Advice on buying tickets to the US?

I need to buy a ticket for a trip back to the US in September. I've checked all the big websites (travelocity, qixo, opodo, etc.) and I'm not finding any spectacular bargains. The best I found was £458 roundtrip. Is that good? I need to get to either Providence or Boston (not too fussy which). Does anyone have any pointers? Any great websites you've found for discount fares?

  I need to buy a ticket for a trip back to the US in September. I've checked all the big websites (travelocity, qixo, opodo, etc.) and I'm not finding any spectacular bargains. The best I found was £458 roundtrip. Is that good? I need to get to either Providence or Boston (not too fussy which). Does anyone have any pointers? Any great websites you've found for discount fares?

We are paying more than that apiece -- going to the States end of this month.  Most of the websites generally have similar...but you might consider trying one where you 'bid' what you want to pay & see how that goes -- Priceline, for instance.  There must be others?  Alternatively, my husband thinks it's better once you have worked out the 'best price'  for the trip, etc -- through a website like expedia/cheaptickets/travelocity...(also there's orbitz) just go directly to the airline's website & buy from the airline -- cutting out the middleman, which is what we have done this time.  The other thing I wonder (?) is if it's any cheaper to buy in US currency...that is, if you still have a credit or debit card with a US billing address & can somehow arrange the purchase in dollars rather than £££...would this lop off any VAT charges possibly?  Dunno...just brainstorming.

We are paying more than that apiece -- going to the States end of this month.  Most of the websites generally have similar...but you might consider trying one where you 'bid' what you want to pay & see how that goes -- Priceline, for instance.  There must be others?  Alternatively, my husband thinks it's better once you have worked out the 'best price'  for the trip, etc -- through a website like expedia/cheaptickets/travelocity...(also there's orbitz) just go directly to the airline's website & buy from the airline -- cutting out the middleman, which is what we have done this time.  The other thing I wonder (?) is if it's any cheaper to buy in US currency...that is, if you still have a credit or debit card with a US billing address & can somehow arrange the purchase in dollars rather than £££...would this lop off any VAT charges possibly?  Dunno...just brainstorming.

I'm starting to think maybe my £458 isn't so bad. Yikes. I would use something like priceline, but you can't choose the time you travel with them. And I need to leave at a time the BF can get me to the airport. It's all very tricky. I tried looking on US websites and buying in US currency, but if the flight originates in the UK then it's even more expensive! I guess there isn't a miracle solution to this, is there? 

  I'm starting to think maybe my £458 isn't so bad. Yikes. I would use something like priceline, but you can't choose the time you travel with them. And I need to leave at a time the BF can get me to the airport. It's all very tricky. I tried looking on US websites and buying in US currency, but if the flight originates in the UK then it's even more expensive! I guess there isn't a miracle solution to this, is there? 

Unless you've a close relative who works for an airline...   But I think the £458 sounds about right, unless you want to hassle with something like priceline -- spend more time searching, etc -- or have more flexibility with dates/times/etc.

I did find some fares for about £230 -- but they were leaving today. And that got me thinking that I'd be willing to wait until the very last minute, then I could probably get a good deal. But I don't think I have the personality type for that!    I'd be biting my nails from now until September!

It's actually a little too soon to book for September. Most airlines will have much cheaper fares from September on, so I would wait a little bit. One thing I do, which seems to help as well, is fly early in the week, Sunday thru Wednsday, travel on those days sometimes is a bit less expensive than Thurs,Fri and Saturday travel.  You should be able to find flights in September for about half what you are seeing currently.  Also, alot can depend on what airport you are flying from, and the destination airport.  Less popular airports will tend to be pricier.  June thru August is the most expensive time to fly,, but I have found September to be much more reasonable. 

It's actually a little too soon to book for September. Most airlines will have much cheaper fares from September on, so I would wait a little bit. One thing I do, which seems to help as well, is fly early in the week, Sunday thru Wednsday, travel on those days sometimes is a bit less expensive than Thurs,Fri and Saturday travel.  You should be able to find flights in September for about half what you are seeing currently.  Also, alot can depend on what airport you are flying from, and the destination airport.  Less popular airports will tend to be pricier.  June thru August is the most expensive time to fly,, but I have found September to be much more reasonable. 

Right, which is why I was expecting September fares to be lower! Glad to know it's just that I'm too early. I wonder when the lower fares will start appearing? Any idea?

Thanks for the info about flying out on a Sunday. I had been entering Saturday in my itinerary, but I can change that. It does have to be a Saturday or Sunday, unfortunately, though. I'm not going to be able to be as flexible as I'd like due to other people's schedules. As far as airports go, I'm leaving from Heathrow and heading, ultimately, to Providence. I tried entering Boston instead, thinking I could possibly find a lower fare by traveling to Logan, which is a bigger and busier airport. But, as it turned out, the lower fares were to little Providence! Go figure.

I fly over to Houston about 4 times a year, and it seems that the lower fares start showing up about two months before. It doesn't hurt to keep checking once a week or so. From what I have seen, most airlines update the fares once a week,, with continental, which I fly with, they tend to change the fares early in the week.  Also, check out flyertalk.com,, some good tips on there for getting decent fares    I hate flying in the Summer months, it's always so expensive. I am flying earlier than usual this year tho, on May 22,, but it's still nearly $1000.  ,, normally when I fly over at the end of July, it's about $1200. which just makes me cringe. Still, that's when my girls are out of school, so it's not really like I have much choice.

Thanks for the tips, tebs! 

I can't help with a good fare but I can say a word about Priceline. Or perhaps I will just make a statement and you all can infer what you like from it. My sister works for Priceline and does not buy her tickets through them. 'Nuff said.

I can't help with a good fare but I can say a word about Priceline. Or perhaps I will just make a statement and you all can infer what you like from it. My sister works for Priceline and does not buy her tickets through them. 'Nuff said.

lol Courtney! Good to know! I have booked hotels through Priceline before and it's been great. But, as far as plane tickets go, they just don't offer enough flexibility for me.