# London flight, hotel fares surge ahead of Queen’s funeral Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-13 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: London hotel prices soar ahead of Queen Elizabeth's Meta Description: Hotel prices in London are skyrocketing as tourists flock for Queen Elizabeth's funeral, providing relief amid economic challenges. Book now! URL: https://financedigest.com/london-flight-hotel-fares-surge-ahead-of-queens-funeralhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-09-13t132936z2lynxmpei8c0rwrtroptp4britain-airport-1736815223844-compressed.jpg) By Muhammed Husain and Chandini Monnappa (Reuters) – Hotel prices in London and airfares to the British capital are soaring as hundreds of thousands of people flock there ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday, potentially providing some respite to the city’s tourism business amid economic woes. The death of the queen, 96, on Sept. 8 ended a 70-year run on the throne that made her Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and one of the [world’s most recognisable faces as the only British monarch most living](https://www.financedigest.com/cheapest-countries-to-live-in-the-world.html "Cheapest countries to live in the world") people have ever known. Since the announcement of her death, the [average rate for a hotel in London increased](https://www.financedigest.com/taylor-wimpey-espana-remain-cautiously-optimistic-as-average-selling-price-increases-by-20-4.html "Taylor Wimpey España ‘remain cautiously optimistic’ as average selling price increases by 20.4%") to $384 per night from $244 per night, according to Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel startup Hopper. The rush for accommodation comes as members of the public visit the capital to [pay their respects](https://www.financedigest.com/some-russians-mourn-queen-elizabeth-with-flowers-as-kremlin-pays-respects.html "Some Russians mourn Queen Elizabeth with flowers as Kremlin pays respects") and foreign delegations arrive for the funeral on Sept. 19, with authorities preparing for a huge turnout. Hundreds of thousands of [people are expected to file past her coffin in a round-the-clock lying-in-state from Wednesday evening to early on the day](https://www.financedigest.com/over-a-third-of-uk-people-think-thomas-whitmore-from-independence-day-will-be-joined-by-donald-trump-in-disneys-hall-of-presidents.html "Over a third of UK people think Thomas Whitmore from Independence Day will be joined by Donald Trump in Disney’s Hall of Presidents") of her funeral. High-end hotels – Claridge’s, the Connaught, The Dorchester, and the Berkeley in the upmarket Mayfair district – were sold out for Sunday night, their websites showed. Rates had breached 1,200 pounds ($1,388) for a five-star [hotel on Monday and were expected to double in the next five days as the city’s hotel system reaches](https://www.financedigest.com/trump-reaches-375m-deal-to-sell-dc-hotel-wsj.html "Trump reaches 5M deal to sell DC hotel – WSJ") 95% occupancy levels, HotelPlanner said. More than 60% of travellers were foreign visitors, it added. Standard hotel chains have also been inundated. More than a dozen hotels [operated by Premier Inn owner](https://www.financedigest.com/ikea-stores-owner-ingkas-annual-operating-profit-rises-9.html "IKEA stores owner Ingka’s annual operating profit rises 9%") Whitbread in the city centre were booked out, a Reuters search showed. Travelodge, which has 78 hotels in the capital said it had seen a surge in booking from all corners of the UK. POST-PANDEMIC TRAVEL Average [prices for a return flight from the United States to London](https://www.financedigest.com/immediate-lift-of-oxford-property-prices-to-result-from-new-direct-high-speed-rail-connection-with-london.html "“Immediate lift” of Oxford property prices to result from new direct high speed rail connection with London") leaving on Sept. 15, 16 and 17 were $1,120, $1,054 and $967, respectively, Hopper’s data showed. That compares with an average price for a transatlantic round trip of $710. Increased travel as pandemic restrictions eased have [boosted hotel rates to record](https://www.financedigest.com/recruiter-hays-boosted-by-record-net-fees-but-cautious-on-outlook.html "Recruiter Hays boosted by record net fees, but cautious on outlook") levels this summer, data from analytics firm STR showed. Britons also spent heavily on [celebrations to commemorate Elizabeth’s](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html "UK’s Prince Harry and wife Meghan will attend celebrations for Queen Elizabeth") Platinum Jubilee over a four-day weekend in June. A weaker pound is also attracting people from abroad and the influx may provide a boost to restaurants, pubs and museums still recovering from the pandemic and as [record levels of inflation](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-shop-price-inflation-hits-record-8-in-january-brc-2.html "UK shop price inflation hits record 8% in January: BRC") bite. It’s too early to estimate how [big an impact](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-could-hike-rates-in-2023-if-inflation-risks-have-big-impact-cenbank.html "Russia could hike rates in 2023 if inflation risks have big impact -cenbank") it may have. Most businesses will likely be shut on Monday, which has been declared a public holiday, limiting the [benefit for the hospitality and tourism sector](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-tourism-sector-already-reaping-the-benefits-of-brexit.html "UK TOURISM SECTOR ALREADY REAPING THE BENEFITS OF BREXIT"), said Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. Still, many will be able to make up for it, as most of them did in June after the extra holiday for the Jubilee and similar events in the past had minimal impact on [consumers’ confidence](https://www.financedigest.com/weary-wall-street-cheers-improved-consumer-confidence.html "Weary Wall Street cheers improved consumer confidence") and their spending decisions, he said. For now, Pantheon is [expecting a 0.2% hit](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-dominos-expects-tech-investments-to-hit-2023-profit.html "UK’s Domino’s expects tech investments to hit 2023 profit") to September GDP levels from the funeral. ($1 = 0.8647 pound) [(Reporting by Muhammed Husain and Chandini Monappa in Bengaluru, Additional reporting by William Schomberg in London; Writing by Pushkala Aripaka, Editing by Josephine Mason and Jonathan Oatis)](https://www.financedigest.com/london-reclaims-place-as-preeminent-global-financial-centre-for-the-first-time-since-2013-according-to-global-regulatory-outlook-report-from-duff-phelps.html "London reclaims place as preeminent global financial centre for the first time since 2013, according to Global Regulatory Outlook report from Duff & Phelps") --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---