Best way to book New York

[Hepzibar]

Me and my adult DS.

Books flights and hotel independently?
A package - if so who with/who is best?
Get a travel agent to sort it?

Any tips gratefully received

We've usually booked flights and hotels separately as it tends to work out cheaper. But last time we went, we booked through British Airways and did flights and hotel together as this was cheaper. It can be worth shopping around a bit, and seeing what works best.

BA worked best for us.

I tend to book flights and hotel separately because I don't always like the hotel provided in the package. But if the package is cheaper, and the hotel seems acceptable, that would be the way to go.

New York is big, obviously, and there are lot of different neighbourhoods. Some you might quite like, others not so much. See what's on offer.

Have fun!

I’ve always booked flights with the airline and hotel with booking.com or similar.

By the way it can take ages to get through passport control if you have a UK or other non-US passport - it took me nearly 2 hours last time, there were huge queues. I may have unlucky, but it might be worth bearing in mind when you’re looking at flight times and thinking about what time of day you want to arrive.

Last trip was via an agent as it was all booked during Covid times so easier for them to sort it if there were restrictions - there were and it took 4 bookings so glad the agent did it. This time I am waiting for the next BA sale and planning on going through Ireland for passport control first then I’ll look at booking and comparing prices separately and decide what’s best.

I booked through BA. It was well priced. Big choice of hotels.

Also price up premium economy separately. We were able to do premium just coming home for approx £70 extra pp which was well worth it.

Outward was £100's more.

BA Holidays was the best deal for us. Check out the hotels on offer via Tripadvisor and do your research about activities and eating places.

Love New York.

BA Holidays and Virgin Holidays can be very cost-effective, but you'll need to price up the elements yourself to check, which is very easy to do. Hotel rooms in NYC can be extremely expensive, so big companies like BA, who book large numbers of rooms, will usually be able to get a better per diem rate than independent travellers.

Book separately and check out stopovers in Iceland, they halved our flight costs!

Like you can fly from UK to Iceland on Icelandair, then Iceland to NYC on Icelandair

Expedia but look out for extra baggage charges

We recently got BA premium economy on the return leg for the same price as BA std economy on the way out, so it’s worth playing around with dates and flight times if you can be flexible.

Another vote for BA Holidays. We booked in the January sale and travelled last month. We flew premium economy to JFK and had 4 nights in a lovely hotel by Central Park. It was a good deal and all very straightforward.

Yeah, BA here too but booked during the January sale so I got a good deal, and also lots of Avios!

We stayed in Long Island City (Queens) on the recommendation of someone on here and it was great! A bit cheaper and quieter than central Manhatten but will well connected and quick to get to all the sights.

Always gone separately. Last time I went I stayed at club quarters by world trade centre. Great hotel - free coffee in the lobby to take up to room and roof top lounge/outside space for views

Like others I’ve done BA holidays when it’s been cheaper but have also booked with another airline and then done the hotel direct or through booking .com

We went to NYC recently and booked independently - it didn't occur to us to do it any other way

Hotels are expensive in NYC and there is a LOT of choice.

We went with a fairly basic two star on the upper West Side - Night Hotel Broadway. It was £430 for three nights through Booking.com

It wasn't anything special but it was fine as we only needed somewhere to sleep, wash and dump our stuff.

I did this too! I love Iceland - meant I could just stop over for a couple of nights on the way and go to the Blue Lagoon :)

Adding to the BA holidays package! Priced it up separately and booking the package was way cheaper.

It’s not a package in the true sense of the word - it’s just flights and hotel. But guess as BA are buying zillions of rooms they get them much cheaper.

Agree re getting through JFK. One guy - took nearly two hours. No aircon. Guy was very angry and rude. Not pleasant.

Ha ha! I think shouty rude immigration officials seem to be part of the USA experience.

It took us a mere 30 mins to get through immigration at Logan airport but a very angry woman shouted at us the whole time.

Thanks everyone.

BA is looking most likely. Love holidays is cheaper but consensus is BA and that's what we've been advised by a travel consultant friend.

Neither of us have been before

I'll be back for tips once booked!

We’re in NY just now - pleasantly surprised by immigration at JFK, through in half an hour with a chatty immigration officer giving tips (get a yellow cab from JFK to your hotel, it’s a fixed $70 fee to Manhattan, plus tax and tolls and congestion charge, so about $85 in total).

Be prepared that everything is expensive - really expensive. Ticket prices for pretty much everywhere and eating out especially. You’ll appreciate London’s free museums so much more.

If you want to go up the Statue of Liberty then book in advance - the crown tickets sell out many weeks in advance, but we booked pedestal tickets just a week ahead. You can turn up early at the departure point (as they give you a check in time to get through security, which was slightly chaotic) and you just hop on the next boat. Ellis Island museum is good, especially the upper floor which recounts what happened to immigrants when they arrived.

It’s a very walkable city, you’ll see a lot of things if you’re on foot.

Yeah NYC is pricey, the current dollar/pound exchange rate does not help!

I am looking at booking for me and my daughter, it has been suggested by a local to try and fly into Newark, has anyone done this? Reviews on the airport are mixed. Also I have looked at SO MANY hotels, are there any recommendations? Something nice as taking daughter for her birthday but not crazy expensive as will only really be sleeping x