Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

I was hoping to try meet up with my sister in malaga spain who is planning aa fortnight there on a package deal. Flight hotel included from uk. It seems over here trips are a la carte where you pick a flight and hotel separately. Far More expensive (hotels) and when i attempted to arrange this from the us a year in advance it appeared that the rooms were all booked for european tour companies. I just want to be in same hotel!

Any suggestions? All i can think is fly to uk then take the package from there to spain!

Dont you miss those old london 'bucket shop' deals in the 70s?! I got to Morocco with one for 50 quid 2 weeks hotel food and side trips. Absurd! No idea how they made profit! I realise they r long gone!

Thanks. (Looking at nyc airports to malaga in january.)

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

As you're likely to have to change planes to reach the airport convenient to the hotel in Spain anyway, I'd just do what you suggested and fly to London and take a UK package deal.

The closest the US seems to come to UK-style package holidays is the resort holiday deal with discounted flight added on, with the resort being anywhere from South Carolina to Aruba, and west to Acapulco or Cabo San Lucas.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

Old school travel agent perhaps? There must be a market for it some how, as there's a Brazilian agent in town that does it for families coming here on visits.

Saying that, maybe not, as he just closed up shop this week but the strip mall is being levelled for a new build, so who knows.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

I don't know about Spain particularly, but I see deals all the time for all-inclusive vacations to exotic locales. Like China, with all flights, most meals, a few tours and sometimes even a 4-night river cruise included for under $1000!

I've seen plenty for South America, Thailand, etc., and Australia/New Zealand too.

It's all down to where you look.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

Kayak.com, expedia.com and hotwire.com will all offer package deals from where I live (Austin, Tx) to Malaga. I searched for June 17th departure for 10 nights. They were mostly about $1700 inclusive of flights/hotel/taxes. However, there were only a few rooms left.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

Shameful plug for my company Pleasantholidays.com. We don't do too much in Europe though, just major cities.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

The only tour operator I'm aware of in the New York metro area offering package deals is

Http://www.applevacations.com

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

I did a fab holiday to Alaska with Intrepid when I lived in Virginia.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

I used to work for Apple Vacations in the Cayman Islands. What fun - when all the luggage from Chicago - Cayman flight went to Mexico and we got theirs. Could they sort it out? No - absolute nightmare. :lol:

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

Until a few weeks ago I booked all my vacations in the UK through DIY hotel brokers and flights separate. The package companies are not cheaper.
So just check out the UK hotel brokers like travel supermarket, travel republic etc.
For Spain I can recommend Monarch Airlines as one of the cheapest "scheduled". They can also tack on hotels as a package.

Re: Uk style package tour operators in us?
 

Try Thomas Cook or whoever in the UK your sister booked with for a hotel only deal and then fly to malaga via Madrid / BCN or whereever is cheap....

It would probably save you the change of airports in London that might be required with a UK tour package.

Also quite often I find those types of hotels on booking.com as well - they seem to have a good selection of the non chain hotels in Europe.

Also - why not just call her hotel and see if they will do a hotel only deal. I've done it many times where we've turned up at Malaga and just need a couple of nights rather than the full inclusive 2 week deal.