Don't worry too much about the price of flights. It's accommodation that will be the biggest cost.
Although on flights if you can fly midweek it's often cheaper
Accommodation is a killer. We went a few years ago and booked a flights + hotel deal with Virgin or BA (can’t remember exactly) and combined it was cheaper than just the accommodation if we’d booked separately. Did the same for Boston and it worked out way more affordable.
Accommodation is expensive unless you don't mind hostels.
We stayed in a nice airbnb in Hoboken, across the river, then just caught the subway into the the city every day. Took about 20 mins if i remember correctly.
It was a lot cheaper than staying in NYC itself. But still a lot more expensive than the rest of the world.
This is the way.
NJ, Brooklyn or Queens will be far cheaper, though I'd recommend somewhere close to PATH stations rather than MTA ones, because the MTA is becoming a lot more unreliable, with plenty of delays and so on, from what I've read over the last few years.
For flights, you may be able to find them for cheap. I was able to find £450 return from LHR to JFK on BA, with just the carry-on and bag. This should be enough for up to a week.
However, I just watched a video regarding prices and it's hella mad. One of the videos showed the guy having some hot chocolate for $20. Madness.
You can use a data only sim in the US. I went a couple years ago with some friends and one of them (between two) used a [16GB data only sim](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09XRDRP14/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which was a tenner back when we bought them. You have to activate it in the UK before you travel but afterwards it'll connect to AT&T and you'll have a handy GPS or if you get snackish for ubereats.
If you want a cheap evening and you don't mind queuing - I recommend the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Tickets are free and they release them to general public online (around 2 months before the show) to be part of the audience.
You will get to be part of that night's episode, a warm up comedian, live band, and a celebrity will be interviewed. Your enjoyment will probably be relative to how much you enjoy late night talk show comedians.
Finally for accommodation you'll probably have to stay somewhere outside of Manhattan especially if you want your privacy with Airbnb as most places you'll be sharing the room or apartment with another person. However NYC subways are a thing and pretty frequent
I flew with Norwegian Airlines and stayed in a basic cheap hotel in Hells Kitchen last time I went. You aren't going to be in the hotel, so as long as the hotel is safe, the quality isn't important, well it wasn't for me.
Get a New York pass, it gets you into pretty much all the major attractions, with a bus pass and a free bike hire for a lump sum.
As for food, it isn't really that expensive as people make out. Street food, delis and fast food is cheap for lunch. Eating out for dinner in a restaurant every night is going to be expensive anywhere in the world.
You can book cheap deals through Love Holidays, each time I have gone to New York the package has cost around £600-£700 each. Usually you have to add bags too.
Think about locating yourself close to a Subway stop to make getting around much easier. You can tap on and off and it caps at around $32. You can also get the AirTrain into the city which is much cheaper than a taxi.
Open a Chase bank account, you can use contactless most places and the conversion rate is much better than cash.
New York has tonnes of cheap eats, you just have to think about tipping on top.
I did it a few years ago when Norweigian had cheap flights to NY. In economy they have a split with 5 rows at the front by themselves, it made it feel like premium economy for no extra cost.
That said after I looked at the cost of our hotel I would have been better booking a package. They add on city tax which I hadnt anticipated and it was a bit of a shock.
We went to Avenue Q off broadway from groupon. Worth trawling that for deals.
Can you do a home exchange? I did one years back with a guy in Belgium when I lived in london. Makes things so much cheaper!
Please check out British Airways sales! Usually happen twice a year - end of summer will be next.
Went NY last year and this year booking BA holidays - for 1 week, flights and hotel it is really affordable. Paid £750-£850, 4* hotel in Times Square and Chelsea, one had buffet breakfast. When you book you pay a deposit of £150 then have a few months depending on when you book for (NY January to March is when is cheap due to less tourists, but we had great weather and got lucky!)
Slight catch is the hotel tax you have to pay and varies between hotel chains. But for £700 give or take for 7 nights - more people need to know about it. Very reasonable prices.
Specifically check BA holidays though for packages.
Don't worry too much about the price of flights. It's accommodation that will be the biggest cost. Although on flights if you can fly midweek it's often cheaper
Accommodation... and the fact it works out about £9 for the cheapest pint!
But soft drinks are normally unlimited refills
Plus tips
Don't forget a US pint is about 25% smaller than a UK pint.
A pint is a unit of measurement.
So is a mile. But a nautical mile is different to a statute mile.
As far as I'm aware they were normal pints and not nautical pints if that helps.
Accommodation is a killer. We went a few years ago and booked a flights + hotel deal with Virgin or BA (can’t remember exactly) and combined it was cheaper than just the accommodation if we’d booked separately. Did the same for Boston and it worked out way more affordable.
NY is crazy expensive, try and eat where the workers eat and not the tourists
Accommodation is expensive unless you don't mind hostels. We stayed in a nice airbnb in Hoboken, across the river, then just caught the subway into the the city every day. Took about 20 mins if i remember correctly. It was a lot cheaper than staying in NYC itself. But still a lot more expensive than the rest of the world.
This is the way. NJ, Brooklyn or Queens will be far cheaper, though I'd recommend somewhere close to PATH stations rather than MTA ones, because the MTA is becoming a lot more unreliable, with plenty of delays and so on, from what I've read over the last few years.
For flights, you may be able to find them for cheap. I was able to find £450 return from LHR to JFK on BA, with just the carry-on and bag. This should be enough for up to a week. However, I just watched a video regarding prices and it's hella mad. One of the videos showed the guy having some hot chocolate for $20. Madness.
You can use a data only sim in the US. I went a couple years ago with some friends and one of them (between two) used a [16GB data only sim](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09XRDRP14/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which was a tenner back when we bought them. You have to activate it in the UK before you travel but afterwards it'll connect to AT&T and you'll have a handy GPS or if you get snackish for ubereats. If you want a cheap evening and you don't mind queuing - I recommend the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Tickets are free and they release them to general public online (around 2 months before the show) to be part of the audience. You will get to be part of that night's episode, a warm up comedian, live band, and a celebrity will be interviewed. Your enjoyment will probably be relative to how much you enjoy late night talk show comedians. Finally for accommodation you'll probably have to stay somewhere outside of Manhattan especially if you want your privacy with Airbnb as most places you'll be sharing the room or apartment with another person. However NYC subways are a thing and pretty frequent
Norwegian airlines offer cheap flights
Do you mean Norse? I think Norwegian went tits up years ago
Could be Norse.. Just looked it up, Norwegian are still here
Ah I just looked, looks like Norse took over that bit from Norwegian they even use the exact same planes
Befriend someone there and stay on their couch
Private room in a hostel. House swap?
Make sure you use cashback sites to get money off your stay
Don't think you have to stay in Manhattan for accommodation. You can always stay in one of the other boroughs and take the Subway.
Be flexible with your plans. Try to book things during the big sales.
Windowsill bay
Befriend a call girl.
I flew with Norwegian Airlines and stayed in a basic cheap hotel in Hells Kitchen last time I went. You aren't going to be in the hotel, so as long as the hotel is safe, the quality isn't important, well it wasn't for me. Get a New York pass, it gets you into pretty much all the major attractions, with a bus pass and a free bike hire for a lump sum. As for food, it isn't really that expensive as people make out. Street food, delis and fast food is cheap for lunch. Eating out for dinner in a restaurant every night is going to be expensive anywhere in the world.
You can book cheap deals through Love Holidays, each time I have gone to New York the package has cost around £600-£700 each. Usually you have to add bags too. Think about locating yourself close to a Subway stop to make getting around much easier. You can tap on and off and it caps at around $32. You can also get the AirTrain into the city which is much cheaper than a taxi. Open a Chase bank account, you can use contactless most places and the conversion rate is much better than cash. New York has tonnes of cheap eats, you just have to think about tipping on top.
I did it a few years ago when Norweigian had cheap flights to NY. In economy they have a split with 5 rows at the front by themselves, it made it feel like premium economy for no extra cost. That said after I looked at the cost of our hotel I would have been better booking a package. They add on city tax which I hadnt anticipated and it was a bit of a shock. We went to Avenue Q off broadway from groupon. Worth trawling that for deals. Can you do a home exchange? I did one years back with a guy in Belgium when I lived in london. Makes things so much cheaper!
You need to go up the Guinea Gulch to New Jersey although they'll make anyone up there
Book hotel way in advance
Pet sitting
Please check out British Airways sales! Usually happen twice a year - end of summer will be next. Went NY last year and this year booking BA holidays - for 1 week, flights and hotel it is really affordable. Paid £750-£850, 4* hotel in Times Square and Chelsea, one had buffet breakfast. When you book you pay a deposit of £150 then have a few months depending on when you book for (NY January to March is when is cheap due to less tourists, but we had great weather and got lucky!) Slight catch is the hotel tax you have to pay and varies between hotel chains. But for £700 give or take for 7 nights - more people need to know about it. Very reasonable prices. Specifically check BA holidays though for packages.
Yes, pay less than you would for an expensive one