Cut-price trips on Concorde are being offered by British Airways as the spearhead of an aggressive pricing campaign that has thrown up a variety of cheap fares to New York this winter.

Air Miles, which is owned by British Airways, is offering subscribers a one-way flight to or from New York on Concorde for 999 miles plus £999. This compares with one-way Concorde fares from £2,192 to £4,105 in early January on BA's website and with the normal requirement of 27,200 air miles for a Concorde trip.

The Air Miles offer applies to flights between January 1 and March 31 and must be booked by January 31. Taxes of £49 must be added and the outward or return journey must be booked on BA using miles, part miles or cash. Fares for these start at 300 miles plus £60.

Concorde is reported to be running as little as 50% full since its return to service after safety modifications following the Paris crash in July 2000. And New York is still suffering from the fall in the number of visitors since the September 11 terrorist attacks last year.

Cheap economy fares are also available to New York. BA's website this week had return fares in early January for £166 plus £64 including taxes. Ebookers is offering BA flights at £134 plus taxes, while Trailfinders offers BA flights up to March 31 from £150 plus taxes. Both agencies have lower prices on BA than on its main trans-atlantic rivals, American and United.

Value Concorde flights are also being promoted through some travel companies. Kirker Holidays is offering three nights at the four-star Sofitel in New York with a Concorde flight out and a World Traveller Plus return for £2,559 up to March 31. Over the same period, ITC Classics has four nights at the St Regis for £2,693 with a Concorde flight out and economy return.

News, What's hot and Book ahead are compiled by Desmond Balmer, balmerdesmond@aol.com