This column has tended to favour economy travel in the past - partly because it has never had the pleasure of sinking into a business or first class seat. (If anyone at BA is reading this, of course, I have no particular objection to an upgrade). However, given the worries over DVT and falling transatlantic fares, I decided to see how much flying to New York in comfort would cost for a four-day trip leaving on May 16. The answer, I fear, is at least 10 times as much.
expedia.co.uk
£2,023
This week's winner - the airline is Continental.
flynow.com
£2,150.50
Also on Continental. If your dates are flexible, the Specials area of the site usually has some very good value business fares - at the time of writing, Johannesburg for £1,135 and Dubai for £928.
ebookers.com
£2,814
Now Ebookers has got rid of its old-fashioned search (which showed you flights that were already booked), the site is much improved. These flights are with Air India.
opodo.co.uk
£2,901
Air India again. Not much to choose between Opodo and ...
travelocity.co.uk
£2,901.50
Also on Air India.
unitedairlines.co.uk
£3,373
A fairly high price for an inflexible fare. Still, perhaps it's because Condé Nast Traveller readers have just voted United their favourite long-haul business airline. Or maybe it's the Starbucks coffee and Godiva chocolates.
britishairways.com
£3,524.50
Expensive, but you do enjoy the famously flat 6ft beds in club class. Not to mention the faux cashmere blankets, Molton Brown cosmetics and the "Raid the Larder" service.
aa.com
£3,641
Good choice of flight times for the same price.
virginatlantic.co.uk
£3,905 on Upper Class
This is more than most but then Virgin's Upper Class, with its beauticians and on-board bars, and loads of space is reckoned by many to be first class at a near business-class price.
lastminute.com
Quite how Lastminute recently managed to acquire its millionth customer,I'm not quite sure. Last time I reviewed their flight search, it worked adequately - just as long as you didn't mind when you returned. This time, the choices are much better. But there was still a "problem with the connection to the airlines". A later search reloaded the same page for four minutes.
britishairways.com/concorde
£7,860.50
On Concorde. Breaking the sound barrier and, for most, the bank.
cunard.com
From £999, including a hotel room and a one-way economy ticket from New York back to London
You don't have to fly to New York: you could take the QE2. Leaving on May 18 from Southampton would mean you arrived in New York six days later. In fact, if you really want to sail one way and fly Concorde home, this is the way to afford it: an upgrade is an extra £2,295.
Ros Taylor
ros.taylor@theguardian.com
