Mileage Run Deals - BOS-LON in December -- can I do better?

Trying to squeeze in a BOS-LON trip to visit a friend in mid-December to bump myself up to NW Silver this year. (Hey, you've got to start somewhere!) I can't arrive before the 15th, and I must be back in BOS in time to fly to DTW on the 23rd. I know these aren't the best dates, but I can't do much about them (besides not going at all).

Best I'm finding with full NW elite qualification is $489 all in on NW BOS-LGW (QLWANGXB going over, QKXANGB return, via DTW). Am I going to find a better fare than this as fall sales are announced, or are the blackout dates going to kill me? When should I book?

FWIW, I'm perfectly willing to combine this with my BOS-DTW trip (I'm getting $216 nonstop on NW, leaving 12/23 and returning 12/30; $225 with one stop on DL), especially if I can get extra mileage out of the combination.

Dan

You can most definetly do better, but not yet. It is way to early to be buying EastCoast-Europe tix. $400 tops is what I'd pay for coach on NW. Even less on BA/UA/LH etc.

Of course, time is money. You could just book the fare now, and use the time you'll otherwise spend checking fares every week to do something productive. But what fun would that be?


;)

After Labor Day weekend, most airlines drop thier fares to Europe. It is best to check after that period.

Sometimes, airlines even have specials during Christmas period. For example in 2002, I flew Concorde on BA from $1999 r/t during Christmas Holiday.

Keep looking, you will find a r/t in the range of $250 from Boston.

After Labor Day weekend, most airlines drop thier fares to Europe. It is best to check after that period.

Thanks to both of you. I knew it sounded high -- I'm fairly sure I've even seen fares under $200 to London -- but I wasn't sure how much trouble that 12/22 return was going to get me in. I suppose I can always return on 12/20 or 12/21 if that one day sells out.

As for doing something more productive with my time -- you mean looking for other MRs, right? :D

I would expect total cost for that trip would come down to about $300 or $320, round trip, all taxes, etc. Probably not until after Labor Day for the fares to be announced though.

Bear in mind that the flights out of LON in the week before Christmas will be very busy, so you might have to be flexible with dates or routes over this time.

Hi, if you really want to try on the BOS to LON run, then you could try the indirect routes going backwards as much as possible. Try route BOS to MSP to AMS and then to LHR as your London arrival. Alternatively, if NW go anywhere from BOS then you could try connecting anywhere to AMS and then on the frequent to LHR, it was just that MSP was the best place that comes to mind.

There is the possibility that the flight LGW to the US will book out quite early. If I had the time, try booking the earlier date back and do the bumping thing for a couple of days to get all of your money back.

If you need to know more, give me a shout and I will ask the NW ticket desk stars downstairs from my office at LGW.

Spotwelder.

slightly OT, but what do you think a trip to CDG would cost around that time?


I would expect total cost for that trip would come down to about $300 or $320, round trip, all taxes, etc. Probably not until after Labor Day for the fares to be announced though.

I usually have paid $280-$350 (all in!) from Los Angeles for my recent London trips. (from Nov to March excluding Christmas time). I paid more to London this past New Years time (1/1 to 1/4) because of UA's big 5X promo. My SIN trip two weeks after the London trip received 5X miles. :D

Wait until BA has a "super duper" sale (like $198 LAX-LHR!!!) & the other airlines match it. Then buy your tickets! :D

It was a V class ticket which earned 19,256 CO miles (Platinum bonus).

I also flew some SFO-EWR-LGW trips on CO for $206+tax=$310.82.
The trips through IAH were a little cheaper ($199 I think), but I wanted the SFO-EWR segments in 1st.