What is the best way to get to Seattle from the London area? I am planning to visit in September and I am looking for the cheapest way to get there. - Jeremy Golding, Colchester

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: British Airways (0844 493 0787, www.ba.com) is the only airline that flies non-stop from the UK, but fares in September are a hefty £668 return.

However, if you don¹t mind a change of planes on the way, then you can easily get that outlay down to a much more manageable £330, using a US carrier. For example, Northwest Airlines (book through KLM on 0871 222 7740, or visit www.nwa.com) has a fare from Heathrow for £333, routing via Minneapolis, Delta Air Lines (0845 600 0950, www.delta.com) charges from the same, from Heathrow via New York. Incidentally, Delta and Northwest are in the process of merging to form one airline, and while the process still has a long way to go, already you might find you are on the plane of either airline, regardless of which one you booked with.

Next up is Continental (0845 607 6760, www.continental.com/uk), which has fares from £348 from Heathrow to Seattle via either New York or Houston, and US Airways (0845 600 3300, www.usairways.co.uk), with fares from £353 and connections from Heathrow to Seattle via Philadelphia or Charlotte.

Or if you are feeling adventurous, you can combine a stopover in Iceland with your Seattle stay, using Icelandair¹s (0 844 811 1190, www.icelandair.co.uk) new service from Reykjavik. Connections work four days per week in each direction, through the airline¹s pleasantly bijou hub airport in Iceland, and fares are from about £500. The airfare is the same whether you want to connect through Iceland onto the next flight, or stopover for a few days on the way out, way back, or both.

Times recommends

• Oasis of the Seas: the Times review
• The 20 best new year party places to stay
• Green Spaces 2009: are you the winning writer?