Return flights to florida
Return flights to florida
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c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
As title, whens the best time to book flights to orlando florida in terms of cheapest prices possible? From now until say november.
Been looking but every month with virgin seems
To be the same at around £650... Was hoping to get a flight for max £500 so if anybody can give any tips its much appreciated! Preferable dates are early to mid september...

Can anybody recommend any decent but cheapish hotels near disneyland parks aswell please?

Thanks for any help in advance hope it isnt too vague! General jist is just looking for a week in florida or one (visiting gf) for hopefully a max of £750! Is it possible?

Simon Brooks

1,527 posts

281 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
try sky scanner for flights

how about renting a studio condo, loads on the internet, prices should be cheaper than a hotel and should be far more comfortable than a cheap hotel

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
I would have thought a package from the normal suspects would be your cheapest option (Virgin/Thomas Cook/Thompson etc).

Don't forget that Gordon Brown's Air Passenger Duty Envy Tax has pushed the price of flights (especially intercontinental flights) up considerably.

c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
Yeah, her family have got flights for around £450 in a 'sale' so wondering from frequent travellers when these sales usually are or whether its best to wait last minute for flights! Or will they just stick at around £650?

Help so far is much appreciated though

c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
This is for orlando international by the way, iv seen one called sanford airport or is that best avoided?
Also, anybody flown US airways? Any good?

Amateurish

8,280 posts

252 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Cheapest flights from LGW on Opodo are £380 with one stop, US Airways. Seems good value?

SwanJack

1,958 posts

302 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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A friend of mine is flying to Dublin and then on to the states. He reckons it's worked out much cheaper and gets to go through US immigration in Dublin.

shakotan

10,862 posts

226 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
Amateurish said:
Cheapest flights from LGW on Opodo are £380 with one stop, US Airways. Seems good value?
I'd rather saw off my own cock with a calculator than travel across the Atlantic on a US carrier again.

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
US Airways have one of the better reputations amongst American carriers - but that is like saying Bristol City are the best football club in the Southwest...

£380 is extremely good value, and if budget is a deciding factor has to be a winner.

Sanford airport is definitely in the Orlando area (to the north in fact) and isn't much worse than Orlando Int'l. Again, if it's considerably cheaper you'd be daft not to use it.

Oh, and if you don't get seats in a sale, you'll be 99% more certain to pay more if you wait around for cheaper tickets.

c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
Id rather just have direct flights as i dont really like flying ... So the least take offs and landings is what appeals to me lol.
Okay so its best tojust book rather than wait for a sale to arrive that may never? Il check orlando sanford then

Thanks for the advice so far guys its much appreciated, more advice is just as welcome though!

Mazdarese

21,373 posts

217 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Try Opodo. We paid £500 each last week, for September.

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
c0ldpl4ya said:
Been looking but every month with virgin seems
To be the same at around £650... Was hoping to get a flight for max £500 so if anybody can give any tips its much appreciated! Preferable dates are early to mid september...
Don't overlook the charter flights/holiday companies who don't always advertise on Expedia etc.

21 of us are going to Florida in 2 weeks ( smile ) , we looked for ages for flights and Virgin were always the most expensive, we ended up booking through Thomas Cook Airlines flying to Sanford for a smidgen over £500 - and we get seats with a 33" seat pitch and seat back TVs, so as good if not better than Virgin/BA and a hell of a lot cheaper.

We found the cheapest prices were to be had by booking early, irrespective of airline, we held off and saw them all climb and climb - unless you go really last minute when you might get a bargain.

c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
just looked at thomas cook and theres quite a few dates for about £460 which is much better! thanks for the advice guys youv been a great help.
judging by what you said thomas cook should be reasonably comfortable as well and id prefer to go a more familiar airline than US airways

Matt Harper

7,050 posts

231 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
Scheduled airlines fly into Orlando International and vacation charters into Sanford.
Be aware that Sanford is NE of Orlando, OIA is S and the attraction areas are SW - so you have more distance between wheels-down and your hotel when flying into Sanford.
US Airways are no better/worse than any other domestic carrier if you are flying economy. They charge you for drinks and and the cabin crew are miserable, wrinkled old crones. They don't fly direct into Orlando, so you'd have to transit through Philly or Charlotte NC (not full of screaming children, is the trade-off). Their Envoy (business) class is good value, in that it's a much cheaper upgrade than competitors like Delta United/Conti and American. Virgin and BA coach is crap too. Virgin use bigger aircraft, but it's still hell.
If the flight is going to be an integral and enjoyable part of your holiday, versus something to be endured in order to get there, you really need to bite the bullet and pay for a business class seat.

c0ldpl4ya

Original Poster:

2,242 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
It's just something to be endured im afraid. Im only going out there for a week to see my girlfriend whose working at disney on placement for 6 months....

Yeah have been trying to do research on all this but its stressing me out big time. Sanford is completely the other side of where I want to be but the flight is about £200 cheaper, but then I dont know costs of getting from Sanford to the hotel/villa which will be in the south west!

Car rental is killing me too as im 21, so theyr adding at least $20 a day to my rental which is just too much.
Can anybody tell me roughly how much taxis are and is public transport pretty accessible? having been to orlando around 8 years ago Id have thought driving in the car was the only option!

mblade123

533 posts

222 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Try booking Via Schipol. Might seem daft but sometimes you can get far better long haul deals doing it that way.

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
mblade123 said:
Try booking Via Schipol. Might seem daft but sometimes you can get far better long haul deals doing it that way.
You've never flown KLM intercontinental, have you?

Stu R

21,668 posts

245 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Last time I flew Virgin into Florida the plane was an absolute shi*ter. Last time I flew Delta / KLM into Florida it was much better. Not very often that's the case, and they may well have upgraded it since last year, but it really was pap - especially compared to other Virgin planes.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

275 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
c0ldpl4ya said:
Can anybody recommend any decent but cheapish hotels near disneyland parks aswell please?
It's DisneyWorld in Florida - make sure you don't end up booking a hotel in California!

Perhaps your gf could advise on a suitable location depending on where she's billeted, but if you don't have a hire car then somewhere in the Lake Buena Vista area will give you access to DownTownDisney and you can then use the Disney bus service to get around.

She might be right on the other side of the theme park areas though.

Re the flights - the tax etc is about £250 now, so really cheap deals are less likely than they used to be.