To think just over 1k for 5 days in NYC is too much

[Oolva]

Especially as I could go to london on the mega bus for a few quid and stay with friends for free. I kind of want to go on holiday with my friend but NYC seems just too expensive for a very low end holiday (flying economy and staying in very ordinary hotel). We could go somewhere in Italy , stay in much nicer hotels for 1/3 of the price.

Aibu cheap?

Is that for the holiday itself or spending money?

I think you're right if that's just for 1. I couldn't justify it, and as much as I love NY I can think of better places to go for that money.
I paid about £1k for 2 of us to go to NY a few years back and I think that was about right.

That's just the flights and hotel for one!

I just don't see NYC as really that different to london, not enough to spend that amount.

But it is! We plan to do NYC for my dh 40th and i would expect to spend at least £3000. But we will happily spend it as he's desperate to go and l loved my last visit.

I didn't think NY was all that exciting to be honest, there are other places I'd rather go with much shorter flights and more spending money once you got there.

Have you looked at accommodation on Air BnB? You'll get a lot nicer for the same price as a hotel.

Agree with Leave . I've been to New York a few times now and don't get the fuss. It's one of the most overrated places in the world, as far as I'm concerned. Europe has much more interesting cities.

I love New York. Went back with my best friend after saving up for years in dribs and drabs so that the eye-watering cost didn't hurt. If you can afford it, it's worth it. If you're not keen from the outset you'll probably resent the cost, though.

Note that if you find an Airbnb in New York it's completely illegal due to city laws prohibiting subletting, so it is quite likely to have been shut down by the time you get there (or so I read).

I had a look on air b and b and didn't seem that much cheaper and tbh I find air bnb quite unethical as it is cutting odd the supply of normal rentals and killing hotels.

Are you staying over a weekend? Or flying out on commuter preferred flights? This all adds to the cost.

Also look at staying outside of Manhattan, it's as easy to use the subway as the tube and easy to get around

Eveeything is going to be stupidly expensive from now until Christmas. If you want cheap, fly on a Tuesday in January or February.

I'm going to NY for honeymoon next year we have paid £1800 for flights and budget hotel for 2 and spending money will bring it to about £3k. It sounds about right.

When are you looking to go? I'm going for my 2nd visit the end of January for 5 nights. Flights and hotel £600. There were cheaper options too but we wanted a nicer hotel. That was through ba direct.

It's VERY different to London and well worth a trip.

Try Virgin? They are (or had) a sale: I'm going next May for 7 nights: flights £400, accommodation £200 (in Brooklyn). (Although am assuming you're looking to go now rather than later)

As was said above though: It's only worth it if you think it's worth it! Its the flights really, isn't it? Especially as so much of Europe is available to us so cheaply with budget flights it's not hard ot think well I could go somewhere else and have just a good time but spend so much less money. I would definitely only spend that much if I really, really, really wanted to go to NY. Which I do, but it's taken me a long time to get there! Has your friend booked already? If not could you say to her "hey, we could get a lot more for our money in Italy (or wherever)" and see what she says?

NYC may be just another big city, but it isn't like London at all, is it? After all you can't get to NYC on a mega bus because it is 4000 miles away over the ocean. So getting there is bound to be more expensive. Hotels in London are likely to be at least expensive if not more. If you don't want to go, then don't go.

Whether it's too much or not depends on what you want to spend and how much you want to go at the time you're planning.

It's not cheap, but I wouldn't say it's wildly over the top either.

I love New York, partly because I also love London and there are similarities but big differences too.

I went for four nights this summer and ended up paying just under £2300 in total- flights, hotel and spending money. I resented paying it at the time, but thinking back on it it was actually a really good price for my trip (business class flights) and if I'd stuck to the subway rather than taxis I would've come back with more money than I did. For me it was a once in a lifetime trip- it is a bit like London, but it was still different (that makes no sense does it).

If you decide you want to go there are ways to keep the cost down. Book tourist attractions online as the ticket prices usually work out about $5 less and there will be less waiting around and avoid eating in tourist areas like Times Square, instead go on trip advisor and check out restaurants local to the hotel.

We leave New York today and personally much prefer London. I have another thread running atm in AIBU.

London is definitely cleaner. New York seems to go for the piles of bin bags on the street look and the smell is something else.

All the shops are exactly the same as Central London. Although the fashion seems to hark back to 1981.

According to reports Primark is going to open in New York. Given the cost of "cheap" clothing here it will wipe out many stores.

Everyone in charge of anything seems to be on a power trip. Changing room assistant in H &M would not serve anyone unless we (dd and I, only ones in the queue) stood behind the bollard in the middle of the shop. Then when we stood behind it she beckoned dd forward and positively had a fit when I accompanied her. Usher when we went to locate our seats at the Theatre shouted at us to get up from our seats and return to the aisle where she proceeded to direct us back to the seats we had just left.

Don't get me started on tipping. Tipping used to be 20% and somewhat discretionary. But now it is added to the bill regardless to how much they have f**cked up the order. Because it is now added automatically any care or helpfulness has gone.

We spent a huge amount of money on tickets to see a show where some of the cast were brilliant but some were definitely more wood than the stage floor and the dancing was something you would see in a mediocre part time dance school for children. In fact I have seen better dancing and acting from children in my dds part time dance lessons
London is most definitely more friendly, helpful, cheaper, cleaner and has better dancers. So I think save your money unless you have a burning desire to go up the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building and other touristy stuff

Try Priceline for a NYC hotel, we did 6 years ago and they didn't charge us!

Cost us £1500 for flights and hotel for 2 in February, which is very low season. So I don't think it's bad if it's mid or high season. But it depends if you want to go! It's an expensive place.

If you don't want to go, don't go. If you would rather spend the money on something else, then do so. Depends on the value you personally would place on the trip.

Try Virgin? They were the cheapest I'd found, and I think they have a sale on.
I initially looked for January, and they had flights and accommodation for £1800 for the three of us.
If you absolutely resent paying a lot on a flight, then try sky scanner.

I've never been too interested in New York, but my seven year old wants to go. I've told her that we will go when she reaches 12, as I feel like she will gain more enjoyment when she's a bit older and I could do with the time to save! Then we can do a load of shopping and hopefully we can spend each night in a different hotel. It's certainly not going to be the cheapest way of doing things, but we will love it.

When are you going?

I went to NYC before they blew up the world trade centre and absolutely loved it.

And, until speaking recently to a friend, always said I'd go back now I'm older and appreciate different things . However she said it's massively changed, everyone is rude and on power trips - like Oliversmumsarmy says ^^ and she says it's just not worth it anymore.

So, for the price you are paying, whilst I would say it is fairly reasonable I wouldn't go either.

Sometimes La Compagnie can have cheap offers from Luton to Newark (I got a return business class flight for about 600 euros once). And consider Air BnB for accommodation perhaps? Train to and from Newark to Central NY is about £20 each way.