Cheap flight ideas for spain?

[nellyjelly]

We have the offer of a free apartment nr Alicante in June but flights are coming up yo around £800 total ( with luggage) for 2 kids and 2 adults. Is this about right? If so, where are all the cheap flights? Have I missed them or is it worth hanging on to see if more come up?

I used to fly to Alicante several times a year and does sound about right for summer season. Just did a quick check for June and came to around £600 for 2 adults and kids before baggage charges and whatever else they add on these days. I've never been any good at getting deals myself - any time I've looked at flights they tend to go up the closer you get - so hopefully somebody else can give some advice.

Sounds steep, we went to alicante for work in September and cost around £400 for two adults and that was hotel, breakfast and eveni g meals and flights, for 5 days.

Thanks. Think it is probably as it is June. Is that right? Flights go up as you get nearer the dAte? Where are all the cheap deals???

well i've been looking at feb half term for canarys and that is coming out over £400 each - so £800 seems pretty reasonable to me. £240 each for portugal in july (outside school hols). so i'd be surprised if you could get it much cheaper.

yes flights go up the closer you get. but i think there is a cut-off point when they start to get cheaper - but i've never actually done that as it would be a nightmare and quite risky i think - you might not get a flight or accommodation.

i wouldn't take too much notice of package deal prices as thats a different pricing system altogether.

Thanks. Looks like around £800 is what I will have to pay.

While I am here........this is first time have been abroad with the DCs. In terms of luggage, any advice? I see you can have bags on plane or in hold but pay for these. Was thinking a biggish case for the hold and couple of cabin size ones? Any ideas seasoned travellers?

look on the website and adhere to instructions rigidly. espec if ryan air - who are fine, but not if you don't stick to the rules.

will you have a washing machine? do you buy luggage allowance - if so you maybe able to get away with 3 suitcases. its likely to be hot, so you don't need lots of jumpers.

how are you getting from airport to accommodation? it can be easier to get a cab (pre-ordered with recommendations from villa owner) than a hire car and then book hire car for few days mid holiday. this is less stressful and because you don't need a massive hire car for suitcases can be cheaper.

i assume you aren't suggesting one bag for hold for all of you? we often put heavy things, eg books in hand luggage if weights an issue. have one cabin bag each as these are free - obviously no liquids. check size allowance of all bags

Have you tried flying from Luton or stansted? Have you looked at going/ returning a day later or earlier? I just did alicante- stansted for £50 per person Ryan air but unsocial midweek time.

Thanks. Really useful advice.

Yes to washing machine so we will travel light. Was thinking one hold case. Though 2 more realistic and other stuff on flight. Don't want tons of bags as have a 2 yr old and we will also have a buggy and need stuff on flight for him.

In recent years the Low Costs have advertised their share of the pie as being the price you can buy a flight for (and put in very little letters at the bottom of the page that taxes and airport fees will be added to this.) Of course, these taxes and fees have been steadily rising over the years. There is the Air Passenger Duty. You can sign a petition against this, as in the UK we pay 30 times the tax other European countries pay. Petition here. The airports charge landing fees - Ryanair periodically complains about this, but since airports occupy prime land it doesn't seem unfair to me that they charge for use of it. There is usually a security fee levied by the airports too to cover the increased security and searches since 911. These fees are charged before the airline begins to take a cut. In order to fly round Europe in an Airbus 320 or Boeing 737, depending on a variety of factors, the aircraft will be loaded with between 6 and 18 tonnes of fuel. The aircraft itself costs about £50 million. The training of the 2 pilots will have come in at about half a million pounds by the time they first touch an aeroplane. It is next to impossible to offer flights for 50p when you have to cover this lot, so the airlines have massively complicated revenue departments which work out when people want to fly and price accordingly. If you want to fly when everyone else does, you'll pay more. If you want to fly when no one else does, you pay less. Revenue departments are now so sophisticated they don't need to advertise the flights at cheap rates a long time in advance - they will only advertise them cheaply if they think there is no chance they will sell them and want to lure people in.

Personally, I think £200 a person to fly in a multimillion pound jet half way across Europe isn't bad at all, especially when I think about the £40 I was quoted to travel by train from Basingstoke to London recently! It's just that for a few years, things were cheap, and people still expect that now.

No we need local flights and prefer sociable times due to our DCs. Am resigned to £800 now I think! At least the villa is free! Though by the time I factor in flights, transport and all the shopping there I could probably have booked through a holiday company and got a package!

Good point backinthebox

I would check in one bag, and then take anything else on plane. We are two adults and x2 children ( 18months and 3years), we take one checked in bag and one piece of hand luggage only. We travel a lot and this would be plenty for a week even without washing. If you have a washing machine you can really reduce. It's far easier as then one adult can take the two bags and one adult the two children, any more and it would e a struggle.

Kids clothes are so small also, so 5tshirts/ 2 shirts/ 5shorts/ 1 trousers/ 1 long top is max I would take and takes up little space ( and they are wearing an outfit)- you could take less as have machine

Thanks.