EWR to LHR -- July 2019, flight advice?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
EWR to LHR -- July 2019, flight advice?
This is during Wimbledon, between July 10 and July 14. I found these flights (for two):
departing, EWR to LHR direct via United, 60K points total, $11
arriving, LHR to EWR (short DUB layover) via Aer Lingus, 49K points total, $650
I'm never a fan of paying such high fuel/taxes, but I also know July is high season. What do you think? I don't pay much attention to flights during the summer because we hardly ever travel during those times...
Thanks!
departing, EWR to LHR direct via United, 60K points total, $11
arriving, LHR to EWR (short DUB layover) via Aer Lingus, 49K points total, $650
I'm never a fan of paying such high fuel/taxes, but I also know July is high season. What do you think? I don't pay much attention to flights during the summer because we hardly ever travel during those times...
Thanks!
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The only way to avoid carrier fees is to fly a US carrier on the LON-NYC hop. Taxes are, of course, the same for the route. Whether this is good value depends on your appetite for paying cash.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
Due to rapidly changing partner availability the following flights are no longer available. Please choose another flight or modify your search criteria.
TAP Portugal flight TP371 - 07/14/2019 - 8:10 a.m. - London, GB (LHR - Heathrow) to Lisbon, PT (LIS)
TAP Portugal flight TP201 - 07/14/2019 - 1:20 p.m. - Lisbon, PT (LIS) to New York/Newark, NJ, US (EWR - Liberty)
So I guess these are phantom results. Not only that, because they are still not a US carrier, the fuel charge/tax is $174 per person, so not exactly a bargain, either.
Nothing on AA I can see, and Delta is the same, only VA flights with 255 pound surcharges. Who else is there besides United, AA, and Delta that I can hit up? I just checked Alaska, and it's similar, partnering with Icelandair and costing $255 per person in surcharges.
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
All flights for United for LHR-EWR end up like this:
Due to rapidly changing partner availability the following flights are no longer available. Please choose another flight or modify your search criteria.
TAP Portugal flight TP371 - 07/14/2019 - 8:10 a.m. - London, GB (LHR - Heathrow) to Lisbon, PT (LIS)
TAP Portugal flight TP201 - 07/14/2019 - 1:20 p.m. - Lisbon, PT (LIS) to New York/Newark, NJ, US (EWR - Liberty)
So I guess these are phantom results. Not only that, because they are still not a US carrier, the fuel charge/tax is $174 per person, so not exactly a bargain, either.
Nothing on AA I can see, and Delta is the same, only VA flights with 255 pound surcharges. Who else is there besides United, AA, and Delta that I can hit up? I just checked Alaska, and it's similar, partnering with Icelandair and costing $255 per person in surcharges.
Due to rapidly changing partner availability the following flights are no longer available. Please choose another flight or modify your search criteria.
TAP Portugal flight TP371 - 07/14/2019 - 8:10 a.m. - London, GB (LHR - Heathrow) to Lisbon, PT (LIS)
TAP Portugal flight TP201 - 07/14/2019 - 1:20 p.m. - Lisbon, PT (LIS) to New York/Newark, NJ, US (EWR - Liberty)
So I guess these are phantom results. Not only that, because they are still not a US carrier, the fuel charge/tax is $174 per person, so not exactly a bargain, either.
Nothing on AA I can see, and Delta is the same, only VA flights with 255 pound surcharges. Who else is there besides United, AA, and Delta that I can hit up? I just checked Alaska, and it's similar, partnering with Icelandair and costing $255 per person in surcharges.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
#8
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,046
All flights for United for LHR-EWR end up like this:
Due to rapidly changing partner availability the following flights are no longer available. Please choose another flight or modify your search criteria.
TAP Portugal flight TP371 - 07/14/2019 - 8:10 a.m. - London, GB (LHR - Heathrow) to Lisbon, PT (LIS)
TAP Portugal flight TP201 - 07/14/2019 - 1:20 p.m. - Lisbon, PT (LIS) to New York/Newark, NJ, US (EWR - Liberty)
So I guess these are phantom results. Not only that, because they are still not a US carrier, the fuel charge/tax is $174 per person, so not exactly a bargain, either.
Nothing on AA I can see, and Delta is the same, only VA flights with 255 pound surcharges. Who else is there besides United, AA, and Delta that I can hit up? I just checked Alaska, and it's similar, partnering with Icelandair and costing $255 per person in surcharges.
Due to rapidly changing partner availability the following flights are no longer available. Please choose another flight or modify your search criteria.
TAP Portugal flight TP371 - 07/14/2019 - 8:10 a.m. - London, GB (LHR - Heathrow) to Lisbon, PT (LIS)
TAP Portugal flight TP201 - 07/14/2019 - 1:20 p.m. - Lisbon, PT (LIS) to New York/Newark, NJ, US (EWR - Liberty)
So I guess these are phantom results. Not only that, because they are still not a US carrier, the fuel charge/tax is $174 per person, so not exactly a bargain, either.
Nothing on AA I can see, and Delta is the same, only VA flights with 255 pound surcharges. Who else is there besides United, AA, and Delta that I can hit up? I just checked Alaska, and it's similar, partnering with Icelandair and costing $255 per person in surcharges.
Fuel surcharges are imposed on award tickets by some airlines, but not by others. BA imposes prohibitive surcharges on transatlantic travel, even if AA miles are used. AA (on its own planes) and UA do not impose surcharges. DL imposes high surcharges on transatlantic award flights originating in Europe, though not on flights originating in the US.
I have found available award seats for 30k United miles on both July 14 and July 15 on the MAN-EWR route, with one change in either Dublin or Toronto. Some flights are operated by Aer Lingus or Air Canada. Fees range from $150.87 to $167.93, depending on the flight. I realize that you prefer LHR to MAN, but finding award tickets at reasonable prices often requires some flexibility, especially during the high season.
Last edited by JPG3392; Mar 17, 2019 at 8:11 am Reason: Corrected typos.
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
When doing the research, it is important to break down what is a government tax (fee) and what is a carrier surcharge. There are no longer any fuel surcharges across the North Atlantic.
The former are not only higher xEU, but distinctly higher xUK due to the APD. Those are all fixed and are the same no matter what carrier (although the APD is higher for premium cabins). Nothing to be done about it.
Surcharges are another thing and that is why it is important to break them out. You won't pay them for LON-NYC on DL, AA, or UA. But, you will most definitely pay them for BA & VS.
Bottom line is to look at the total outlay in miles/points and cash and make a decision as to what is important to you in terms of cost, convenience and product. Departure and arrival airport might matter as well depending on where you originate and terminate in the NYC and LON areas.
The former are not only higher xEU, but distinctly higher xUK due to the APD. Those are all fixed and are the same no matter what carrier (although the APD is higher for premium cabins). Nothing to be done about it.
Surcharges are another thing and that is why it is important to break them out. You won't pay them for LON-NYC on DL, AA, or UA. But, you will most definitely pay them for BA & VS.
Bottom line is to look at the total outlay in miles/points and cash and make a decision as to what is important to you in terms of cost, convenience and product. Departure and arrival airport might matter as well depending on where you originate and terminate in the NYC and LON areas.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
When doing the research, it is important to break down what is a government tax (fee) and what is a carrier surcharge. There are no longer any fuel surcharges across the North Atlantic.
The former are not only higher xEU, but distinctly higher xUK due to the APD. Those are all fixed and are the same no matter what carrier (although the APD is higher for premium cabins). Nothing to be done about it.
Surcharges are another thing and that is why it is important to break them out. You won't pay them for LON-NYC on DL, AA, or UA. But, you will most definitely pay them for BA & VS.
Bottom line is to look at the total outlay in miles/points and cash and make a decision as to what is important to you in terms of cost, convenience and product. Departure and arrival airport might matter as well depending on where you originate and terminate in the NYC and LON areas.
The former are not only higher xEU, but distinctly higher xUK due to the APD. Those are all fixed and are the same no matter what carrier (although the APD is higher for premium cabins). Nothing to be done about it.
Surcharges are another thing and that is why it is important to break them out. You won't pay them for LON-NYC on DL, AA, or UA. But, you will most definitely pay them for BA & VS.
Bottom line is to look at the total outlay in miles/points and cash and make a decision as to what is important to you in terms of cost, convenience and product. Departure and arrival airport might matter as well depending on where you originate and terminate in the NYC and LON areas.
OP could use UA miles for the same LHR - DUB - JFK flight for lower taxes but higher miles vs. the Avios option
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,519
This is during Wimbledon, between July 10 and July 14. I found these flights (for two):
departing, EWR to LHR direct via United, 60K points total, $11
arriving, LHR to EWR (short DUB layover) via Aer Lingus, 49K points total, $650
I'm never a fan of paying such high fuel/taxes, but I also know July is high season. What do you think? I don't pay much attention to flights during the summer because we hardly ever travel during those times...
Thanks!
departing, EWR to LHR direct via United, 60K points total, $11
arriving, LHR to EWR (short DUB layover) via Aer Lingus, 49K points total, $650
I'm never a fan of paying such high fuel/taxes, but I also know July is high season. What do you think? I don't pay much attention to flights during the summer because we hardly ever travel during those times...
Thanks!
Have you priced a cash ticket on Aer Lingus, rather than a redemption ticket?
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
I have found available award seats for 30k United miles on both July 14 and July 15 on the MAN-EWR route, with one change in either Dublin or Toronto. Some flights are operated by Aer Lingus or Air Canada. Fees range from $150.87 to $167.93, depending on the flight. I realize that you prefer LHR to MAN, but finding award tickets at reasonable prices often requires some flexibility, especially during the high season.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
EWR-LHR is 60K United miles. LHR-EWR is 49K Avios. LHR-EWR via Aer Lingus without points is very expensive, 1286 pounds for 2 tickets, so out of the question.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,519
Are you willing to spend a night in DUB? If you do, and book LON-DUB and DUB-EWR as separate redemptions with BA Avios, the taxes and fees should drop dramatically.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 60
Holy crap, guv1976, you are absolutely a genius!!! Yes indeed, you are 100% correct. It drops to just $88 for LHR-DUB and $303 for DUB-EWR. And it's the same amount of Avios! And I don't even think I need to stay an extra night, as there are plenty of flights out of LHR so I can just do both flights on the same day. THANK YOU!!!
Last edited by sjwoo; Mar 17, 2019 at 2:54 pm