Budget Airlines and Long Haul Flights

As someone training to be a teacher, one of the biggest issues I can face is getting good value flights at such busy times of the year to fly. This October half-term seemingly proved the most difficult challenge yet. The frustration is that for many people, flying in half term is not necessarily about setting off to an exotic new location but instead an opportunity to see loved ones abroad. For me flying to New York to see my girlfriend is reflective of this. This is where the emergence of budget airlines, offering long-haul flights, has become a lifesaver for many.

Now, when I usually travel between London and New York I usually fly with British Airways and have on occasion flown with American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic as these usually tend to offer the most practical and affordable flights between the two. Unfortunately, as I was starting at a new school and waiting for a new placement, I had no clue as to when the half-term would be this year. This meant that I was looking to buy flights, only about one month in advance of the departure day. As a result, I had some truly ludicrous offers from those airlines, my main trouble being I needed very specific flights for my schedule.

The rough cost to travel between London and New York, direct, with the following airlines during the October half-term, Saturday to Saturday.

British Airways- £2,000

American Airlines- £1,800

Virgin Atlantic- £2,700

It is important to stress at this point that these are for the cheapest available economy cabin on each respective airline. I simply could not afford this as someone who is training to teach and usually budget somewhere in the region of £380 and £450.

Fortunately, I will still be going to New York this half-term as I am able to use one of the up-and-coming budget airlines that connect Europe with the United States, Play Airlines. This new airline has recently launched a route that allows you to fly from London to New York. I am excited to fly on this new airline which will involve me flying from London Stansted (STN) to Reykjavik (KEF), and then connecting in Iceland to fly from Reykjavik (KEF) to New York (SWF). For the sum of £450, it has saved me thousands in comparison with the other major airlines and it can only be a good thing that budget airlines can get us where we need to be.

On Saturday 22nd October, I will be flying this route and will record my experience in a new blog and will post updates on my Twitter page, so please look out for those.