Getting discounted fares takes some effort and patience, however you can be well rewarded with some of the lowest priced air fares available.

Not all airlines offer the same levels of service, it can be worth paying a little extra if you consider the complications of ash clouds and air traffic controller strikes.

The cheapest of the low cost airlines are basically glorified bus services of the air. If circumstances mean that it is not possible to fly, then the flights will be cancelled. When circumstances change, flights will resume, and you can re-book, but the passengers already booked on the flights that then start going will get priority not the passengers who have been waiting longest.

Not all of the so called "Full Service" airlines have come out of recent issues unscathed where passenger service is concerned, and it is a perfectly valid consideration when booking long haul flights with children to wonder how you will cope given changing weather patterns causing unexpected situations unseen for 100 years. For me on this basis my favourite airline to New York has to be Virgin Atlantic, no Richard Branson does not control all the volcanoes in Iceland, but if those volcanoes are going to interfere with your travel plans he will do his best to keep you on course, put that with a grown up policy on hand luggage and surcharges, well, not always cheapest in pounds sterling, but, for many people well worth paying for and not the most expensive by a long way.

London to New York is the blue ribbon route of all major airlines and it is well worth checking out the cost of various airlines from different airports. Airlines pay different fees to land and take off from different airports, there are also variations because of time of day, the most popular slots cost more, less welcome slots could be cheaper. Both London and New York are served by several airports with many carriers, your personal travel to and from the airport can make all the difference to convenience.

Travel Insurance is a boring subject – if you don’t need it. But when you are about to set off across the Atlantic you need travel insurance for two main reasons

Firstly if the flight doesn’t go as planned, you are covered, hotel costs will be met, you may well get a helpline for rebooking

Second and the really big reason, on the other side of the Atlantic your home medical cover doesn’t cover you anymore. Of course it is unlikely that anything will happen (that's why insurance is so cheap) but, if something does go wrong and you need hospital treatment the cost can be horrendous - thousands - special flights home - thousands more.

Are you taking dependants with you? Get Insurance. Really. Get travel Insurance.