My baby brother has just announced he is getting married in the UK in October this year so I've started trawling for flights.

All I am coming up with is SO much more expensive than I've ever paid before.
It is coming out at $1200 for 1 adult and over $1000 per child so as a family of 5 we are looking at $5500. OUCH!!
I thought it would be cheaper
1. not in the summer
2. 6 months in advance

The only cheaper option I've found is Air Transat to Paris but then we still have to get to the UK from there and hearing the horror stories about them I'm a bit reluctant. Leg room is always a big consideration too!

Any ideas? Or anyone with a bucketload of airmiles they don't need

I flew air transat twice before and both times it seemed fine, no delays (or at least not of a noticeable length of time) Cabin interior was fine, friendly service. Food equally poor as any airline food is.

Look at flying from a US airport - the flights sometimes seem cheaper as there seems to be more carriers - obviously you need to factor in cost of travelling to US in the first place!

And possible visa issues, unless you are a Canadian citizen.

(If the plan is to fly into the US and drive over the border - you need to be a Canadian citizen or have a US tourist visa ... visa waiver program doesn't cover this option).

We are canadian citizens but don't have canadian passports so flying into US but travelling on british/french passports wouldn't be possible?

Fares across the Atlantic have been slowly rising over the past several months, and likely will continue to do so this year.

Take Continental for example, European traffic is up 6.3% but seat capacity is down 2.4%.

Compared to this time last year, traffic has increased 8%.

You will find less deals in the future and higher fares overall.

Once again. You need a return/onward ticket to use the visa waiver program.

Get Canadian passports.

You can apply for a US visa online, it shouldn't be an issue.

No thanks.

We are taking a trip where the tour takes us over the US border in the Thousand Island area. Does your statement mean, as PR UK Passport holders and not CC, that we cannot enter the US by land only by air using the Visa Waiver program ?

That sounds about right. I flew last Oct and I think that was the amount when booked on a proper airline. Air fares are just one of the hazards you face when you emigrate to another country.

We have used the Lansdowne crossing with no bother at all. You talk to an official, park your car and go in to fill out the visa waiver form. They do photos, fingerprints, chat about where you are going and why. You give them some money and then hand over your visa. If you are not likely to be returning to the USA before the visa expires make sure you hand it in on your return to Canada otherwise it looks as if you have not left the US.

Perfect thanks Fled, that's what I was expecting.

You're very welcome. Have a lovely time. When are you heading to 1000 Islands?

Half term in Uk in October - hence increase flight prices then!!