idesofmarch

Airfare to Heathrow from Phx, BA, is running about $1500 right now. Our trip because of school and work will be in June. My dates were 6/11-6/27; but we could leave earlier; but I don't see that helping us with airfare right now.
My question: I don't see the airfares dropping like they did last year around this time; but I certainly would like to save some money. We have a cancellable London place booked right now; but my plans for a cottage in Yorkshire are evaporating as most of the ones I like are booking fast for my time frame. We have points on Amex which will bring the cost down to $800 or so pp; but I'm amazed that I must use 190,00 points to get a ticket for the same price I paid in 2007.
Anybody see into their crystal ball and predict a drop in the next 3 wks or so? I'm also fearful of the price dropping and not having seats available on the one direct flight out of PHX with BA. Thanks for any insight or any suggestions for prediction sites.

rbnwdlr

I feel your pain. We are trying to fly to Paris June 11th and I am not seeing any deals like in years past. We can leave from Mpls, Chicago, or Boston and our friends need to leave from Pittsburgh or Cleveland. Dang, I wouldn't have booked such an expensive apartment if I knew we would pay so much for airfare. I will wait it out for awhile, though, checking daily or more! Good luck!

CarolA

OK, if you are not flexible on "flights" then it get's harder. The fact that OP wants a seat on the "one direct" flight makes it harder.

I think airfares may drop a LITTLE, but I don't expect "FIRE sale" fares like we had in the past few years.

(But then they rejected my Admission request to Hogwarts so I never really learned how to read that crystal ball)

rbnwdlr

Every single year I hear that "last year" was the end of fare sales and decent prices to fly across the pond, and every year I am able to get something within reason and within a few dollars of the previous year. Maybe my luck has run out but my experience is that the prices will go down. Last year we pulled the trigger in February on SwissAir in to Venice for June and the fare continued to drop and we were skunked because we bought on Orbitz, who advertises that if anyone gets a lower fare than you did for the same flights, you get a refund. Try proving that someone got a lower fare. Anway, good luck and hopefully the naysayers are wrong and you can find a fare that works.

dfr4848

In the past, we've never found any "deals" until mid to late Mar for summer. But this year is anybody's guess. Have you tried sites like kayak.com for some options? I tend to agree with Carol - if you're wedded to the nonstop BA flight, I wouldn't be very optimistic, but you might find some better fares if you're willing to make a connection or two.

idesofmarch

Thanks all for the encouraging words. I have tried kayak and other like sites; and I do see a bit of reduction in price for some airlines contingent on spending many hours in another airport. BA flights leave at night from PHX which allows my husband not to lose a day of work leaving in the morning to go to LA for Virgin, or taking the time to make a connection. He only gets two weeks vacation and we are trying to maximize our time away; so I'll just keep trying to find a better price, even though it makes me nervous about booking a new accomodation in London if we must change to an earlier departure date.
The fare actually went up a few dollars from last week! I'll just keep searching and researching and be ready to move on accomodations when our fares are booked. Good luck to everyone.

idesofmarch

Ok, did some more research and my husband is going to talk to his boss; and it is possible we may be able to change some plans to save some money and fly a different way. At this point; flying out of Phx to Toronto via United and then Air Canada, layover in Canada only 3 hours. Arrive LHR 8:35 am. Gives us more time in London although we have to travel during the day. Fly back to Phx via Continental; takes a lot longer; but if I'm figuring this right, if we booked today we would save about 900 to 1000 dollars using all our points.
Of course my husband has to work some extra days and hopefully his boss will agree to let him tack on the vacation day he gets for the 4th being on a Sunday; as the flight back to Phx is on a Monday not a Sunday as planned. Hopefully having layovers won't be so bad, and these airlines will be okay. I've only flown Virgin out of LA and BA direct out of PHX. I liked Virgin the best--Are United, Air Canada and Continental comparable? Or does anyone know of any real problems with any of them?
Thanks.

crsnyder4

Unite is supposed to announce tomorrow if they will be striking. If that happens I believe after the strike BA will be having some specials to entice passengers back on BA. If you can wait a week or two you might see fares drop. Then again, maybe not. It's a risk either way.

ElendilPickle

Another thought - look into getting a cheap flight on Southwest to LAX and then flying Air New Zealand to LHR.

www.airnewzealand.com

Lee Ann

janisj

Usually I'd second Air New Zealand. But looking a fares for myself out of LAX and SFO - I've found leaving mid May/return early June for less than $650+ but mid/late June are up over $1200. That's the worst I've ever seen for Air New Zealand.

idesofmarch

Great--I'll keep checking. My DH checked with his boss and we do have a little leeway and I do think we can wait a week or two. I'll be watching those strikes, crsnyder4. I suppose travel insurance is a must with these strikes and the vagaries of life?