jaffy23

Just looking for some wisdom! After missing Christmas in 2020, I'm planning to take the family back for Christmas 2021. When is the best time to book international flights? Normally I wait for a sale (Easter, July 4th etc), but this year feels different. Lots of expats heading back. Do you think we'll see any kind of sale? The US (CT especially) and the UK is doing a great job with vaccinations, so I'm confident COVID will be under control by then.

So buy now, or hold for a better price?

lansbury

Best guess if it was me, I would wait in the hope more flights return to the schedule and capacity increases. Of course if that doesn't happen you might end up chasing to few seats.

Giantaxe

Agreed. I've thought about a UK December/January trip but, given there are currently zero non-stop flights from San Francisco, I'm holding off booking anything.

jaffy23

The schedules are loaded for December with direct flights though most of the look pretty empty so far. I usually hold out til July 4 or Labor Day sales. Was listening to Radio 2 today and the talk of a 3rd wave; still optimistic for a Crimbo trip though!

spouse of scouse

Are US airlines allowing for social distancing on flights? I just thought that may be the reason flights don't look full.

I hope you manage to get back for Christmas this year. We were hoping to do the same last year and this year (from Australia) but given that we don't know when our international borders will open again, we've decided to hold off booking.

Giantaxe

That's progress then.. I now see five non-stop flights per day on the schedule for San Francisco to London. So I can happily ponder a Europe trip for a while and see how things play out .

Nutek

I use Aer Lingus out of Bradley. They are mailing me fairly constantly but I wouldn't be booking anything yet. Things keep changing at too rapid a pace. Might be worth seeing how the UK handles the growing(?) issues in the surrounding countries. Be a bummer to go over to spend 2 weeks in a Butlins quarantine hotel.

lizzyq

Yes, this. I'm looking/hoping for an autumn trip, but not sure whether to book and be prepared to change or leave it for a bit yet. Still not vaccinated myself yet, but my mum back in the UK is due her second dose soon and I am not doing international travel until I have has my shots/jabs. I'm still having to travel for work but being as safe as I can while doing so.

Lion in Winter

This is also me, sitting on an Aer Lingus voucher for flights that the Little Lion and girlfriend couldn't make this past Christmas. I haven't seen him since Christmas holidays 2019/2020 with no flying possible - canceled spring holiday here March 2020, canceled summer 2020, impossible autumn 2020, canceled Christmas 2020/21, spring 2021 still not possible. I'm not a happy camper. Waiting for vaccines all round, then I'm on the first possible flight over there, assorted quarantine and covid test rules permitting. But still no idea when that will be.

Holding off on Christmas for now, waiting for things to become a bit clearer. Not sure when to pull the trigger either.

Lion in Winter

So at the moment, from the US, you can 'quarantine' with the people you are going to stay with. You only have to go to the Butlins if you come from a short list of countries that the UK has deemed more dangerous. Having said that, I'm not sure that quarantining wtih and causing possible risk to my nearest and dearest is exactly the way I want to go.

lizzyq

Given my mum and I will both be fully vaccinated by the time I get to visit I don't think quarantining with her would be excessively risky, but obviously the various requirements can be changed quickly by those "in charge" dependent upon prevailing conditions.

Lion in Winter

Yes, once all parties are vaccinated it's about as good as it gets and I would then be comfortable visiting them. My son and girlfriend are obviously in the last vaccine priority group, being young and healthy. Sister and BIL have had theirs.

Russet

I think that route is still not back in service and I cant see any expected date to resume.

Nutek

i can’t see me trying to go anywhere for at least another 6 months. Probably longer.

joto

I would love to visit the in-laws for Christmas, as we will all have our 2nd vacs by then, but there is no guarantee that other folks on the plane would have had any vaccines or tests. Or even if the seats, tray table etc, had been sanitised. We will hold off until summer 2022. I would just keep looking at flights and fares for the time you want to go, and the covid situation, both here and there.