Flights to USA Holiday Season Prices?

Crater

I've just compared the cost of return flight to the mid USA in August (when we travelled, and hope to again in the future) and any other times of year. Both for 2016 and 2017, where the early August 2017 prices are just starting to show.

I was startled to see that the August prices (American, Delta, Virgin Atlantic and others) are roughly twice as much as any other month - around £1100 per person return, rather than £6-800 per person. I thought it was because I was late buying, but that can't apply to next year ...

This isn't even for the Labour Day weekend, though close to it.

I expect the prices to be higher at this season, always have been, but twice as much? Is this normal now, or are we being targeted with tailored pricing, which I have heard is already being used by some websites? If we do go to the USA, we go around this time, for a specific event.

Thanks for any illumination!

Westin

The seats for next August have only just been released for sale and are therefore likely to be fairly high at the moment with lower fare classes not yet released. This system differs from the likes of EasyJet and Ryanair who might release cheaper seats first and gradually move pricing upwards. That said of course August is peak UK travel and fares will be higher (although I agree with you that £1100 pp is very high).

I would wait a month or so and recheck fares then.

Might also be worth pricing up a Fly Drive package as often the Flight+ another component can reduce the costs as the tour operators have access to different fares if other holiday aspects are added. Try Virgin Holidays or BA Holidays.

PeacefulWaters

Shamsan wrote: »

I've just compared the cost of return flight to the mid USA in August (when we travelled, and hope to again in the future) and any other times of year. Both for 2016 and 2017, where the early August 2017 prices are just starting to show.

I was startled to see that the August prices (American, Delta, Virgin Atlantic and others) are roughly twice as much as any other month - around £1100 per person return, rather than £6-800 per person. I thought it was because I was late buying, but that can't apply to next year ...

This isn't even for the Labour Day weekend, though close to it.

I expect the prices to be higher at this season, always have been, but twice as much? Is this normal now, or are we being targeted with tailored pricing, which I have heard is already being used by some websites? If we do go to the USA, we go around this time, for a specific event.

Thanks for any illumination!

Early prices are often used to test demand. Sometimes the initial tickets released are more flexible too.

I'd certainly wait and track fares for a bit rather than book very early. Most airlines have sales at various points throughout the year and in the last couple of years I've utilised cheap BA/AA business class fares out of Dublin for c£900 each in business class, sold in December and January and including hire car. Add on the cost and time of getting to Dublin. Enjoy shed loads of Avios compared to economy and depending on your route it's possible to secure BA silver status (future lounge access) if you book with AA.

An inferior exchange rate may add 10% to that Dublin bill for next year.

If Scottish school are back from holiday in August price up flying from Glasgow. Perhaps even price up economy fares from other European locations.

Crater

Thanks all for the headsups on timing, and combining with Fly Drive.

We tend to go to the same kind of event, as the same kind of time, which is why I wondered if we were being "targeted". We don't drive. And normally book a hotel connected to the event. It's still worth looking at though.

I will be tracking the prices on my "test trip" info over the months, although we don't travel that way again till 2018. All the same it's a bit disturbing that the "test trip" price for August 2017 is very comparable with this year, only a bit more, while the prices a month earlier and soon after, drop to about 50%. The actual tickets, for all the US bucket airlines, are standard Economy.

Beenie

We noticed the same thing.

We flew to LA in Feb 2016 for £900 each (premium economy) but are having to pay £1200 to fly economy to Detroit (a much closer destination) in August 2017.

OH thinks it's because only Delta flies to Detroit so there is no competition, whereas quite a few airlines go to LA.

Murphy_The_Cat

Beenie wrote: »

We noticed the same thing.

We flew to LA in Feb 2016 for £900 each (premium economy) but are having to pay £1200 to fly economy to Detroit (a much closer destination) in August 2017.

OH thinks it's because only Delta flies to Detroit so there is no competition, whereas quite a few airlines go to LA.

maybe it has more to do with February being off peak and August being peak season. Supply & Demand and all that.
It looks like more than Delta fly there

Beenie

Last night a friend said that too.

He thought Virgin did a route from London to Detroit, so we're going to look at that today.

duchy

I don't think there are direct flights from London to Detroit anymore , Chicago is probably your best option, I used Amtrak from Chicago to about halfway to Detroit this year and it was a really nice journey and a change from driving.

There's a weird fare glitch where it's cheaper to fly Inverness Heathrow Chicago rather than Heathrow Chicago with BA....or the old favourite start your trip with a Ryanair cheapie to Dublin and a seperate ticket Dublin to US.

PompeyPete

Try and find a direct route that avoids a flight transfer at a USA airport, and always travel on one ticket.

Me and the OH flew with United Airlines from LHR to Houston, and then on to Managua [Nicaragua] 4 months ago.

We had 3.5 hours scheduled between flights, and as we wete doing an International transfer as against Internal transfer we didn't have to retrieve our luggage at Houston. We thought we had plenty of time.

In the event, our flight from Heathrow was delayed by 2 hours, and it was only because Houston was relatively quiet that we just made our connection.

Beenie

I've checked Virgin and they do a 'code share' with Delta, so we were correct that only one plane actually goes to Detroit and they can more or less charge what they like. Bummer.