Virgin Atlantic Los Angeles to London for February and March departure dates is as low as $766 round trip. That is not a particularly low fare to Europe, but it is a good deal for nonstop flights to London from LAX.
Norwegian Airlines also flies nonstop to London Gatwick for as low as $500 to $600 round trip. WOW Air also has sub-$600 fares to London via Iceland.
The Virgin Atlantic deal here is London to Los Angeles is only $591 round trip.
This post shows how two round trip tickets can be purchased for a winter trip to London and a summer trip to London at a price far lower than two tickets originating from Los Angeles LAX for the same trip dates.
Hacker Fare: Virgin Atlantic nested tickets save $318 for two Los Angeles – London LHR winter and summer trips.
Nested tickets are when you buy one round trip ticket to a destination like London and then buy a second round trip ticket from London back to the starting airport. Nested tickets violate fare rules if the two tickets avoid minimum stay requirements.
Tip: Do not buy nested tickets that violate minimum stay requirements.
Virgin Atlantic Los Angeles to London LHR (nonstop flight)
Sunday February 28 – Thursday July 21
$783.46 round trip
Fare Conditions:
Los Angeles > London
Advanced reservation / ticketing
Reservations for all sectors are required at least 28 days before departure. Ticketing must be completed within 72 hours after reservations are made or at least 28 days before departure whichever is earlier.
Minimum stay
Travel from inbound transatlantic sector must commence no earlier than 7 days after departure of the outbound transatlantic sector.
Maximum stay
Travel from last stopover must commence no later than 12 months after departure from fare origin.
Virgin Atlantic LHR – LAX $586 round trip
Airlines do not allow nested tickets when they are used to violate the minimum stay requirement. This means you can’t fly back from London LHR until Sunday March 6 to meet the minimum 7 days restriction.
If you purchase a Virgin Atlantic $586 LHR-LAX round trip ticket departing on Thursday, March 3, then you have circumvented the minimum stay requirement with nested ticketing.
Ticket #1: $783 Virgin Atlantic LAX-LHR Sunday Feb 28 – Thu July 21
Ticket #2: $591 Virgin Atlantic LHR-LAX Thursday Mar 3 – Thursday March 10.
Total Ticket Price: $1,374
These nested tickets circumvent the minimum 7 day stay requirement for ticket #1. Airlines bust you for this since the combined fares are considered throwaway ticketing to avoid paying the $2,041 round trip fare to fly Virgin Atlantic LAX-LHR Feb 28-Marc 3.
These Virgin Atlantic low fares require a minimum 7-day stay or Saturday night before return flight. Fares are far higher for short mid-week trips.
Nested Tickets for one winter and one summer cheap trips to London
The hacker strategy for nested tickets to get cheaper winter and summer trips should be planned to not violate minimum stay requirements for either ticket.
Virgin Atlantic Los Angeles to London LHR (nonstop flight)
Sunday February 28 – Thursday July 21
$783.46 round trip
Virgin Atlantic London LHR to Los Angeles LAX (nonstop flights)
Tuesday March 8 – Thursday July 14
$415.35 GBP round trip = $590.78 USD
London > Los Angeles
Advanced reservation / ticketing
Reservations for all sectors are required at least 28 days before departure. Ticketing must be completed within 14 days after reservations are made.
Minimum stay
Must include a Saturday night stay.
Maximum stay
Travel from last international stopover must commence no later than 12 months after departure of the first international sector.
Two Tickets for Two trips to London in Winter and Summer
- Ticket #1 outbound: LAX – LHR Sunday February 28
- Ticket #2 outbound: LHR – LAX Tuesday March 8
- Ticket #2 inbound: LAX – LHR Thursday July 14
- Ticket #1 inbound: LHR – LAX Thursday July 21
- Total Ticket Price = $783.46 + $590.78 = $1,374.24
- Average ticket price = $687.12
Ticket #2 is nested within ticket #1 and the minimum stay requirements for both tickets are met.
Compare this to the price of two round trip tickets LAX-LHR in February and July 2016.
Virgin Atlantic has the lowest fare for July travel today.
Virgin Atlantic Los Angeles LAX – London LHR
$909 round trip Thursday July 14 – Thursday July 21
$909 July ticket + $783 Feb ticket = $1,692 for two tickets originating from LAX.
Two nested tickets reduce the fare for two trips to London down to $1,374 for $318 savings.
Loyalty Traveler Disclosure: Buyer Beware.
I have purchased several round trip tickets originating in Europe for multiple trips in the past year for far lower fares than tickets originating in the USA. I have not personally attempted this kind of nested ticketing with the same airline to the same airports.
It seems to me this strategy does not violate the fare conditions as long as the nested tickets do not circumvent the minimum stay requirements for the fares. Please chime in if you think this nested ticketing strategy is not allowed.
There is also the option of booking the LAX-LHR ticket as a Delta codeshare for Virgin Atlantic flights at the same price.
Loyalty Traveler curated Airfare Deals and Google Flights and Kayak Explore tutorials.
