning a cheaper flight. It's worth pointing out that you don't actually have to use their hotel for your entire trip to get the cheaper airfare - book a single night (in the cheapest hostel) to open up the cheap airfare.

Hi Malkie,

Not true with BA, you need to book ground arrangements that equal the duration of the stay, be prebooked and include 1 minimum component of cruise, accommodation or car hire

With other airlines (i.e. TG, EVA, Cathay etc) it can vary from 1 nights, to the entire stay.

You still don't have to stay where you book though.

Thanks to MarkyMoo for the detailed explanation, seems a strange one, as it seems like a nice hotel. I suggest it could also cause a few issues BA in the future..?