Flights - To book or not to book?

[steph_goodrum]

At the end of the day, if you can't get flights for the dates you have booked your bargain accommodation, then you may end up having to pay a lot more overall. If the villa is definitely booked, the chances are at that price it will be back to back with bookings so you may come down to 2 choices because of availability of flights, either find flights on the days you have booked the villa and pay to confirm them now or take a chance and find that you cant get prices you like for those dates any longer and lose the villa because there will be no room for manoeuvre, so almost certainly have to pay more as there are VERY few homes that are available in peak season for that price.

At the end of the day the flights are about 20 hours out of your total 2 weeks stay so it's more important to be happy with where you are staying, and if you are then you would be better to have confirmed flights.

[mdj101]

Hi Guys,

Thanks once again for the replies. I think I haven't been very clear on a few thing so will do some explaining.

firstly Sally D I saw those flights with aircanada worked out at £222 + Taxes per person! £379 i think it was in total, but it meant spending about 5 - 6 hours in the airport between connecting flights. Still a bargain!

OK, New York for £200. It's costing us £200 more to stay in new york for 3 days as part of our trip. If i went to New York for a 3 day break it would probaby cost us £800 - 1000 plus for flights and accom. Flights direct to Orlando and back work out at about £50 - 100 each more at least, I've got 3 nights appartment accom in new york for approx £300 so in reality its not costing us that much more to stay in new york for 3 nights. OK, there's extra spending money etc etc. but I think it's a massive saving on what it would cost as a holiday on it's own.

Hi Ellie.

Thank you for your concerns over the villa, I know you are trying to say, "OMG you are being done, be carefull, it's too good to be true!" in a polite way. The villa is actually about £500 a week, but the guy im renting it from I spend thousands of pounds a year with (business) So he has said I can have it at cost I suppose. Another reason for the dream holiday!

As for the 737 it was my mistake it's a Boeing 757-200 seatjng 3 - 3 takes an extra hour to get to new york!

Hi Maureen. It's because of delta that we are staying in NY, when i first started searching for flights earlier in the year, i noticed that a lot of the delta ones came up top but connected in new york, so i changed the connecting flight to a three day stop over and the price was the same. they were about £600 - £650 from memory for similar dates in 2007. What dates do you fly and how much does it usually cost you?

[steph_goodrum]

That makes a lot more sense Mark, I was thinking just now that is crazy when you can get a 4 bedroom villa for £320 for 14 nights for 2 of you but the flights to get you there and back will set you back more than 4 times that amount.

We've done the break at New York a couple of times now for the same reason you've mentioned, as a separate trip it works out really expensive for 3 nights but not if you are flying indirectly.

Incidentally if you join the Virgin Flying Club you can also get miles on your flights with Delta or Continental.

I still think if it were me and it was dream trip then I'd rather have as much confirmed as possible so there is less chance of running into availability problems. Even things like your car hire, you can book now and just pay £25 deposit so you know how much you need to budget for and that it will be that price.

[mdj101]

Mmm,

found flights with virgin, into new york out of miami 'direct' for £615, but the flight to NY is on the 757? don't like the idea of spending 8:30 on a narrow bodied aircraft! anyone?

OR.

Flights with BA into New York out of Tampa £698

[mdj101]

what's the drive down to Miami like?

[pieman790]

It will take about 4 hours in a car.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mdj101
what's the drive down to Miami like?
[/quote]

[mdj101]

SO come on guys,

BA or Virgin?

What do you actually get with all these miles you save with the flying clubs/

If it was me I would go BA into Tampa but then I am bias[msnwink]

Longhaul flights on 757 are not good in my view as I have operated a 757 to NY and its not nice at all[msnwink]

[mdj101]

Hi Julie,

That's what i thought (about the 757) in reality by going from london to new york 757 and then back from orlando on virgin the cost is 665, same flight from miami is 615 so a saving of £50, although if i fly with BA to new york and back from tampa its £696 so a saving of £150 between the two of us? It all depends i suppose if we want to get an extra hour or two in new york on the day we get there and if we want an extra couple of hours shopping on the last day before out flight from tampa.

Julie. Cheeky question, i presume you work for BA? If there is availability at the airport in World Traveller plus, how much does it cost to upgrade?

[Mo Green]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mdj101

Hi Ellie.

Thank you for your concerns over the villa, I know you are trying to say, "OMG you are being done, be carefull, it's too good to be true!" in a polite way. The villa is actually about £500 a week, but the guy im renting it from I spend thousands of pounds a year with (business) So he has said I can have it at cost I suppose. Another reason for the dream holiday!
[/quote]

It sounds as if you have been given a very generous offer Mark. I can only imagine you must be an excellent customer of the owner as at £100 per week the owner will still be substantially subsidising your two weeks in the villa. Nice to know someone is showing appreciation for a good customer. Enjoy.

Mo