Flying around the Globe!

srisport

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/deals-hunter/2016/01/26/flew-home-via-berlin-cheaper-than-train/

Im sure we have all read the above thread or heard it on the news.

I am currently a mature student returning to college and currently live on limited funds

BUT

This has given me some inspiration to see if i (me and partner) can fly to different places through out the year for long wkend trips for not much more than what the young chap did in the above news article.

So what I'm asking is for advise, guidance and generally any information from those who have or are doing similar things.
For example:
-Where you went
-Where you would recommend
-Best places to search for deals

Ive always wanted to travel the world but never really had the opportunity to do it.

One place i am aware of is Groupon with their quick getaway deals but i do wonder if i can do the same for cheaper sometimes.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards.

Voyager2002

Skyscanner.

And Groupon is unlikely to save you anything.

richardw

Get a cheap flight to Cyprus, then to Dubai/Doha, then India, then Bangkok.

zagfles

Last 5 years I've been on short trips to Berlin, Krakow, Budapest, Bratislava, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Milan, Naples, Malaga, Belfast, Jerusalem and can recommend them all. Depends what you want to do/see. Flights you can often get around £30pp each way or cheaper on budget airlines eg Easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2. Hotels are surprisingly cheap in all the places I've been, it's easy to get a decent hotel with breakfast around £40 a night, cheaper in hostels (and more friendly).

So yes it's easy and cheap to do short trips in Europe, probably much cheaper that a short break in London. Where to depends on your interests.

kdogg_05

I'd always been convinced skyskanner. . . and slightly less well know (but better I think),
https://matrix.itasoftware.com which is what powers google search.

BUT. . . every time I go into STA they absolutely smash the best price I've found online. Perhaps other agents do to, I've always just used STA to be honest, but it's restored my faith in using travel agents for flights.

Example, recent multi city stop. Cheapest I could get for the EXACT same route online, was 2600, STA did it for £1000. Went in again for a 2 stop multi city, they told me £1200. I searched exactly what they found online, with the same airline, and it came up with £2300??

Anyway - the short of it is, chat to a travel agent before booking online I think.

BTW - google flight map is also a great little tool, as if you are open to where you go, you just select your departure airport, and it displays prices for all over Europe / World. . . .so you can quickly see where is cheap for a given set of dates, and see if anywhere takes your fancy.

zagfles

kdogg_05 wrote: »

I'd always been convinced skyskanner. . . and slightly less well know (but better I think),
https://matrix.itasoftware.com which is what powers google search.

BUT. . . every time I go into STA they absolutely smash the best price I've found online. Perhaps other agents do to, I've always just used STA to be honest, but it's restored my faith in using travel agents for flights.

Example, recent multi city stop. Cheapest I could get for the EXACT same route online, was 2600, STA did it for £1000. Went in again for a 2 stop multi city, they told me £1200. I searched exactly what they found online, with the same airline, and it came up with £2300??

Probably worth adding that you'd be unlikely to get anywhere with a "normal" travel agent who's bread and butter work is package holidays, but just with those who specialise in long haul flights like STA and Trailfinders.

callum9999

kdogg_05 wrote: »

I'd always been convinced skyskanner. . . and slightly less well know (but better I think),
https://matrix.itasoftware.com which is what powers google search.

BUT. . . every time I go into STA they absolutely smash the best price I've found online. Perhaps other agents do to, I've always just used STA to be honest, but it's restored my faith in using travel agents for flights.

Example, recent multi city stop. Cheapest I could get for the EXACT same route online, was 2600, STA did it for £1000. Went in again for a 2 stop multi city, they told me £1200. I searched exactly what they found online, with the same airline, and it came up with £2300??

Anyway - the short of it is, chat to a travel agent before booking online I think.

BTW - google flight map is also a great little tool, as if you are open to where you go, you just select your departure airport, and it displays prices for all over Europe / World. . . .so you can quickly see where is cheap for a given set of dates, and see if anywhere takes your fancy.

That's quite a difference! By 2 stop multi-city do you mean a one-way flight with 1/2 stops? STA seem to have partnerships that allow them to heavily discount one-way flights in particular, some of them exclusive to students.

srisport

Thank you for all your responses, some great tips have been given and I very much appreciate it.


What has everyone done about currency?


I currently have the Halifax clarity credit card which I believe lets me spend on it all over the world with no charges apart from cash withdrawals.... but I will check with Halifax before I fly to any countries that aren't in the EU.


STA?


is that a website or travel agent?


Kind Regards.

zagfles

srisport wrote: »

Thank you for all your responses, some great tips have been given and I very much appreciate it.


What has everyone done about currency?


I currently have the Halifax clarity credit card which I believe lets me spend on it all over the world with no charges apart from cash withdrawals.... but I will check with Halifax before I fly to any countries that aren't in the EU.

Yes, it's wordwide. It's one of the best ways of getting cash as well, you only pay interest on cash advances so for a short trip it's likely to be pence, just pay it off when you get back. Much cheaper than changing cash.

STA?


is that a website or travel agent?


Kind Regards.

Travel agent. They have a website as well http://www.statravel.co.uk

blindman

srisport wrote: »

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/deals-hunter/2016/01/26/flew-home-via-berlin-cheaper-than-train/

Im sure we have all read the above thread or heard it on the news.

Nope- I have a life.

So what I'm asking is for [STRIKE]advise, guidance and generally any information from those who have or are doing similar things.
For example:
-Where you went
-Where you would recommend
-Best places to search for deals[/STRIKE]

Ive always wanted to travel the world but never really had the opportunity to do it.

Yes you have-Just too lazy to put the effort in
Regards.

What you are asking for is everyone else to do the leg work for you.

This site - and others -has a wealth of information as to how to get around the Globe cheaply.

My Tip
Do some research and come back with questions as to what you do not understand.

Second Tip
Credit cards.

Third tip
Do not believe everything you read from (paid) MSE bloggers.

Apparently this guy booked the cheap flight WEEKS in advance to get the cheap fare.
Also he did not look at Coach fares\split ticketing or buying advance train fares.

Blue264

srisport wrote: »

This has given me some inspiration to see if i (me and partner) can fly to different places through out the year for long wkend trips for not much more than what the young chap did in the above news article.

I use Skyscanner to find who flies where, Momondo for a comparisons of one way and return fares, then book directly with the airline.

My best tip, and it does require effort and recording your results on a word pad, etc, check all the low cost airlines that fly from your local airports. Then check which destinations they fly to that are seasonal. Flying out from the UK during the last two weeks of the season, and back to the UK in the first week of the season can offer really low fares. Also use Momondo to check for flights within Europe with low coast airlines.

Just as an example, I've a flight from Manchester to Crete for £23 with Easyjet on 1st November. Ryanair do really cheap internal flights between the Greek islands and Athens.

I've also had flights like Heathrow to Rome £55 with Alitalia, Naples to Barcelona for £28 with Vueling and Barcelona to Heathrow with BA for £74.

So, if you spot a really cheap flight from the UK to somewhere you're interested in, look at any cheap flights back, regardless of which European country they land in. Treat it like a jigsaw and be flexible.

Alos recommend you search the various sites which give itineraries for cities, '24hrs in...', '48 hrs in...' They will really help you make the most of your time in each place.

I'm currently looking at an Easyjet flight from Basel to Stansted for CHF 9 = £ 6.35.