-
Most MAN departures seem to have the coffin seats from what I can tell! Certainly our MCO flight next month does. Though I can’t really complain too much at 15k points for both of us.
The seating equivalent of deciding we don’t deserve a Clubhouse either, I presume 🤷♀️😂
As much as we’d like to bash the airline, credit where it’s due.
Waited for points rates to fall for the Christmas holidays and booked return for 3 including a companion voucher in PY. 70k points return each, fully waived for one using the voucher. The cash fees hurt a bit, but for the convenience it offers, it’s not the worst deal.
All done over the phone in 10 mins. Zero waiting time. The call wasn’t even during normal office hours. It was around 10pm.Can’t fault the service once you find a decent deal, but finding really good return deals in UC seem very challenging, PE slightly less challenging.
Can’t fault the service once you find a decent deal, but finding really good return deals in UC seem very challenging, PE slightly less challenging.
Challenging? on some routes/dates it’s impossible. Such a shame they didn’t retain a modicum of guaranteed saver space for each flight.
Anyone looked at flights to Barbados lately. The only time anything sensible is coming up is in August when no-one goes due to the weather!!
August is peak time for many families, even with the sticky weather.
But – could BGI be a cheaper way of getting to Florida, which is now out of reach for many parents?!
I’m looking at returning to MAN from the USA next January. So far my choice is 40k in UC from ATL, or 350k from MCO – go figure! (And I don’t think the seat can make that much difference on a night flight …)
There is currently a NEO at Manchester, has been for a while now. Been used on all routes, NYC, Orlando, Atlanta and Barbados. Last few days has done the Barbados trip as all routes don’t run daily.
I’m on it to Atlanta next week for 29000 points in Upper. Can’t go wrong with that to be fair and if they can consistently get the NEO at MAN It would make it much more attractive to fly from.August is peak time for many families, even with the sticky weather.
But – could BGI be a cheaper way of getting to Florida, which is now out of reach for many parents?!
I’m looking at returning to MAN from the USA next January. So far my choice is 40k in UC from ATL, or 350k from MCO – go figure! (And I don’t think the seat can make that much difference on a night flight …)
This is just what we will be doing. Haven’t figured it out fully yet and if it doesn’t work out then we won’t go but if you’re prepared to take an internal flight for not very many points then there are options of making it work.
Appreciate that it’s not ideal but you can still do something like LHR-JFK UC 35k and then ATL-LHR UC 29k 22/12 – 05/01.
We’re returning from the Caribbean, however if your holiday is in Florida, you can drive from Orlando to Atlanta in a day, probably cheaper than internal flights for a family. There are also a few interesting things you could do on a short stopover, e.g. Martin Luther king centre, Atlanta Aquarium.
Never thought about doing that, could be a plan worth exploring for sure. Driving in the US is nice and easy thanks for the suggestion.
We’re going to have to drive from Orlando to Atlanta for our flight back to Manchester as there are no reasonable flights. The drive wont be too bad but the one way car hire drop off fee adds another $400 to the rental. Cant see a way around this. Using points to fly from MCO to ATL would mean a 10 hour wait at ATL.
That’s crazy money, is that because it’s to a different state? We’ve had zero fees for airport drop-off changes within FL with Avis.
As someone who is stuck with school holidays, I just called VS to transfer my miles to hilton
— came to blow off steam!That’s crazy money, is that because it’s to a different state? We’ve had zero fees for airport drop-off changes within FL with Avis.
Yes its out of state one way fee. Did a couple of one ways last year between MCO and FLL and there were no one way fees.
For August this year picking up at Miami and dropping at Orlando for 1 week £315, Miami dropping off at Atlanta £600We’re going to have to drive from Orlando to Atlanta for our flight back to Manchester as there are no reasonable flights. The drive wont be too bad but the one way car hire drop off fee adds another $400 to the rental. Cant see a way around this. Using points to fly from MCO to ATL would mean a 10 hour wait at ATL.
Why not fly and pay cash? We’re doing that and paid a little more on Southwest but Frontier or Spirit are dirt cheap (assume less than a car). Yes, it’s budget airlines but flight time clocks in at less than an hour. Surely better than the drive?
Yes its out of state one way fee. Did a couple of one ways last year between MCO and FLL and there were no one way fees.
For August this year picking up at Miami and dropping at Orlando for 1 week £315, Miami dropping off at Atlanta £600Which rental company? IME Avis are almost always cheapest for OW and they top out their charge at $250
Also have you looked at alternatives to flying MCO-ATL such as Tampa or Orlando Sanford?
Yes its out of state one way fee. Did a couple of one ways last year between MCO and FLL and there were no one way fees.
For August this year picking up at Miami and dropping at Orlando for 1 week £315, Miami dropping off at Atlanta £600Which rental company? IME Avis are almost always cheapest for OW and they top out their charge at $250
Also have you looked at alternatives to flying MCO-ATL such as Tampa or Orlando Sanford?
Thanks for the suggestion never thought of Tampa/Sanford. Avis are coming in at £683 direct and £645 via the BA website. Alamo are £612 using Auto Europe including a £305 one way fee.
DXB-LHR in upper dropped from 76k to 53k in 2 days. Upper was cheaper than premium. Just missed the 24hr cooling off period and call staff could not flex the rules a bit.
However, weirdly the tax per person dropped by £125 in that 30hrs. Is that variable too?? So still getting a net refund of both points and cash.
Yes taxes are also dynamic now, and in a lot of cases cheaper than previously.
Thanks for the suggestion never thought of Tampa/Sanford. Avis are coming in at £683 direct and £645 via the BA website. Alamo are £612 using Auto Europe including a £305 one way fee.
If you have a Costoc membership look at their travel site. Sometimes they come up with a bargain plus a free additional driver as standard.
You’re too early to get the best rates. Look at my Avis Wierdness thread where I show how much an Avis rental can vary by day/week as it gets closer. https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/avis-wierdness/
Thanks for the suggestion never thought of Tampa/Sanford. Avis are coming in at £683 direct and £645 via the BA website. Alamo are £612 using Auto Europe including a £305 one way fee.
If you have a Costoc membership look at their travel site. Sometimes they come up with a bargain plus a free additional driver as standard.
You’re too early to get the best rates. Look at my Avis Wierdness thread where I show how much an Avis rental can vary by day/week as it gets closer. https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/avis-wierdness/
Thanks Davefl, I’ll start monitoring prices dont need a rental car until late August.
I am curious if anyone has experience of whether the prices ever come down? I am looking at a flight from Miami next month and one particular flight which works well for me time wise, is the only one that costs 41000 points. Everything else either side of a week is 13500. The flight I want cash wise is actually cheaper than the other flight that day which is 13500 as well but it has me landing at noon in Heathrow and doesn’t really work due to other commitments. Curious if the 41000 points flight is ever likely to come down or if it’s only up from here.
We really could do with someone clever putting together a view of availability like flighttimecalendar for Virgin flights to see all the permutations, especially return combinations. Although Virgin’s search isn’t bad, it’s a faff to see good value returns.
@IEimis, they can go up and down, but the departure day/date might give you a clue, e.g. I’ve noticed some consistently lower prices on Sundays on one route, off-peak.
Popular departure times do seem to command more points as well. Some readers have also extrapolated that the type of seat in UC is also a factor!
Lowest I’ve seen in upper to west coast is 41000, it’s 29000 to Miami/Atlanta. Lots monitoring at the minute for Xmas & September. Seems to be cheaper UK to US
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
