What is the best airline carrier going into Scotland?

[Reschke]

My wife's cousin is getting married in July and we would like to go for the wedding since his parents will not be able to attend. However the cost is simply more than what I can fathom. Just checking prices through American Airlines and British Airways partnership for Coach its $10K USD for full fare and in business/first class its $21K USD. Both of these prices are for two adults traveling.

[Tarmac]

That can't be right.  Who are you talking to?  What city are you flying into and out of?

For reference, I flew round trip to London for 900 bucks about two years ago.  With the current state of airlines, I can't imagine that prices have changed that much.  I went through a travel agent, too, and that was with comission included.

ed: looks like prices are similar -- 900 to a grand from Detroit to London.  Have you looked into taking a regional carrier from Gatwick/Heathrow to your destination?

[mora]

The flights from New York to UK are generally under $600. The cheapest roundtrip prices are around $250. I wouldn't personally pay more than $800 return from Alabama to Scotland. Try different search engines, the airlines themselves don't allways give their best prices at their websites.

If you give me cities and dates I can look something up for you.

[eagl]

If it's really expensive direct to Scotland, you could try American Airlines to London and pick up a local carrier to Scotland.  Depending on how far in advance you book, you can get tickets on the discount carriers for $2 plus fees, which works out to about $60 per ticket.  If you do though, read their luggage restrictions VERY CAREFULLY.  For example, Ryanair lets each passenger carry a toothbrush and comb, then charges about $50/lb for checked baggage.

Ok that's a small exaggeration, but you get the idea.

[JB73]

guessing you are flying from birmingham to somewhere unnamed in scottland, it is hard to say


i just chose glasgow as a destination because putting in scottland gave a whole bunch of names i did not know

orbitz says you are 133t

or $1337 LMFAO at the "l33t" thing for 2 round trip leaving july 1 and returning july 15 (you didn't mention dates of the trip

it's even cheaper on multiple carriers or more than 2 stops.


$10,000 makes me go WTF were you looking at to get a price like that??

[Reschke]

We are looking into round trip out of Birmingham, AL into Edinburgh.

I just got off the phone with Continental with a round trip cost of $5600 USD in first class. That is one stop in Newark before direct into EDI bypassing London/Gatwick.

Also just got off the phone with American Airlines and the lady I spoke with told me there was a "hiccup" with the reservations earlier today that sent prices sky high. She even offered me 4 round trip first class/business class tickets if I had purchased those 20K tickets earlier. Now the price is $4100USD each going through AA.com for them. I almost wish I had purchased those high dollar tickets but the corporate Amex would have screamed bloody murder on that charge. BTW the flight on AA would have gone from Birmingham-Dallas-Gatwick-Edi.

[Hangtime]

Round trip discount fares available...

[Chairboy]

One way to save money is to be flexible.  Instead of specifying the exact time you want to fly, go to a place like travelocity that has a fare watcher and tell it the cities you want to fly from/to and let it show you the best fares.  You look at the dates they are available and see if any of the low cost (as in, sub 1500) fares are compatible with your plans.

People who specify "I wish to leave at 8:20 on this day, then return at 5:32 on this other day" usually screw themselves out of a much cheaper fare.

[Bodhi]

$1123 a person coach on northwest airlines.

[Bodhi]

$1051 w/ one stop coach on priceline flying on continental

[Schaden]

Try expedia.com

http://www.expedia.co.uk

NY to Heathrow for 2 people is £402 on Virgin or about USD750.00, never ever trust the airlines, Expedia has great deals.

Heathrow to Edinburgh is about £70 per head on Sleazyjet or about £160 by train.

[Staga]

For example, prices for single person. DUg out from EBookers:

American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Total :  $ 1072 p.p.   ($ 1219 incl. tax)
     American Airlines
     Continental Airlines : Economy
     Depart : 16Jun 09:45  from Birmingham [BHM]
                     - 2 Stops / via Newark [EWR]  London [LHR]  / 17h 25m
     Arrival : 17Jun 09:10 to Edinburgh [EDI] +1

     Depart : 23Jun 09:05  from Edinburgh [EDI]
                     - 2 Stops / via London [LHR]  New York [JFK]  / 17h 45m
     Arrival : 23Jun 20:50 to Birmingham [BHM]

 

Continental Airlines  
Total :  $ 1146 p.p.   ($ 1264 incl. tax)
     Continental Airlines : Economy
     Depart : 16Jun 09:45  from Birmingham [BHM]
                     - 1 Stop / via Newark [EWR]  / 15h 55m
     Arrival : 17Jun 07:40 to Edinburgh [EDI] +1

     Depart : 23Jun 09:10  from Edinburgh [EDI]
                     - 1 Stop / via Newark [EWR]  / 17h 40m
     Arrival : 23Jun 20:50 to Birmingham [BHM]

[beet1e]

If flying AA, you could fly direct from Chicago to Manchester. From there, it's even drivable to Edinburgh, or maybe you could get a train.

[Pei]

Originally posted by beet1e
If flying AA, you could fly direct from Chicago to Manchester. From there, it's even drivable to Edinburgh, or maybe you could get a train.

It would be cheaper, quicker, more reliable and much less frustrating to get a shuttle flight to Edinburgh from Manchester. British Midland (http://www.flybmi.com) are usually good for that kind of flight. When I fly back to the UK at Xmas I go into LHR and get a BMI flight north to Leeds or Teeside, usually for less than 40 quid.

[Chairboy]

Originally posted by Pei
usually for less than 40 quid.

Can you please convert that into wittlesburg farthings or St. Luxembourg Danamarks so the rest of us can follow the conversation?