How to Find a Cheap Flight from the US to London

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Search major travel websites.

   Compare major websites for the rates, like Priceline, HotGuzzi.com, Travelocity etc.
   
   Note that some sites will show you separate prices for departing and returning flights.
   
   So at first they might look cheap.
   
   If Site A shows you $550 instead Site B showing $1000 on the first page, sure you would think Site A is cheaper.
   
   But remember that $550 you saw was only for departing flight.
   
   When you go for choosing Returning flight, there is another $550, so now your total is $1100.
   
   Site B comes out cheaper as it showed you final prices for both flights.
2. 2

   Step 2: Consider going in the off-season.

   Flights are cheapest in January and most expensive in July and August.
   
   If you keep an eye out for specials you can often find $200 flights from the east coast and $300 flights from the west coast in January, round trip.
   
   At the peak of summer, it's often hard to find it for less than $1000 even if you do everything right. , Don't wait until the last minute, as fares really go up.
   
   However, they also can be higher if you try to book too far in advance.
   
   Try to arrange it a couple of months before flying. , It's cheaper to fly on Tuesday or Wednesday than any other days of the week.
   
   Booking both your outward and return journeys on one of these days can save you $100 or more when booking a flight. , Several airlines fly into London Gatwick, and recently two new airlines have started flying from New York and DC to London Stansted. , Non-US airlines can have significantly cheaper flights, which are made even less expensive with the exchange rate between the Canadian and US dollars (though at the moment, the exchange rate is nearly 1:1, so it's not much of a difference as it once was). , This is pretty obvious, but there are many websites that will allow you to compare fares. , Most US carriers require 50,000 miles (80,000 km) for a round trip to London.
   
   A penny a mile is a pretty fair price to pay your friends.
   
   So if the flights you find are significantly higher than $500, this could be a real win-win for both of you.
   
   Keep in mind that it can be hard to find frequent flier seats at the last minute, so book early, and make sure there's a seat for you before you rely on this. , If you're a student, consider searching the web for "student travel" and you should find some decent student-focused travel agencies that usually offer flights from NY to London for $250 roundtrip over the summer. , If you are flexible on timing, are traveling alone, and don't need to take much luggage, consider courier flights.
   
   You'll be expected to dress reasonably smartly, pick up a small package at the airport, and hand it over to an agent at the airport in London
   - in return you'll get a very cheap fare. , Many large online booking services offer email or SMS updates should rates decrease or meet your price requirements for flights to a specific location.
   
   Do your homework on which sites offer this.
   
   Make sure you cancel the subscription after your flight unless you want to continue receiving advertisements.
3. 3

   Step 3: Plan ahead.

4. 4

   Step 4: Travel on slower days.

5. 5

   Step 5: Remember

6. 6

   Step 6: London has several airport options

7. 7

   Step 7: not just Heathrow.

8. 8

   Step 8: Consider flying from Canada.

9. 9

   Step 9: Use the web.

10. 10

    Step 10: Ask your friends who travel a lot for business if they have any frequent flier miles they would sell you.

11. 11

    Step 11: Take advantage of student discounts.

12. 12

    Step 12: Be flexible.

13. 13

    Step 13: Sign up for updates.

Detailed Guide

About the Author