"best" months to fly? (costwise)

OK last update from me  YAY!! Went back to American Airlines and messed around with dates until I found my fare deal again. I just ended up changing the dates by one day on each end, and booked it 

Airlines and airline agents cannot hold a fare, only seats.  As I understand it, sections of seats on planes are set at a certain price.  As those seats sell out, your option is to buy from the next higher priced section until all are sold out.
Holding a seat merely allows you to be on the plane but the price can change from one minute to the next if a rash of people suddenly buy the other seats on that plane.

Sillysnip, are you headed to the North or the South?  Manchester is in the northwest and Gatwick way down in West Sussex, quite a long way from each other (at least a 6 hour drive).

Airlines and airline agents cannot hold a fare, only seats. As I understand it, sections of seats on planes are set at a certain price. As those seats sell out, your option is to buy from the next higher priced section until all are sold out.
Holding a seat merely allows you to be on the plane but the price can change from one minute to the next if a rash of people suddenly buy the other seats on that plane.

Sillysnip, are you headed to the North or the South? Manchester is in the northwest and Gatwick way down in West Sussex, quite a long way from each other (at least a 6 hour drive).

It said they did hold the fare but only for the first 24 hours, once I read the small print  The seats were held for three days. Anyways it all worked out in the end. 

I am traveling to the west midlands. According to the directions I looked up, it's about 1-1/2 hours from Manchester. Gatwick usually takes around 2-1/2 hours for us, depending on traffic. I am just flying in to Manchester this time as that is where I found the best deal to. We'll see which route ends up easier.

I am just flying in to Manchester this time as that is where I found the best deal to. We'll see which route ends up easier.

SillySnip -- I have never flown in/out of the London airports so I can't speak to that, but I love flying in/out of Manchester.  (Though it's my second choice after Leeds-Bradford, which is right near our house!)  It's not generally crowded and everyone there has always been friendly, which made for smooth arrivals & departures.  Hope you have a great trip!

SillySnip -- I have never flown in/out of the London airports so I can't speak to that, but I love flying in/out of Manchester.  (Though it's my second choice after Leeds-Bradford, which is right near our house!)  It's not generally crowded and everyone there has always been friendly, which made for smooth arrivals & departures.  Hope you have a great trip!

Thanks Carolyn for sharing your experience with Manchester and for the good wishes! 

Another thing I thought of on air fares, I seem to find the fares for the Fall/Winter go down around mid July for early purchase. That has been my luck with NWA anyways.

when it's cold and during the week...was told that wednesday is the cheapest day to fly.

I fly between the two a good bit and I found the best time generally are during times opposite of school breaks.  So months like September, November, January, and February seem to be the cheapest.  The most expensive, December, May through August, and the weeks around Easter.

A good route to consider is the Raleigh, NC to Gatwick direct flight on American.  They fly a very new Boeing 777 and it's not usually stuffed full and has a few extra seats which means there is at least a possibility of stretching out.  Plus immigration is usually quick in Raleigh and the price with a Saturday stay is usually under $600 round trip.  In the high season months its $800 or so.   I've had more than one American pilot tell me this was about the best route back and forth when you considered all factors, cost, times, and the general trouble with travel that you have and I have to agree with them too.

A good route to consider is the Raleigh, NC to Gatwick direct flight on American.  They fly a very new Boeing 777 and it's not usually stuffed full and has a few extra seats which means there is at least a possibility of stretching out.  Plus immigration is usually quick in Raleigh and the price with a Saturday stay is usually under $600 round trip.  In the high season months its $800 or so.   I've had more than one American pilot tell me this was about the best route back and forth when you considered all factors, cost, times, and the general trouble with travel that you have and I have to agree with them too.

Oh, how I wish I could fly from Raleigh to Manchester direct- just came back from a hellish experience connecting  in Newark (missed my flight from Newark to Raleigh argh!!)  I probably shoud have just taken the RDU-LGW flight and booked a train to Manchester, hehe- would have been a lot less stressful than racing through the airport!

I fly between the two a good bit and I found the best time generally are during times opposite of school breaks.  So months like September, November, January, and February seem to be the cheapest.  The most expensive, December, May through August, and the weeks around Easter.

A good route to consider is the Raleigh, NC to Gatwick direct flight on American.  They fly a very new Boeing 777 and it's not usually stuffed full and has a few extra seats which means there is at least a possibility of stretching out.  Plus immigration is usually quick in Raleigh and the price with a Saturday stay is usually under $600 round trip.  In the high season months its $800 or so.   I've had more than one American pilot tell me this was about the best route back and forth when you considered all factors, cost, times, and the general trouble with travel that you have and I have to agree with them too.

0o0o very informative! thank you!

It said they did hold the fare but only for the first 24 hours, once I read the small print

My mistake, Sillysnip.  I didn't think airlines would hold fares at all, that's quite good to know that they'll do 24 hour holds.  I always thought it was just the seat.

I probably shoud have just taken the RDU-LGW flight and booked a train to Manchester,

You can get from Gatwick to King's Cross Thameslink via First Capital Connect rail.  You're looking at about a 45 minute journey and then I believe it's just a short walk down Euston Road to Euston Station where the trains to Manchester depart.  Alternatively, Gatwick trains go into Victoria, then the Underground to Euston and on to Manchester.  All told, it's probably 3.5 - 4 hour journey.  I suppose the advantage of the former is the lack of having to go on the Underground.

My mistake, Sillysnip.  I didn't think airlines would hold fares at all, that's quite good to know that they'll do 24 hour holds.  I always thought it was just the seat.

No problem, I didn't know anything about it before now. I had never held a reservation before, this was with American Airlines and just said fares were only guaranteed for up to 24 hours. Not sure if other airlines do that as well. I generally fly with Northwest Airlines.

Oh, how I wish I could fly from Raleigh to Manchester direct- just came back from a hellish experience connecting  in Newark (missed my flight from Newark to Raleigh argh!!)  I probably shoud have just taken the RDU-LGW flight and booked a train to Manchester, hehe- would have been a lot less stressful than racing through the airport!

Before we moved I did the, fly from Raleigh to Gatwick then hop a train to Manchester a couple of times to visit customers.  Yeah it's a bit long on the train but comfortable and you do have to change in Reading but still it's not that difficult and not that expensive.  And of course Virgin does have nice fast trains.   The best part you've avoided any of the NE US airports and specifically Newark which I'm sure is actually located in hell.

I don't do anything with fares, but I do know we (Delta) are pretty solidly booked all through the summer months. The only summer deal I think that might be out there is JFK-MAN as it's a new route and not fully booked yet.
Things fall off in Oct & early Nov. Feb & Mar are good months as well. April can be tough, depending on school breaks.
You might take a look at Virgin out of MCO since you're not too far from there.
You can also think of working on accumulating milage via credit card use--I have some friend that do this and put all of their business and personal expenses on an AMEX card for DL skymiles. They go to Europe yearly in business class with the milage.

Anyone traveling this fall?

the cheapest time if mid-January through the end of February. That is about the only 'off-peak' time left. I even used FF miles for a round trip last Feb, "cost" me 45K miles, but the return flight was in Envoy class. What a treat!!

February