bibiras

I'm planning a trip to the UK during the latter half of Sept. As far as air fares are concerned, would this be considered low-season, or does high-season go through Sept.? Thanks!

nytraveler

There used to be a shoulder season between high and low - but it was eliminated several years ago. typically low season begins in November and lasts through iether mid or end March.

leonberger

In my experience, including this year, flying from Boston to London is about $200 cheaper in September than it is in June-July-August.

I've been checking for a trip in September 2006, therefore using 2005 dates (just to have something to plug in - I'm looking for "trends" rather than actual prices) and comparing them to my planned July trip for this summer.

I am, probably obviously, looking at the bargain airfares....

Seeing $750ish pp for summer...$530ish for September.

Those numbers track nicely with what I've spent other years in September.

(My tickets for July actually cost $683, but I haven't seen that price again since I bought them in February.)

I hope this helps!

Gayle

rex

It's worth saying that what Gayle reports is for the BEST available fares - - more typical "average" fares are sold in all the months mentioned at one-to-several hundred dollars more.

The very BEST fares in the "high(er)" season(s) will sometimes rival many of the low(er) season fares - - and the very best fares of the low season are uncommon, and considerably lower than the typical fares for the same time period.

Best wishes,

Rex

leonberger

Rex is right, and I probably should have made that clear. My $683 fare came after a LOT of checking and waiting, and becoming much-too-familiar with the discount sites. It was actually a Hotwire fare - I knew the time of day the flights left, but not whether there would be a stop of not, and not which airline. We did pretty well - American Airlines, direct going over, one stop (in Chicago!) on the way back (but we still arrive in Boston mid-afternoon).

The September fares at the best price have been similar deals. In past years, I've booked through Cheap Tickets and/or through British Air/Virgin Atlantic direct. So far, I've never paid more than $500, in 25 years of visiting the UK off and on. (And, the best year, we got bumped on the way back, and BA refunded more than our tickets originally cost - in cash, at the airport!)

So, as Rex says, you don't just jump on one website and grab these fares - and you don't usually get them from travel agents, either.

Research, research, research...

A tiny amount of flexibility pays off, too. For my July trip we're coming home on Monday instead of Sunday - more than $150 per ticket cheaper!

Gayle

Spygirl

NY Trav. is right. Low season begins pretty much on or about November 2, (literally in Venice for example-hotel/apt. rental rates drop on this date). September is most definitely these days high season for air fares, hotel accomodations and all else.

sandi

September still has high prices, which go down around beginning of November. Then the prices go up for the Thanksgiving w/e and for period over Christmas and New Years. Prices go down again by about Jan 5 - those $200 r/t (plus $100 taxes) NY to London; similar to Paris (w/less taxes). These usually run till mid-March or right before the Easter holidays.

But from year to year these dates can change... and of late additional surcharges have been added to fares. You can only keep checking and buy when you find a price you can deal with.