New York & Vegas - Package/Self Plan?

jtr2803

Hi All,

My OH and I would both love to go to NYC, neither of us have ever been and I have been a long time lurker on the 'everything and anything New York' thread. I would also love to do Vegas for a few nights (he isn't so keen) but I am thinking that while we are on the same continent it would be silly not to . Ps - yes I know the flight between them is quite long.

I see that various operators such as Virgin/Kuoni do twin centres like this but I know there is nearly always another way! Has anyone ever dealt with any other operators offering twin centres like this? I keep trying to price it up if we booked it all ourself, I know from the Vegas Thread that getting a room there would not be a problem and would be fairly reasonable but by the time I add in the extra flights to Vegas it comes out at more than a typical package holiday......

We haven't picked a time of year yet as we are heading to Kenya on Safari in March 12 so it wont be until later next year, maybe Sept? I am feverishly trying to accumulate airmiles but doubt we would have enough to get free flights to NYC (which would reduce the most majorly).

Any tips?

Thanks

stephb34

Thomas Cook use Netflights and they will do you a twin centre either just flights or hotels and transfers as well, they do seem to be pretty competitive and they are atol and abta protected which in the current climate is good. Scheduled flights aren't released until 11 months before the date of the return flight.

neilbond007

I would book it separately. That way you can pick the dates / flights / hotels that suit you best.

I've done several trips like that when I was still in the UK. Spent hour upon hour comparing costs... but I love it... so I aint complaining!

johnnyroper

personally i would do it all seperate as in my opinion it will be so much cheaper.
One thing i would say is if it was me i would start in vegas then to new york and home as you are working back towards the uk.

Also look at BA flights as they go from heathrow to vegas and new york so no open jaw flights like if you used virgin as they go heathrow to new york but vegas is either man or lgw.

ferf1223

We regularly do multi-centre trips to the US as I have family there. We have never booked it as a package and for us see no point.

Try a multi-city journey as has been suggested - kayak, expedia, etc. have the option - at least get an idea of prices that way, then check with the airline's websites...we have found in the past that it's not that much more than a return in a lot of cases, but you have to be on the same airline or a partner for all parts of the itinerary or the price can go up quite a lot. Departing one UK airport and returning to another isn't an issue for us as we don't normally drive and park.

Unlikely johnnyroper we would do NY first - though I get the idea of having your second stop be the one closer to home...we've been to Vegas loads of times and to us, anywhere else would be a let-down afterwards...to some I imagine it might be a bit of a relief.

jtr2803

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've spent this afternoon pricing up a similar to the itinerary I mentioned but using March dates and as much as I hate to admit it I am really struggling!

I agree that the best way to do it would be to go LON - NYC - NV-LON or by swapping New York and Vegas so that we flew into one and out of the other but the one way flights to/from Vegas on either BA or Virgin are over £1,000! :eek:. I've found a host of non direct flights varying from £389-£650 but obviously I still need to add the internal and return from NYC which is costing around £1000.

A one way to/from NYC is miles more affordable but at the moment the best (ie most cost effective way) of doing it would be to book a return to NYC with either BA or Virgin for around £400 and then pay approx £350 to do the internal flight. It seems a bit silly to double back on ourselves but it seems the only way to do it cost effectively. It's frustrating!

Matt2389

Hey
DON'T look at one way fares! Use Kayak (my fav site) and instead of oneway or return, choose multi-city! There you can put LON-NYC, LAS-LON, and then price up a one way from NYC-LAS. Maybe price up adding the NYC-LAS leg of the journey in with the multi city planner, see which is cheaper! Hope this helps

ferf1223

Not sure I understand where the separate one-way flights are coming in...

3 part journey

LON->NYC
NYC->LAS
LAS->LON

I can get £555 for random dates in March on BMI , United, Continental and partners.

jtr2803

Sorry ferf if I have made it confusing.

Most places I have searched so far only allow me to search for one leg at a time, eg LHR to Vegas....I've done that for each part and thats where I get the prices. I have not yet tried a multi city flight search, have you used any particular site for that?

That prices seems very good!

Thanks

jtr2803

Just searched Kayak and see what you mean!

johnnyroper

ferf1223 wrote: »

We regularly do multi-centre trips to the US as I have family there. We have never booked it as a package and for us see no point.

Try a multi-city journey as has been suggested - kayak, expedia, etc. have the option - at least get an idea of prices that way, then check with the airline's websites...we have found in the past that it's not that much more than a return in a lot of cases, but you have to be on the same airline or a partner for all parts of the itinerary or the price can go up quite a lot. Departing one UK airport and returning to another isn't an issue for us as we don't normally drive and park.

Unlikely johnnyroper we would do NY first - though I get the idea of having your second stop be the one closer to home...we've been to Vegas loads of times and to us, anywhere else would be a let-down afterwards...to some I imagine it might be a bit of a relief.

i see what you are saying i love vegas but also love nyc so for me it would not be a let down whichever i went to first,i just prefer to have the shorter flight on way home. A case of holiday over once at airport so all i want to do is get home as quick as poss.
purely personal preference