Experienced Travelers: What's the lowest cost way to fly to Ireland this summer?

[G50]

It looks like I'll need to go to Ireland this summer, in July. Will need 3 tickets for a one way trip. Can leave from LAX.

I don't international travel, so have no idea how to minimize the cost. Right now, fares on bookingbuddy look like $1.5K each, so $4500 RT for 3. That seems like a lot to me.

Any tips? Such as:

How far in advance to book?
Any specific airlines?
How do credit card miles work? It looks like you get 30,000 miles for signing up, I run pretty much everything through a credit card, so it's $4-5K a month. Assuming I buy the tickets 6 months from now, that's $30K run through the card. Would that help significantly for an international ticket, or is that peanuts?

Thanks!

[motion]

Use flights.google.com to search. Consider flying to LHR, then taking alternate means to Ireland. Use sky scanner.com to find LHR to Ireland flights. Flights are expensive these days and summer is peak travel time. $1500 sounds about right.

Most airlines award a RT to Europe for 50K miles, but they are hard to find space for, especially in the summer. Its worth banking the points, however. You never know.

[motion]

A VERY quick search shows LAX-LHR for $1100

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=LAX;t=LHR,LGW;d=2015-07-08;r=2015-07-15

[G50]

Thanks. I'd need to get from LHR to SNN, and that doesn't seem like it would be cheap.

Is there typically an optimal time in advance to book a ticket? Waiting makes me nervous, I always feel like the price is going to go up, then I'm stuck with it.

[Head416]

They say 58 days before is the sweet spot for prices.

[Cajundaddy]

While you may save a few bucks by waiting to book your flight, your options dry up so you may get stuck with long layovers or crap seats next to the restroom. We flew to Dublin last year and it was around $900 RT but that was in March... off season for the land of shamrocks. Aer Lingus was a new comfortable Airbus but the crew was unusually slow to respond and left dinner trays out for nearly an hour. I found that odd.

Sometimes you can pay for RT tix that are cheaper than one way and just toss the return flight. At this point I choose comfortable seating and convenient flight schedules over rock bottom prices. Others may disagree.

Here is a one stop for $959
http://www.aerlingus.com

[Paul_Heery]

The Google page mentioned by motion is driven by a technology that they acquired years ago when Google bought ITA Software. I have found that I much prefer using the ITA site versus the Google page. It is more flexible and granular IMO.
The link is here Matrix - ITA Software

I used the information that you provided and performed a search for July going from LAX to Shannon, one-way for three people. Here is what I entered:


That gave me the following calendar of fares for July.


I chose July 14th and here are the flights it came back with sorted by price, lowest to highest. I also chose one stop only.


From the list provided, I chose the third one from the top. This would take you from LAX to EWR. Then a 2 hour, 11 minute layover before heading out to SNN. This is actually a Delta flight for the same price listed further down with a shorter trip duration that routes through JFK, but this is the one that I went with for this example It provided this itinerary.


Now, you cannot book directly with ITA. But, I took the information in the itinerary and went to the United site. It gave me the same price to book with them directly. You can also print out the itinerary and take it to a travel agent and have them book it for you.

I have been using the ITA site for years. I find it the best tool for planning flights.

[5String43]

A story in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago spoke to this question, at least in a general way. Seems some firm spent a year and a half analyzing air ticket prices and learned that for international prices, the cheapest fares were available 24 weeks from one's travel date. It also found that prices always are lower on Sundays.

That said, international air travel has become so expensive, so uncomfortable and so unappealing that I don't care if I never do it again.

[motion]

Paul, nice tip on ITA Matrix. I use it to find "unusual" routings flying internationally, with 23 hour layovers in cool cities. Great way to get out and explore for "free".

[G50]

Awesome, thanks!

That site is "down for maintenance" but I'll check it out.

[zelrik911]

Originally Posted by G50

Thanks. I'd need to get from LHR to SNN, and that doesn't seem like it would be cheap.

Is there typically an optimal time in advance to book a ticket? Waiting makes me nervous, I always feel like the price is going to go up, then I'm stuck with it.

Dont use any euro 'budget' airlines on any leg of your travel.
All these budget airlines have a scam running where they only allow you a small amount of luggage. You get off a real airline with a suitcase (or two) and these euroscum outfits charge you huge prices for 'excess weight' - which makes it more expensive than a real airline. Keep away from the likes of RyanAir & such.

Sometimes its better to go to Amsterdam & then backtrack to Ireland.
LHR is a super busy dump IMO.

[b142]

USD 400 pr person from LAX to London with Norwegian Air in July flying with Boeing 787.

[john70t]

We paid about $900-1,000 to Greece back in May.
Regular was about $1500.
Bought the tickets five months before.
The cheapest there were going through Toronto on Air Canada. Transfer in Germany.

Off-season is cheaper (more money for everything else)

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by john70t

We paid about $900-1,000 to Greece back in May.
Regular was about $1500.
Bought the tickets five months before.
The cheapest there were going through Toronto on Air Canada. Transfer in Germany.

Off-season is cheaper (more money for everything else)

+1 on this.

We are going to our daughter's wedding next summer in Ireland. Cheapest so far was for us to go through Toronto on Air Canada Rouge(Toronto to Dublin Ireland). However the connection was too long in Toronto so it would be two long leg lengths namely Edm. to Toronto and then Toronto to Dublin.

In terms of time but more expensive was for us to go directly to London Heathrow and then do the one hour hop to Dublin.

So for us it is a tradeoff - more time enroute for less $$$ or more $$$ for less time enroute. Check out all the options!

Guy.

[dewolf]

Might not be the safest but cheap...

[G50]

Well, checking on Matrix, Bookingbuddy and Skyscanner, the lowest cost right now is around $1400 each, from LAX to SNN, leaving 7/10/15 coming back 7/18/15.

Should I just book now? I suppose prices can go down, but we are now 12 weeks away, and I'm worried prices will go up! This is like a game of chicken.

[vash]

cheapest?

get a job with the airlines!

[Hugh R]

No suggestions on flying, but your best option on cash is to use a local ATM affiliated with your home bank, they have the best exchange rates in general. Don't use the airport exchange booth vendors.

[glewis80SC]

Originally Posted by G50

Well, checking on Matrix, Bookingbuddy and Skyscanner, the lowest cost right now is around $1400 each, from LAX to SNN, leaving 7/10/15 coming back 7/18/15.

Should I just book now? I suppose prices can go down, but we are now 12 weeks away, and I'm worried prices will go up! This is like a game of chicken.

Just book it now...I tormented myself over this for several months, I'm taking the family to Europe this summer, includes 10 days in Ireland. When to buy? Which website? Nonstop? UGH!!!
The prices will just go up thats it...all my research came down to buying sooner is better especially to Europe, I bought ahead of time and the prices have gone up around $200-$300. FYI...I tried all the websites, even ITA but Kyak worked best for me. We are flying in and out of London at $1200.00 with all the "luggage" charges, seat selection...check the airline for all those charges because the low price they quote all the websites usually does not include those and they add up quick.
Have a great time.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by vash

cheapest?

get a job with the airlines!

Or go one better( or worse )do you remember the flight attendant joke/t shirt? Marry me fly free. Haha...