Prices for flights to New York

harrys_dad

I have recently started searching for non-stop flights from London to New York for early March 2015. I search using Kayak, and know others use skyscanner or similar. When I first started looking about ten days ago there were multiple airlines offering returns around £415, through their own websites. I needed to firm up dates so was unable to book.

A few days Later ALL the airlines had put their lowest prices up to about £540.

Today, lower prices of £398 via Delta appeared through an agent called "Tripsta" and the same flights for £450 through "BravoFly". Having researched these two agents online I will not use either. ALL airlines are still around £540 or more through their websites.

I thought the oil price was plummeting, so why are fares going up? Why are ALL airlines changing their prices at the same time? Why do airlines allow agents, sometimes based abroad, to sell their tickets cheaper?

I have decided to wait for a little,and hope prices will go down after Xmas. The usual advice is look and book 8 weeks before, so early January. If this doesn't work I will go 1 stop through Iceland or Dublin for about £400.

(edit to show change of plan!) Further investigation on BA and Virgin sites shows some interesting variables. Returning at 00.05 on a Tuesday compared to 22.35 on a Monday (2 hours earlier) saves £70! Travelling Tuesday to Tuesday instead of Monday to Monday saves £140 on Virgin.

Anyone else have any views?

(Apologies if there is another thread like this that I have not found).

PDC

I don't know if its still the same as I haven't been for a couple of years but the prices did always tend to be good at the end of January. BA often used to have a sale of sorts around then.

CG19a

If you are making a stopover, I'd choose Dublin as they have US customs and immigration in their airport, so passport stamped and bags checked before you even get on the plane, and then just walk off the other side nice and easy.

callum9999

CG19a wrote: »

If you are making a stopover, I'd choose Dublin as they have US customs and immigration in their airport, so passport stamped and bags checked before you even get on the plane, and then just walk off the other side nice and easy.

I don't see the big attraction for that - it's not as if it's really saving any time, you're merely shifting immigration to before the flight instead of after (and it's not really any quicker at Dublin - you need to get there earlier to factor in the longer processing times). Though if you'd have a long connection in Dublin anyway I guess it's better to get it out of the way.

It doesn't sound like the OP actually wants to stop anywhere, but if it was a choice between pre-clearance in Dublin or seeing Iceland, it would be Iceland every time!

As to the edit from the OP, that makes it sound like you chose 2 dates at random then only looked at them. As should be obvious from what you've now found, if you want cheaper prices then just look at more dates! 7th-14th March (Sat-Sat) is £378 with Kuwait Airlines and numerous other options on Virgin/Delta are available for £399.

harrys_dad

Thanks for your replies. I did not choose dates at random, I really need to go Monday to Monday because of commitments at either end, but could possibly fly Tuesday. "Stopping over" is not really an option either, just changing planes at the airport.

That still doesn't explain the airline pricing model, with all airlines increasing prices by the same amount at the same time, despite falling oil prices. Makes it seem like a cartel to me.

callum9999

harrys_dad wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I did not choose dates at random, I really need to go Monday to Monday because of commitments at either end, but could possibly fly Tuesday. "Stopping over" is not really an option either, just changing planes at the airport.

That still doesn't explain the airline pricing model, with all airlines increasing prices by the same amount at the same time, despite falling oil prices. Makes it seem like a cartel to me.

They didn't and it's not.

Alan_Bowen

Airlines agree fuel prices a year or more ahead, they effectively bet on where the price will be. At the moment most will be paying far more than they need and bizarrely those less financially astute airlines who couldn't afford to 'hedge' the price of fuel are doing better. As to why prices don't fall, whilst demand is rising, why would they reduce fares, it is the law of supply and demand. If suddenly no one books for the days you want, one airline will reduce fares and the others follow to avoid getting even fewer bookings in future.

If the date in March is nowhere near Easter then wait until BA or Virgin start their sale which is usually a few days before Christmas when you may well be able to get a better fare. As you have noticed overseas agents appear to offer lower prices, reading this website you will realise they don't tell you the real price until the last moment, so are to be avoided like the plague

PeacefulWaters

A cynic would suggest they've just put their prices up ahead of a sale.

superman909

harrys_dad wrote: »

I have recently started searching for non-stop flights from London to New York for early March 2015. I search using Kayak, and know others use skyscanner or similar. When I first started looking about ten days ago there were multiple airlines offering returns around £415, through their own websites. I needed to firm up dates so was unable to book.

A few days Later ALL the airlines had put their lowest prices up to about £540.

Today, lower prices of £398 via Delta appeared through an agent called "Tripsta" and the same flights for £450 through "BravoFly". Having researched these two agents online I will not use either. ALL airlines are still around £540 or more through their websites.

I thought the oil price was plummeting, so why are fares going up? Why are ALL airlines changing their prices at the same time? Why do airlines allow agents, sometimes based abroad, to sell their tickets cheaper?

I have decided to wait for a little,and hope prices will go down after Xmas. The usual advice is look and book 8 weeks before, so early January. If this doesn't work I will go 1 stop through Iceland or Dublin for about £400.

(edit to show change of plan!) Further investigation on BA and Virgin sites shows some interesting variables. Returning at 00.05 on a Tuesday compared to 22.35 on a Monday (2 hours earlier) saves £70! Travelling Tuesday to Tuesday instead of Monday to Monday saves £140 on Virgin.

Anyone else have any views?

(Apologies if there is another thread like this that I have not found).

EXACTLY the same thing happened while I was booking my NYC flights but for this month when I booked a couple of months ago. It is frustrating I know but to cut a long story short just accept that the rates go up because the seats on the flights are filling up...... Also as you get nearer towards your departure date the prices tend to increase so to put it simply, please book now or else you will regret it. The flight providers use a computer algorithm and the price changes are generally all automated so there is nothing you can do about it. I also paid an extra £120 or so because I delayed things when I wished I'd booked the day earlier. I think the thing is just to commit yourself to a flight which is convenient for you and get your seat as soon as possible.

langlandmoney

I was looking for flights from Heathrow to Newark and flying with Virgin was going to cost £576.
However having read this thread I looked around and found that if I am in Dublin I can fly to Newark via Heathrow and get on the same Virgin plane for less than £500.
How does that work?

richardw

Different markets, differing prices.