Cheap Xmas Travel - Best way to get from London to Derry

wattc

Hi. I'm planning to go visit the folks back in Ireland at Xmas. In the past I have flown into Derry airport, but it's just too expensive now.

If I travel on the Thursday 23 December and come back on Monday 27, it's £180.01!

If I change the outbound flight to Wednesday 22nd December, it's still £145.01!

It's not much cheaper if I fly into Belfast and get bus down to Derry once you include the bus fare (airporter bus is £17.99 single)

So I wonder if anyone can give me any tips on how to get the best priced flight. Is it better to wait a while to book, or should I just book now? Or a less expensive, alternate way to travel London to Derry?

Cheers for any help!

Doshwaster

Unfortunately flights everywhere over the Xmas period are expensive. It's simple supply and demand.

According to SkyScanner, it may be cheaper to fly via Dublin (where there is more capacity and hence cheaper prices) - or fly to Dublin and take the bus to (London)Derry

http://www.skyscanner.net/flights/lond/ldy/101223/101227/airfares-from-london-to-derry-in-december-2010.html

http://www.skyscanner.net/flights/lond/dub/101223/101227/airfares-from-london-to-dublin-in-december-2010.html

If you have plenty of time on your hands you could take the ferry from Liverpool or Glasgow. I've done London to Belfast before in my youth via bus and ferry and it's a loooong trip.

glenderg

wattc wrote: »

Hi. I'm planning to go visit the folks back in Ireland at Xmas. In the past I have flown into Derry airport, but it's just too expensive now.


Or a less expensive, alternate way to travel London to Derry?

Cheers for any help!

http://www.seat61.com/NorthernIreland.htm

wattc

Hey glenderg - that is an interesting option! All the way to Belfast for £46. Something to consider - thanks!

wattc

In case anyone wondered how this saga ended, let me tell you.

And I have to say I am thrilled and feeling very lucky!

I've been checking the Ryanair website almost every day to see the price of the flights (outbound flight Wednesday 22nd December, returning 27th).

In my first email you can see it was £145.01 at the beginning of October.

Last week, for some reason, the price of the flight went down to £130.01. I was very tempted to book. But as that was going to put me into my overdraft, I've been holding off booking to the last minute.

Then I checked the website on Wednesday and the flights were back up at £145.01. I was really annoyed! If I'd booked it at £130, I'd at least have saved myself 15 quid (which is enough to pay for the bus to/from Stansted).

So today I logged on, getting ready to book it at £145, before it goes up any more.

Well lo and behold, I checked the flight and it was now down to £101.05. I thought it must be a mistake, but it's Ryanair's mistake and I'm going to book at this price!

I don't know why, but before I booked I decided to check the price of flying out on the 21st December. Well I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the return flight was now down to £69.98!!!!

So include Ryanair's criminal £10 "admin" fee and I got my Xmas flight for £79.98!!

I am so thrilled! If I'd booked yesterday, I'd have paid almost double the price. :eek:

Many thanks too everyone who contributed to this thread. And if you are thinking of travelling this route, book it today!