Some Great Bargains in Great Britain

There is no doubt that air fares are rising; no one could have expected the bargain-basement rates that followed the events of Sept. 11 to remain forever.

But Britain so far remains immune to the rising trend. Still hurting from the downturn in tourism caused by last year’s outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, reeling from the post-September decline in transatlantic traffic and fearful of an ongoing economic slowdown, British tourism interests continue to run scared. The proof is in the prices for air-and-land packages to Britain in the coming months.

Take London, the perennial budget buster when it comes to Old World holidays. For nearly a month to come, a full week in this bustling capital has been locked in by two tour operators at $399 per person, with six nights’ hotel and air fare from Boston, Newark or New York. That’s the going rate if you book with Gate 1 Travel, www.gate1travel.com or (800) 682-3333, or Go-Today, www.go-today.com.

Gate 1 and Go-Today remain steady at that price through March 25. (Gate 1 services New York City at this rate, but the add-on for Los Angeles can be as low as $136.) Go-Today increases its offer to $599 from New York between April 1 and June 12, and it offers reasonably priced add-on fares for many cities; you’ll pay $150 extra to fly from Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego. Gate 1’s price from New York in April will be $579.

The cost with Virgin Atlantic Vacations (www.virginatlanticvacations.com) is a bit higher, $729 from Los Angeles for travel through March 25 and $869 for travel March 26 through June 15.

(In Virgin’s defense, it includes more freebies in its packages, offering a one-day guided bus tour, a pub pass good for one lunch and a slew of coupons. This is in addition to the round-trip airport transfers and daily breakfast that all companies offer.)

What about other destinations in the British Isles? They too remain inexpensive. Travelers to Ireland should check out Sceptre Ireland, (800) 221-0924 or www.sceptreireland.com, for its unbeatable rates, barely inflated from winter.

Sceptre’s Emerald Package flies travelers from Los Angeles or San Francisco, puts them up for five nights in farmhouse B&Bs; (besides placing them for the first night in a hotel, for a total of six) and hands over the keys to a rental car for $699. That’s the rate from now through March 31; it’s $739 from April 1 until May 31.

A full Irish breakfast is included in the price.

Sceptre also offers an alternative package that permits you to spend one of your nights in a genuine castle, known as Dromoland. From the West Coast the Emerald Castle package costs $799 from now until March 31, and $939 from May 1 to May 31.

(There is no availability at the castle in April, so the five-star Adare Manor is substituted at a cost of $839 per week.)

Note that all prices are per person, based on two people traveling and staying together.

Single room supplement: about $200. Taxes and government security charges and fees: $110 per person.