help on flights to belfast/london

[juliagulia]

So, I'm planning on studying abroad next spring to Oxford through my school. I haven't been accepted into the program since I apply in September and don't find out until October/November. However, I know that whether I go or not, I'm going to be going to Belfast to visit a friend for a couple of weeks.

The dilemma is: prices right now for a flight from Washington (either Reagan, Dulles or BWI) to Belfast are around $400-500 (one way... I won't know when I'm coming back to the US until around March, so can't get round trip). I'm planning on going either December 25 or the 26, depending on price, time, layovers, stops, etc. I have the money right now and could buy the ticket to Belfast (and then buy the ticket to London later on).

I'm definitely going to Belfast if I get into Oxford, and I'm pretty damn sure I'm still going if I don't, but still, I'm hesitating when it comes to buying the ticket. Not exactly cold feet, just, it seems so far away and I hate commitments! What if something goes wrong and I can't go? I probably won't get my money back and that's a lot of money, etc. etc. But, I'm afraid that the prices will continue to go up, especially once the summer ends, since I'm looking to fly either Christmas afternoon or soon afterwards. I really don't want to pay more than $500 for a one way ticket, but even dirt cheap search engines (I'm using mobissimo) aren't showing me that there's much wiggle room. If it goes any higher than it is now, I'll me outside my budget

To complicate matters even further, a lot of the flights I'm finding have a layover in London, THEN go to Belfast. So, would it be cheaper for me to get a flight to London then a round-trip flight to Belfast from there? In that case, should I just wait until November? Will prices be exorbitant by then? Would the hassle of flying out the 25th be worth the cheaper prices than the 26th?

Help, travel punks. I really suck at making decisions!!

[xanthuos]

Julia,

I remember you asking me about this in another airfare related thread. In this case, DUB as the "new" cheap European gateway comes through again.

Delta has a one-way fare loaded from WAS to DUB for $254. The latest departure leaves DCA at 5:44 PM on December 25th, connecting in JFK (approximately 2 hour layover) to the flight to DUB. It arrives in Dublin on the 26th at 9:10AM. There's a bus that goes from Dublin Airport to Belfast, leaving at 10:00AM and 11:00AM, arriving about 2.5 hours later, for all of 15 euro. You can also fly KLM via AMS for $269.

Does that help?

[Elizabeth]

I would fly to DUB, bus to Belfast and get a cheapie ryanair out of belfast or dublin once you're done with your business on the emerald isle

aer lingus is having a hot sale right now, in fact I'm going to be making a purchase in the next few days, but unfortunately your dates are blacked out

btw, if u need a place to stay in dublin after the new year I'm pretty sure i can convince a friend to help u out

[juliagulia]

Originally Posted by xanthuos

Julia,
Delta has a one-way fare loaded from WAS to DUB for $254. The latest departure leaves DCA at 5:44 PM on December 25th, connecting in JFK (approximately 2 hour layover) to the flight to DUB. It arrives in Dublin on the 26th at 9:10AM. There's a bus that goes from Dublin Airport to Belfast, leaving at 10:00AM and 11:00AM, arriving about 2.5 hours later, for all of 15 euro. You can also fly KLM via AMS for $269.

Does that help?

Does that help??? ARE YOU KIDDING??? haha you quite literally found something HALF the price i was expecting. Yes, that helps A LOT. Thank you thank you thank you... You have no idea how much I appreciate it Now, how are you finding all these great deals?? Insanity!

Originally Posted by lizz

I would fly to DUB, bus to Belfast and get a cheapie ryanair out of belfast or dublin once you're done with your business on the emerald isle

aer lingus is having a hot sale right now, in fact I'm going to be making a purchase in the next few days, but unfortunately your dates are blacked out

btw, if u need a place to stay in dublin after the new year I'm pretty sure i can convince a friend to help u out

Yeah, looks like I'm going to be going that route. $254+30ish to get to Belfast then $70ish to get to London, and I'm still waaaaaay below what I was originally intending.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be going back to Dublin after New Year's (I'm probably going to be in Belfast until mid January), but i appreciate the offer. but aren't you going to be in Ireland then (around January)? Or am I mistaken? If so, imma hit you up, ya dig?

I knew I could count on tpunks

Ahhh! Now I'm itching to buy this ticket NOW. Any chances of ticket prices going down from this point? Or will it just skyrocket on me one day out of the blue? When do you all think I should get these?

Ahhhh, I'm sooo close to buying this, right here, right now, it's ridiculous.

[xanthuos]

Originally Posted by juliagulia

Ahhh! Now I'm itching to buy this ticket NOW. Any chances of ticket prices going down from this point? Or will it just skyrocket on me one day out of the blue? When do you all think I should get these

You just get done saying it's half the price you were expecting to pay, and you're still debating whether to buy? Why people ever think this way, I will never understand. I realize the idea is to save as much money as possible, but as someone who flies a LOT and knows how much airfares can fluctuate, my mantra is if at that moment, the price is right - then BUY IT! Even if it goes down a little (or a lot), it's much more likely that it'll go up and at least you know you're getting it at a price you're comfortable with. For example, my mom needed a flight from the states back to western Canada - we looked at prices and I found her a flight on the airline we preferred (NW) for less than $300. Did she book right away? Of course not. What happened when she went to book a few days later? That flight was now $800. This was also still weeks in advance of her travel, so it's not like it was a last minute ticket.
She does that frequently (waits to book), against my advice.

Anyways, buy now. The fare is still available and while Christmas Day itself is typically a cheaper day to fly, it is still the holiday season (as exampled by lizz's post about Aer Lingus blacking out the dates) and it's likely prices will go UP.

[juliagulia]

Thanks! I ended up buying it that night, I think. So exciting!!

I am completely and totally ecstatic... This'll be the first time I'm flying completely solo (!!!) and this was my first major major purchase... I can't wait till December!!!!

[xanthuos]

If you have an idea of when you're going to travel from Belfast to London, Ryanair has fares for 5 GBP all-in on certain days in January - the 11th-14th, 18th-21st, and 25th-28th. BMI currently has fares for $43 US during January, but that may be a response to Ryanair's sale (so that fare will expire when the sale is over).

[travelchick75]

Julia I am SO jealous you have no idea!!! Belfast is my favorite place in the world!! Have you ever been there before??

[juliagulia]

Originally Posted by xanthuos

If you have an idea of when you're going to travel from Belfast to London, Ryanair has fares for 5 GBP all-in on certain days in January - the 11th-14th, 18th-21st, and 25th-28th. BMI currently has fares for $43 US during January, but that may be a response to Ryanair's sale (so that fare will expire when the sale is over).

That's perfect!! I think I'd be leaving around the 14th, if I get into the program. If not, I just need to find an equally cheap flight back home!! Thanks again, Matthew

Originally Posted by travelchick75

Julia I am SO jealous you have no idea!!! Belfast is my favorite place in the world!! Have you ever been there before??

Ahhhh, I'm so excited I've never been to Belfast before, but I've been talking to someone from there for... four years now? Something crazy like that. Anyway. Whoa, actually, I'm stupid. I've technically been in Belfast, but it was literally just us driving through to catch a ferry. In fact, we hardly stayed in Northern Ireland. Anyway, Belfast seems like my kind of city, so I'm pretty pumped

You'll have to let me know some things to check out!