Evening shoot out in Jackson, Wyoming
If you are considering a trip to the US during 2014 now is a great time to book. Our two largest Transatlantic carriers, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic currently have sales on flights to the US so you may be able to bag a bargain but what about when the sales aren’t on?
If you shop around, there are a huge number of options when you look at booking flights to the US. Most people start by looking at the cost and go from there. Prices can vary significantly and it is worth using a price consolidator such as Expedia to research prices across the airlines. However, we advise against choosing your flights purely on price. Sometimes what looks like a cheap option can involve travelling at difficult times and incurring additional expenditure getting to and from the airport or an additional overnight stay. Read our top 5 tips for booking flights to the US that will save you money and lots of hassle.
Top 5 Tips for Booking Flights to the USA
1. Total travel cost – When you are looking at flights, work out the total travel cost of getting to your destination, rather than just the flight. Heathrow offers the most choice in terms of direct flights to the US. If you live some distance away it can be cheaper to catch a connecting flight from your local airport to join your Heathrow flight rather than catching a train or driving. This is especially true if you can avoid a night in a hotel by doing this. It is also often worth considering a connecting flight within the US if your destination is a long drive away from a direct flight served airport. See our section on Connecting Flights for more information.
2. Flight times and duration– Departure and arrival times can make a difference to the duration of your holiday or to how jet-lagged you will feel. Some people like to be awake to work or watch a movie, others will prefer to fly at night and attempt to get some sleep. If you are catching a connecting flight, it is worth ordering the options by duration. You will find significant differences in travel time and again this will make a difference as to how travel weary you feel when you arrive. Nobody wants to lose half a day of their holiday waiting in an airport terminal for a connecting flight.
3. In-flight entertainment – If you’re not taking your own and it’s important to you, then check out the in-flight entertainment each airline offers. The options can vary dramatically between carriers.
4. Seat pitch/Seat booking – Airlines do vary in the amount of legroom on offer, even within an economy section on an aircraft . Additionally most airlines now allow you to book extra legroom seats (for an additional fee of course!). Websites such as seatguru and airlinequality are a good source of comparison advice.
5. Travelling with children or babies? – In our experience some airlines make the whole process a lot easier than others. Certainly both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have proven themselves to be child (and parent) friendly airlines in our opinion. See our Travelling With Kids section for more advice.
We love…
British Airways – The national carrier is still one of the best and is a great option if you’re travelling with children. They have a great route network for the USA with numerous flights leaving daily and offer regular seat sales so you can grab a bargain.
Virgin Atlantic – Still a pioneer when it comes to in-flight entertainment and meals, Virgin is a great option if you want the latest movies & music to pass the time in the air. They also have proven a great airline for those travelling with children and particularly teens as they have that element of ‘cool’. Watch out for seat sales throughout the year.
Expedia – Consolidators are a great way of booking everything in one place and they can often have deals that aren’t available to the general public on flights and hotels. Expedia is one of our favourites and one we go back to time and again for bookings.
Norwegian – Having just announced their US routes starting in July 2014, no frills carrier Norwegian is upping the ante when it comes to crossing the Atlantic for a reasonable price. They will fly to NYC, Fort Lauderdale and LA, all from Gatwick and will no doubt be very popular so get in quick!
