Planning trip to London this Summer

Hmm, just did a search on STA for a 2-week trip to the UK in July (I'm planning on going back to visit my family) - the cheapest they have from New Mexico to London is $1,300!! However, if I were to travel next month, it would only cost me $750 and just a few weeks ago STA had a round trip from London to New Mexico flying in January for just $450.

Unfortunately, the summer is the most expensive time of year to travel, even for student fares .

Darn that's unfortunate that the prices get so much higher. Oh well, we'll make due. When we go to Italy we don't care if we have to stay in a hostel. Should we buy 1 month tube tickets or would it be better to get a bus pass or go daily? I read a one month tube pass is about 150 pounds, is that right? We've set the dates now. It'll be from July 8th till August 8th. STA Travel keeps saying there are no flights from those dates though, are they too far in the future? I remember reading about some way to get tickets really cheap by acting as a human courier, anyone know what I'm talking about?

I'm having a hard time deciding how to choose a place to stay. I guess I'm being too indecisive and just need to pick something. I just feel nervous with such little information and a single picture. I guess it doesn't really matter, we will almost never be home. Anyone have some "subcity" suggestions for optimum price/quality ratio? We are definitely not high class, but wouldn't want to stay in a place like Glasglow if at all possible.

Thanks again everyone.

We've set the dates now. It'll be from July 8th till August 8th. STA Travel keeps saying there are no flights from those dates though, are they too far in the future?

Are you sure you are entering the correct data for the flights? I just did a search on STA travel for your dates and it came up with several flight itineraries - the cheapest being $1160 round trip (from your other posts, I'm assuming you'll be flying from Phoenix). In fact, you can book flights all the way up to January 2009, so July isn't actually that far in the future in terms of booking.

I'm having a hard time deciding how to choose a place to stay. I guess I'm being too indecisive and just need to pick something. I just feel nervous with such little information and a single picture. I guess it doesn't really matter, we will almost never be home. Anyone have some "subcity" suggestions for optimum price/quality ratio? We are definitely not high class, but wouldn't want to stay in a place like Glasglow if at all possible.

Just wondering what you mean by 'a place like Glasgow' (my mum was born in Glasgow)? I mean, sure there are areas of the city that aren't so nice, but it's not like you'd be staying on a run-down council estate (government-owned housing) on your trip! If you do decide to visit Glasgow, you can find a room in a West End (i.e. trendy, wealthy part of the city) youth hostel for less than £20 a night in July, or you can stay in a Travelodge or Premier Inn also in a decent area from about £30 per night upwards.

Oh I'm sorry, I've just heard that it's very dangerous in Glasgow. But I'm probably just a stupid spoiled American. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong on the STA website. I chose from Phoenix and to London and with those dates and I get nothing. I even tried from New York City. Hmm, I'll have to try again.

I'm just wondering if it might be best for us to live in various places rather then rent a place for a month. I just figured the month deal would be cheaper. We wouldn't mind moving around, but wouldn't want to stay in hostels more than a couple nights a week. I lived in a small apartment in a terrible area, sharing a bedroom with my two sisters, so I don't require where I stay to be high class by any means, maybe Glasgow was a bad example. What do you think, a month's rent or various places?

How should we travel in small distance and large? Monthly tube pass or day-by-day? How far in advance should we schedule anything? Obviously plane tickets and place to stay more or less, but is there anything else? Tube pass in advance? International student discount card?

Thanks again!

Glasgow used to be dangerous in about 1970.  Heh. I worked in a youth hostel there and loved it.  We were an independent, you could get a three person room and you would get a discount if you stayed for a long time. 

The only advice I would give about Glasgow, or traveling in general, is that you should be more careful then you think you need to be.  I saw it a lot at the youth hostel.  Women would be fine, men would be SHOCKED that the guy they met at the pub/bus top/train station ran off with their bag/tried to mug them/got violent. 

I think it is because women are just more cautious after years of being careful about date rape ect.

There was a guy who used to make serious and disturbing passes who hung out at a local bar near us.  None of the guys we warned EVER believed us, often going off in taxis/back to his house or whatever.  They would say no, he's just great, we're going to get more wine.  Then they would show up later very upset about him making overt passes.    It never went beyond that as far as I know.  But sheesh, listen to the locals.

Oh I'm sorry, I've just heard that it's very dangerous in Glasgow.

I would think its a lot more dangerous in London.  I live in Glasgow and have never had a problem.  Its a greaty city!

Anyone ever see any deals like this during the summer?

http://www.statravel.com/cps/rde/xchg/us_division_web_live/hs.xsl/British-Airways-Sale.htm

If so, shouldn't I wait to book my flight as long as possible incase one of these deals pops up for our timeframe?

Also, where can I find (or does anyone have any quick personal info) about what the process will be for spending money. I assume exchanging currency will be rather easy at any currency exchange terminal in the airport, but what about debit cards?

For a few other websites to find cheap tickets try:
www.vayama.com
www.studentuniverse.com
www.economytravel.com

I've personally never found a good deal on statravel.

It also pays to search all the time and multiple sites. When I was a student, I usually traveled to London every summer. I would spend about a month searching fares and never spent more than $700 on a ticket from Dallas (granted this about 4 years ago). However, my sister traveled to London in July last year, and flew into Manchester for a cheaper rate (I think she paid around $800).

As far as debit cards, if you have an account with Bank of America you can use your debit card to make fee-free withdraws from Barclays cashpoints.
Capital One credit cards also have fee-free transactions in the UK.

Fantastic, I'm with Bank of America and also have a Capital One credit card. Thanks for the sites, I'm gonna check them out.

I think you would get a better exchange rate other places than the airport currency exchange place. I know UK airports are awful for it Dh refuses to use them cause they rip you off something fierce. Dh said to try your local bank or even try a travel agent cant hurt to try them.

If you seek them out, there are ATMs at every airport, usually right next to the money changer booths. Even if your bank charges you a fee for using an international terminal, it's usually less than the fee the exchange companies charge.

Go to the airport website and look carefully at the terminal maps before you get there.

It's saved me loads in fees that way.

Will I get the standard exchange rate at the terminals that do Bank of America free exchanges? The standard as the one I see every day on uk.msn.com (whatever it is at the time obviously.)

I think banks have a different rate for which way the conversion is going (and neither work in the consumer's favor). It's not far off the mark, but it's not the same one you see online. The rate can even vary if you are exchanging monies from a check or cash. It's sort of hard not to feel ripped off.
There are sites like ex.com where you can lock in an exchange rate before you transfer your money to them. I've personally not used it, but it seems like a good idea.

(I love the movie Gattaca btw. It was the inflight movie on the return flight from the first UK visit.)

I have a dumb question. We posted on gumtree and have gotten a ton of replies, we've been talking to a few people, and one lady said that she would require proof of payment in advance. I understand, but never thought about the possibility of being ripped off. How does this typically work when dealing with private owners? I mean if I paid her a deposit now, months in advance, what's to stop her from not responding when I get there, or giving me the wrong address for that matter?

Sorry if I seem over paranoid, the craigslist scams have done that to me!

Thanks again!

I have a dumb question. We posted on gumtree and have gotten a ton of replies, we've been talking to a few people, and one lady said that she would require proof of payment in advance. I understand, but never thought about the possibility of being ripped off. How does this typically work when dealing with private owners? I mean if I paid her a deposit now, months in advance, what's to stop her from not responding when I get there, or giving me the wrong address for that matter?

Sorry if I seem over paranoid, the craigslist scams have done that to me!

Thanks again!

do you mean a deposit for a flat or house? by law, that has to be paid into a "tenancy deposit scheme" which looks after the money so you can't be ripped off.  Make sure she gives you a receipt stating which scheme it has been paid into.