Forget ex EU, I'm all about ex INV
 

I did search for this but for some reason saw no results, so apologies if this has been covered before.

Slightly tongue-in-cheek but entirely factual, you can save quite a bit by flying from Inverness.
That's because -as all FlyerTalkers know - APD is not applicable from this airport, yet it has daily departures to Dublin, Amsterdam and a BA departure to Heathrow. Although some of the fares I have found are much lower than just APD...

Here are some comparisons (I've included KL and EI despite posting in the BA section) - some of these were checked a while back so may have changed.

LHR-DUB-BOS 15 JUN £ 2004.91 Business Class transatlantic
LGW-DUB-BOS 15 JUN £1892.17 Business Class transatlantic
INV-DUB-BOS 15 JUN £ 1624.83 Business Class transatlantic

LHR-AMS-BOS 15 JUN £2511 Business Class KLM/Delta
INV-AMS-BOS 15 JUN £1807 Business Class KLM/Delta

Checked today:
LHR-ORD 07 DEC £2592 BA/AA Business Class
INV-LHR-ORD 07 DEC £1301 BA/AA Business Class (via LHR o/b and CLT and LHR i/b)

Admittedly, INV is not the easiest airport to position to, with few hotels near the airport and just one daily flight with BA. (I always find easyJet decent enough but not sure I would trust them on the same day positioning)

Thankfully I have family near John O'Groats so actually this may be a viable option in future - especially those BA flights!

it's been discussed before and yes, a neat alternative to some ex EU (though AMS et al easier for some then INV in particular because of the only 1 daily INV flight which isn't greatly timed).

JER can also be a "UK" gem for good deals.

Possibly also useful for U.K. long haul redemptions as the connection is free but saves the APD. Replace that with an RFS and some token Avios on an easy b2b

Interestingly, just tried a few on Virgin wesbite, albeit from Aberdeen and again saving about £1k using Flybe to Manchester.

ZRH-JFK-ORD 07 DEC £1040 AA business class (via JFK both ways)
GVA-MAD-ORD 07 DEC £1054IB Business class (via MAD both ways)

I'm flying to SFO from INV in a couple of weeks in Y and got the tickets for £300. Had that price before exOSL, but living in Glasgow, much easier to get to INV than OSL.

That's amazing! What a bargain!

I did ex-INV on the 1st of April, which turned out to be the day Club Europe launched in the UK.

I timed it as 6 minutes from stepping off the plane to back through security and into the departures lounge. Very, very easy (albeit not as seamless as stepping off into the departures lounge.

Even with just a daily flight, I'd happily do it again.

RE: positioning, outside of the BA flight there's the sleeper train but also the Megabus Gold (overnight bus which features a bed). I sense a grimace as you read this... but you're also a forum advocating all-aisle access beds which these trucks have! ;)

Yup. We went to Vegas for £280 few months ago. NYC/East Coast also seems to pop out quite regularly for £230-250 return.

It's worth checking business class offers to the US once in a while too, there was a couple really good ones in the past.

WTP fares to the east coast and middle east are usually very reasonable. I have seen JFK and DXB for well under £500 in the sales so conbine that with UUA's both way and you are well under £800 rtn for J.

Looks like the Sleeper-Service isn't going to be around for much longer!

I went to JFK and back from CPH a few months ago in PE on the TATL for DKK 4363.00 (about £500) - definitely about my psychological ceiling for a weekend in NYC - triple Avios helped a lot too :)

They are a fair distance apart by road. I'd not fancy being under time pressure to make that trip!

A Similar scenario exists at another uk airport that will remain unnamed on this ft forum ;)


cs

Do you mean... the Spanish Inquisition ???