NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Which airline is most generous? + Starwood-InterContinental merger? + Delta bumps up summer seats to Europe!
A shiny new British Airways A380. Clean as a whistle! (Photo: British Airways)
The strength of the US dollar is great for Americans headed to Europe, but it’s clearly having an impact on demand from the other side of the pond.
That’s the only explanation I can come up with for why British Airways deeply discounted its economy class fares for August to Europe yesterday.
BA’s lowest fares are currently running toward the END of August, as low as $800-$900 roundtrip— see our research below.
A quick run through some fares found some outstanding bargains. I do not expect these fares to last… I’m already seeing “1-3 seats left” on the lowest fares.
Keep in mind that Labor Day is September 7 this year, so these still fall into the standard definition of peak summer season.
NOTE: The euro and the pound have strengthened against the dollar this week– euro is up to $1.12 and the pound is $1.52 as I write this.
How low did they go? Check out these round trip fares:
Boston-London in late August: $825 roundtrip
New York-London in August: $973 roundtrip
Chicago-London in August just $1033 roundtrip
Atlanta-London in late August: $1191 roundtrip
Los Angeles-London late August/early September: $1126
San Francisco-London in late August $1224
NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Which airline is most generous? + Starwood-InterContinental merger? + Delta bumps up summer seats to Europe!
Chris, I have to agree with atxtravel that these fare for September aren’t the super bargin your saying. I went from Dulles to London last September for $900 and upgraded with miles and $$$ to business.
One thing that you need to talk about is the big value for rooms and cars in France. I would say because of the terrorist problems from a couple of months ago and further treats, people are not going to Paris. I am at a Marriot just outside of Paris at the end of July for $105 a night, this includes breakfast, internet and parking. I have a small rental car for $22 a day, it’s cheaper in Paris than going on vacation in the USA. Can’t say the same deals are found in London which is expensive, but I saw that prices are cheap for hotels and such in most of Italy and Spain.
Still the hundred pound gorilla is the fact that many are worried about being in the wrong place at the wrong time and get attacked. I worry about it but I also worry about walking around New York City late at night. If we fear terrorist that means they have won the battle with getting us to change and not go someplace. The killings in January at the Newspaper was terrible and who knows, maybe something else could happen, but for people not to go to Paris is like worrying that a plane is going to crash on route to your destination.
Oh, I am happy others aren’t going, making it cheaper for me.
It’s the rapacious airport tax in London that inflates them. I avoid flying in and out of that city.
He DC– good for you! that’s quite a deal and you got that because you were traveling during the recession and during the May and November “shoulder” seasons when demand was lower. This post is about sale fares during the peak summer month of August– and given the timing, I do consider these to be bargains. — chris
I guess I’ve been spoiled. I flew non-stop PHX-LHR-PHX on BA288 and BA289 for $450 roundtrip in 2004 (May) and again in 2009 (November). I have a hard time now considering anything in the $800-$1000 range a bargain…
Given the season, those are bargains to us, ATX! $500 RT? Maybe in January, not August. — chris
Those fares aren’t bargains at all. They’re just not as egregiously overpriced as summer travel usually is, but that’s because they’re during the time when most students are back in school/college. They really should be more like $500 RT before I’d consider it a deal.