Flightswise, are there any cheap airlines, like a UK equivalent of Ryanair? I've been googling and found Jetblue but for a 2-hour flight between Austin and Long Beach, it's still over £200...(ha, not USD). Nightmare.

Air fares in the USA are generally pricier than Europe. You just need to shop around, be flexible and take advantage of as many promotions as you can.

Thanks I'm not living there yet but should be this time next year all being well. Just checking how shut off from EVERYWHERE I will be in Austin!

Austin isn't too bad really, although you will need a car to get out of the city. Transport to other cities such as Dallas or San Antonio is fairly easy along I-35, but likely to be an ordeal by train or bus. I think there is only one or two Amtrak trains a day.

Bergstrom airport is a hub for SouthWest Airlines and they're about as close to Ryanair as you'll get for a US carrier:

http://www.southwest.com/

Buses are the cheap way to travel in the US. I don't know anything about Texas and other distant parts but here in the northeast we have various Chinese bus routes etc. here's just one example http://www.fungwahbus.com/

Cheap buses more generally.. http://studenttravel.about.com/od/greyhoundstudenttravel/qt/cheap_buses.htm

Stay the hell away from Chinese Bus Companies. most of them have atrocious safety records and for the most part have drivers who cannot speak English.

Look at the likes of;

Megabus - Owned by Scottish Transport Group, Stagecoach
Bolt Bus - A subsidiary of Greyhound and owned by Scottish Transport Group, Firstgroup
Greyhound - as above.

To check the safety record of a Truck or Bus operator, go to;

http://www.safersys.org

and enter the operator's name in the search engine.

For low airfare options, look up Kayak.com or Orbitz.com. Beware, some of these "low-cost" airlines are now charging $45 for carry-on items, in addition to the standard checked baggage fee.

Jim.

Just going to say the same about the Chinese bus companies. No end of them are involved in accidents en route to Atlantic City.

Prices vary A LOT for the same route! My husband flies every week to various places, currently its from Orlando (MCO) to New York (JFK) and he has paid $84-$500+ for the same flight!!! That is the one-way price btw. As someone suggested he quite often finds he can book the flight cheaper through Kayak.

I am hoping he has enough points saved up for free flights for us (2 adults, 3 kids) to go somewhere in the summer

Vicki

Man, that sounds awful, I will avoid those! BTW, I'm from Yorkshire too - Wakefield born and bred!!

We lived in East Ardsley for 8 years

Sheffield.

Short flights are usually a problem getting a good price unless you are very flexible and search very hard but long flights generally have very good deals. For example, round trip flights from the west coast to the east coast can normally be found in the $200 range but either coast to the midwest would likely be in the $400 range and short flights (less than a 1,000 miles) would likely be in the $200-$300 range.

Flight prices here suck. When I first came over I bought a return trip from the UK and so had to think months in advance about when my next trip to the UK would be. Eventually got fed up of doing it and bought a one way ticket so I could buy a return trip from the US. Was shocked when the price increased by more than 50% for exactly the same trip, just starting in the US rather than the UK!!! It's a shocker.

It all depends on where you want to fly to and from. In some markets, you can get a good deal - in others.....you are well and truly up sh*t creek without a paddle.

Jim.

Not just different due to starting in the US, though? Was it also for different dates?