LAX LHR RT tickets discount hopeless during summer?

Looking for Los Angeles to London RT near the end of July, and I have
found zero other than standard fares, which I am wondering even at $1k
each US if I should be grabbing them up. We plan to spend a couple
weeks around London, and all our dates are flexible for now starting
the last week of July. Are any departure days of the week better than
others or just keep punching in different ones until I get the best?

Danglerb wrote:

Looking for Los Angeles to London RT near the end of July, and I have
found zero other than standard fares, which I am wondering even at $1k
each US if I should be grabbing them up. We plan to spend a couple
weeks around London, and all our dates are flexible for now starting
the last week of July. Are any departure days of the week better than
others or just keep punching in different ones until I get the best?

I think you may have left it a bit late - I checked flights
(assuming a two-week vacation ending 07/31) through
American Express travel, they show nothing for under $1,000,
and United says "only two seats left at this price" for one
round trip at $1,087. (The "senior" rate for passengers
over 64 is only a couple of dollars less.)

I have never spent that much for a round-trip to Paris or
Brussels via London, but I always make reservations well in
advance, and don't travel at the height of the tourist
season, either. (Also, my most recent trip overseas was
last June, and I'm sure escalating fuel costs have had their
effect since then.)

My advice would be to do as you suggest - keep punching in
different dates and travel times until you find something
acceptable. (But don't wait too long, or you may find even
full-fare seats are sold - last few times I've traveled
anywhere, the planes have been filled to capacity, and I'm
sure they are no less so during "peak" season.)

Last time we flew to London spoiled us, $450 us RT, which hasn't
changed much for off season in the last 20 years. Real spoiling was on
return we were bumped up to human class from storage or whatever it was
in the back of the plane.

I will try the Tues/Wed to Tues/weds, and we won't be leaving until
last week of July, maybe 24 up to 31, then back home roughly 2 weeks.
Kind of funny I think making our vacation plans around the cat sitters
vacation.

Best fare the other night was $947 on United, a few days earlier I hit
a $912 on Air Canada, tried a discount online agent and got $800
something, but last one was without taxes and that could have been a
higher final fare the the first ones that included taxes and fees. Lots
of seats showed open, especially the preferred, but I haven't found a
way to get pref seats without paying $300/year to united.

Last ditch I may give Priceline.com a shot, but you have to put in a
credit card and agree to accept any airline and time of day, and a few
time slots kind of stink given how much I like to sleep in the morning.

Regardless I will pull the trigger by Wed (next 36 hours).

Danglerb wrote:


I will try the Tues/Wed to Tues/weds, and we won't be leaving until
last week of July, maybe 24 up to 31, then back home roughly 2 weeks.
Kind of funny I think making our vacation plans around the cat sitters
vacation.

Makes perfect sense to me - you don't want to leave your fur
children in the care of just ANYONE! (And cats much prefer
sitters to boarding, even if you board them in a kennel
catering to cats, rather than a vet's office.)