Hi all
I have been musing over all the comments on flight prices versus flight and accommodation prices. It has been floated that in 2009 it may be cheaper to take a package deal including accommodation and then just use the flights and that may be true.
Wouldn't it be great to beat the bully boy, monolithic holiday firms at their own game!
We live in the west country and in theory could fly from Exeter, Bristol, Cardiff or Gatwick, Luton or Heathrow. 7 of us will travel in May and October so we have a vested interest in getting a good price.
We usually find Gatwick flights best on cost even with parking and hotel costs added rather than regional airports and once suffered being bused to Gatwick anyway when we booked from Bristol.
We choose, normally, to fly independent and have used all the airlines I think. Obviously now we have a villa in Arillas but since we have had children (3 in total) we have always found independent and particularly villa holidays more relaxed and often very competitive with package deals. We dont consider that a holiday isn't a holiday with 5 in one bedroom!
However I have no axe to grind here other than the keen edge of thrift and the search for empirical evidence to back these claims. My mind is open.
So the purpose of this topic is to monitor the very best deals as you land them, booking early or booking late. Particularly flight prices as you see them and package deals to Corfu that might be more competitive than just the flights.
I am going to hang on booking personally until at least November when the Easyjet prices come out but it would be great to monitor the last minute bargains as you land them throughout the season.
There's has been a lot of conjecture as to the cheapest means of getting to Arillas and it would be great to get some hard facts in 2009.
My opening gambit is Thompsonfly.com for £175.98 for 2 weeks from 1st May
I posted yesterday - flyThomasCook offered £179 for 2 weeks on June 19th 2009 from Bristol return, which I would have booked immediately, except we hope to do a "one-way" in early July. You can always find somewhere to stay in Arillas - for us a tent on the beach would do.
Phil
We will do the same as you Corfusoon as living near Gatwick we just have to take advantage of the cheaper EJ deals... be stupid not to I think... I cant believe some of the prices some have already paid for their flights... its a total rip off!
Talk about rip off bg, we were quoted between £35/£42 to Man Air.
you cant put a price on heaven................yammas
Somewhat my sentiment but for the purpose of managing this squeeze lets say you can.
Thats a good price from Bristol in June but I bet we will do better later on. Please keep it coming in and down.
Regards
I found a flight with Thomson fly for £274 in May, which I didn't think was that bad considering it was from Newcastle Airport, and for anyone who fancies a very mini holiday from tomorrow , returning on Friday £42. I'm hoping with oil prices now down a bit maybe there will be more reasonably priced flights
Have you packed your bags for tomorrow yet Mary??? If we were near Newcastle we'd be off like a shot!
Phil
I wish Phil if I had some holidays left to take I think I would be very tempted - and I'd get to do my solo stint , which due to a change ( or change back ) in my circumstances I missed out in May. I'd love to see Arillas as it winds down for winter.
Love
Mary
I worry that as soon as EJ prices come out there will be a massive stampede from Arillas.com'ers as we all desperateely try to bag a bargain! I am thinking that that is our only option for next year, despite the journey from Lancashire.
As we live near Gatwick (5 mins away) just think how much I could make in airport parking and B & B overnight stays if we had the space!!!
It might just be worth paying out for the extention!!!! I'm sre that there would be liots of takers!!
Will you take 4 adults and 3 children????
regards Mandy
Hi All!
I have started to price flights for May next year. To date Thomsonfly from CardiffCWL to Corfu on 8th. May for two weeks is £345 return. Thats £100 up on last year! Do prices come down after the initial listing? I do hope so as this 'regional' airport surcharging is a huge rip off. I don't understand the logic or the reason for it. Can someone explain?
Yammas,
Martin.
I reckon there will be a huge demand for the Easyjet flights this year when theyre released, i know im waiting anxiously for them, ive signed up for the email alerts so hopefully i should get wind of the release dates for the flights just before they go on sale.
If not im sure someone on here will hear the date and tell us all!!
We could always get a tent!!!
Hahahaha id pitch it for a night if we were flying from Gatwick, but only if you, me, Brett and Mike sat round singing camp songs lol!!
If only you knew ;-) !!! Mike sits in the garden with all the lanterns on, his chimney burning and we half expect the planes to land in the back garden!
We want to go for 10 days to the Akti next year, thomsonfly are the only flights we can find for 10 days and just for the flights its quoted as £640!
BeckyB has suggested why not try easyjet from Gatwick, seriously considering it.
Sharon x
it,s going to cost me £100 more than going package ,but hey ive got great flights,out /and back ,and im staying where i want for 10,days not 14 ,im 1 happy man ,as is wife ,and the out-law...yammas
Well most of us who held off and booked with Easyjet seem to have got a good deal. Our flights were about £90 each for a party of 7. Most seem to have paid no more that £150.
That leaves a chunk for accomodation.
Regards
Very interesting comments here on flight & holiday costs. My Sunday paper today says best to book now as prices are bound to rise in 2009!?
Booked two weeks at the Kaloudis Village in September 2009 last week. The booking is with Thompsons, flying from East Midlands airport. Total cost for the two of us is £911 (and that includes a taxi transfer priced at £115).
Think it would be hard to beat that price for that time of year using independently booked flights and accomodation.
Hoping to enjoy ourselves just as much as we did in May this year.
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee60/patjmcn/Arillas%202008/DSCF1227KaloudisVillagesign.jpg)
Best wishes
PJ
I have booked three return flights to Corfu for next season with Easyjet.....for a grand total of £265!!! I'm not complaining....
Local Taxi might run to about 110 Euros this year I suspect. So thats not bad through an operator!
Just checked the flights for our trip in July, £219pp. flying from Manchester so i can't use Easyjet.
Cost us £260pp last year.
We've managed to get flights from Gatwick £840. Would have been £2000 from Birmingham. No brainer!!! Only now need to find some accommodation????
We have paid a wonderful Wissett record of £154.53 per person for flights in PEAK July time with Easyjet. I am giddy with delight!! Yes its Gatwick and Yes I live up north but can can get hotel room for £65 the night before and the kids will see it as an extra adventure!
Hi Jo,
Glad you got such bargains!!
If you book the Travelodge at Gatwick for the night before you can get it for £29 when you book in advance, saving you even more money!!
A bus runs to the terminals for £3 each i think or a taxi will cost you about £10, so the taxi might work out cheaper??
As before, got a good deal on the flights, only now need to find accommodation in Arillas. Also has anyone an idea if you can get good deals on parking at Gatwick. We are going for 3 weeks. Sunday 26th July - Sunday 15th August. Might even go down a day early after reading the last post!!
Hi Raff, I dont know Gatwick that well, but at Manchester you can get hotel and parking packages. We worked it out last time we went and it was only £19 more then just parking by itself would have been, I should imagen that Gatwick do the same kind of thing. Viv
Raff,
Try Little Foxes Hotel nr. Gatwick. I have only stayed there one night whilst working in Gatwick but my friend uses it regularly when going on holiday.He swears by it.
Paul
We live in the nearest town (Horley) to Gatwick and there are a number of guest houses. The Tudor Rose do car parking and transfer, the closest I think.
There are other "posher" hotels nearer the terminal but if you are staying for one night you might not need "posh". Horley is about 5 mins and Crawley 10-15 mins. Travel Lodge is at Lowfield Heath en route to Crawley, 5 mins away. the Gatwick Manor (Travel Inn) about 5-10 mins. dont forget also that if you have a taxi after 11.00 p.m. it is more... cost us £12.00 for a taxi to home and we only live 5 mins away.
If I had the room I could do a b & b! If you need any help for looking dont be afraid to ask.
Sue
That's really good information Sue :-) I'm sure there will be many takers to your offer of accommodation advice...myself included!
Eileenxxx.
And me - looking at the flight only costs from Manchester!
Not Sure of the prices here...
but this is not far from Gatwick
Skylane Hotel
34 Bonehurst Road
Gatwick
Horley
Surrey RH6 8QG
Telephone: 01293 786971
Facsimile: 01293 774475
Email: skylane.hotel@freeuk.com
I will keep coming up with something!
We are staying at the travel lodge in Crawley.Almost on the runway.Only £29.00 for the night.Have stayed before.Pretty basic but we only want to sleep for a few hours.
Having looked at other places I think that travelodge is a pretty good deal... car parking can be reasonable with a meet and greet arrangement.
www.help-me-park.com are cheap
just do a search for meet and greet at Gatwick... you dont have to pay the transfers as some hotels charge pp for that..
Can I just say a HUGE thank you to Sue for looking for some parking hotel deals for me. She is a star. I have found one hotel which offers a room for all of us (5) and parking for 15 nights for around £120. Does that seem good? Cant believe the parking costs! We can get it for £40 up north!!
We haven't yet started to look at Hotels around Gatwick yet!! Parking for 21 days is about £140. Wouldn't mind a list of Hotels that are happ to have us for 1 night then keep the car for 3 weeks. Cheers