To book or not to book? THAT is the question!

[auntdot]

We are starting to look for flights to Europe for our cruise in October, 2008. We need to book multiple cities, flying to coincide with pre and post cruise stays:

 

Toronto (Canada) to London

London to Rome

Venice to London

London to Toronto

 

At this point it looks like BA is our best bet (for convenient times and premium plus category seats). Someone suggested to us that we watch fares until Christmas, as that is when 'specials' can be found. From your experience, is this true? Or would we be better to consider booking now - 11 months in advance?

 

Any and all suggestions welcome!!

 

Thanks,

Dot

[LHT28]

It would depend on your travel dates and price whether you want to book now or wait for seat sales etc...

Watch the BA flights from Venice as some have a change of airport in London.

 

AC has a nonstop to Rome

Do you need to stop in London or is this a connection?

[greatam]

Are you stopping/staying in London or just transiting the airport? If you are stopping your trip in London, staying a day or two, the on to Rome, you MAY have problems with luggage weight on the intra Europe segment. Otherwise, why stop in London? As LHT28 pointed out, there are other options available, with much EASIER connections. And from Venice, you will most likely have to transfer airports-Gatwick to Heathrow.

 

AerLingus is the only airline I know that will allow a stop, continued flights within Europe on separate tickets and STILL maintain the US/Canada weight allowance of 2 bags/50 pds per bag, per person. MOST Intra Europe flights have a weight limit of 44 pounds, ONE checked suitcase. Some of the discount carriers even have less luggage allowance. IF you book BA as one ticket, you will have to MAKE SURE a stopover does not throw you into the intra-Europe weight limit.

 

There is no premium economy on BA intra Europe flights.

[Cruise Junky]

BA does however have Club Europe for the inter europe flights. We are booked Air Canada...Vancouver to London and Paris to Vancouver, but needed to do a London to Venice flight to meet the ship. We booked Club Europe Class on BA which allows two bags per person. The cheapest way to do this would be to check availability on line. When we booked regular class, at the end of the booking it asked us if we wanted to upgrade. It turned out to be around $100 per person which given the bit of extra service and the no issues with two bags per person, it was perfect.

[auntdot]

Thanks for the good information re luggage! DH and I like to travel with one suitcase and one carry on each as that is as much as our old bodies can manage! We will just have to make certain we weigh them before we leave home!

 

We are going to London for two days to break up the long flight (and we have never been to London!) and returning, we realize we will have to change from Gatwick to Heathrow for the flight home - but will stay near Heathrow overnight.

 

I guess my question was more to pick the brains of those more experienced with transatlantic flights - ie a good time to get the best price for the flight! I would book now - thinking prices can only go up!, but someone suggested we wait for a 'sale' around Christmas. Has anyone found this to be the case?

:confused:

 

Thanks!

Dot

[greatam]

I guess my question was more to pick the brains of those more experienced with transatlantic flights - ie a good time to get the best price for the flight! I would book now - thinking prices can only go up!, but someone suggested we wait for a 'sale' around Christmas. Has anyone found this to be the case?

:confused:

 

Thanks!

Dot

 

Summer usually has the best sales for fall travel. HOWEVER, with oil going crazy, planes flying full, the dollar in the dump and more Europeans flying transatlantic to take advantage of the weak dollar, I'm not sure I would wait until summer. January is usually a slow travel month and airlines like to get extra cash in their pockets to cover the slower season, so they reduce prices on international flights. IF it was my trip, I would book in late December or January.

[Cruise Junky]

 

I guess my question was more to pick the brains of those more experienced with transatlantic flights - ie a good time to get the best price for the flight! I would book now - thinking prices can only go up!, but someone suggested we wait for a 'sale' around Christmas. Has anyone found this to be the case?

:confused:

 

Thanks!

Dot

 

I'd been pricing flights for our trip and had honestly expected to pay around $1,400. I was shocked when I went to book and found Van - London and Paris to Van for $1,160 including taxes. I booked it on the spot. I can barely get London return in the winter for that never mind in September/October. There is a great Sticky at the top of this page about flight comparisons and what is the usual pricing for what time of year. I'd start looking now at a site such as SideStepdotcom and see what you come up with.

[Twickenham]

Thanks for the good information re luggage! DH and I like to travel with one suitcase and one carry on each as that is as much as our old bodies can manage! We will just have to make certain we weigh them before we leave home!

 

We are going to London for two days to break up the long flight (and we have never been to London!) and returning, we realize we will have to change from Gatwick to Heathrow for the flight home - but will stay near Heathrow overnight.

 

I guess my question was more to pick the brains of those more experienced with transatlantic flights - ie a good time to get the best price for the flight! I would book now - thinking prices can only go up!, but someone suggested we wait for a 'sale' around Christmas. Has anyone found this to be the case?

:confused:

 

Thanks!

Dot

 

It's been a while since I've purchased a transatlantic flight (last couple of times were with Aeroplan points) but there are usually seat sales. However, since your dates are fixed, probably booking well in advance would be prudent. The suggestion of booking around December/January seems sensible, since most people aren't planning trips then but rather celebrating holidays, so companies may be more likely to give deals.

 

Since you're staying a couple of days in London, consider flying in from Toronto on one airline and flying to Italy on one of Europe's discount airlines, such as Ryanair, Easyjet and the like - some fabulous deals can be had. Consider, however, that you might have to change airports, but there are lots of transportation options between the major London airports, especially if you pack lightly enough to take your luggage on the train or underground. For example, the Gatwick-to-London transfer you mention is done relatively easily by taking the Gatwick Express to Victoria station and then the Underground to Heathrow. And there are some relatively inexpensive hotels around Victoria if you wish to spend the night there before your flight home.

[LHT28]

Since you plan on staying London you might want to look at the charter flights or

http://www.flyglobespan.ca/

http://www.flyzoom.com/index.cfm?lang=EN&country=CA

Then try one of the other airlines to/from Italy.

 

Since you will collecting your luggage anyway it will not be a problem