When it comes to booking your flights there are a number of options available to you. The first of these is whether you fly straight to Florida from the UK (commonly known as a direct flight) or change plane somewhere else as part of your journey (an indirect flight).

The advantage of a direct flight is that you get to your destination much more quickly. Especially when travelling with young children this can be a major advantage as you only have to get settled into your seats once.

Indirect flights often offer the advantage of being cheaper than direct flights. In this context, we’re referring to flights where you will land in another city (often elsewhere in the USA) before boarding another plane for your final flight to Orlando. Some people do like the thought of breaking the journey up and having an opportunity to stretch their legs. Additionally, you will also clear US immigration at the first US city you land in. This can also be an advantage as it means you will not have to clear immigration in Orlando which can sometimes have very long waits – again not ideal if travelling with young children.

The next option is which airport to fly from in the UK and which airport in Florida to fly to. Departures are available from all major UK airports, particularly if willing to travel indirect. Direct flights are available from Manchester, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Doncaster Sheffield, East Midlands, Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast though some may only be available at certain times of the year.

There are two airports in Orlando. Orlando International (MCO) is the main airport in Orlando and is where airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly to. Orlando Sanford (SFB) is a smaller airport located 30 miles north of Downtown Orlando and is used by charter airlines such as TUI*.

The final option is to fly to another airport in Florida. This is usually done for one of two reasons, the first is simply for a lower price. This is particularly true of flights into Miami which usually arrive direct from London Heathrow. Miami is, however, a good 4-hour drive from Orlando which can be a bit too much after a transatlantic flight. Alternatively, some people choose to fly into Tampa as it can be cheaper than Orlando and generally is much quicker to get through immigration and baggage reclaim, plus is only around an hour’s drive to Orlando.

*TUI has recently announced that it will be moving from Sanford to Orlando Melbourne (MLB) Airport from 2022. Melbourne airport is actually over 70 miles away from Orlando so this is going to be a much longer transfer.

There is one other thing to be aware of – exactly what is included in your airfare. As airlines compete to offer the cheapest price, they have started to remove some of the things they used to provide ‘for free’ and charge extra for these if you want them. This includes luggage allowances, seat selection, food and drinks, entertainment, Wi-Fi etc. So, when comparing prices just make sure that they include the same things.

One question I am often asked is how far in advance can you book your flights? Again, it depends on what you are looking to book. I am currently taking bookings for package holidays including Virgin flights two years in advance and some travel agents can offer this service. If you do take this option, please ensure that you are getting a guaranteed price as some suppliers book your seats and then come back asking for more if the flight cost is more than they expected. I will only ever book guaranteed prices for my clients. If you book a package with TUI then they announce their schedules up to around 18 months in advance. You can also book a flight only with these airlines at this point. Finally, we have scheduled airlines such as BA and Virgin. If you are looking to book a flight only with a scheduled airline, then these are released between 11 and 12 months before travel depending on the airline, this is the time that indirect possibilities will also start to become apparent.

In summary, the best option often depends on what is more important to you; getting to your destination and starting your holiday as soon as possible or trying to keep the cost down as much as possible.