Get more out of your holiday budget with our practical guide
Vacation planning takes a lot of skill to keep spending under control. With that in mind, here’s our guide to making sure you don’t overpay…
BE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS
Flight search sites such as Skyscanner or Google Flights will show you the cheapest destinations from the nearest airport. You never know what you’ll notice.
BUY FLIGHT TICKETS EARLY
Get the best prices by being quick. Airlines usually release tickets about a year before departure, but some airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet have shorter pre-booking periods.
BEST TRAVEL DAY
According to the travel comparison portal travelsupermarket.com, plane tickets for flights to Europe are the cheapest on Tuesday. Many business travelers prefer to fly on Monday and return on Friday, so the cheapest weekend break is often Thursday to Tuesday.
TRANSATLANTIC FOR LESS
Budget airlines such as Norse and Play have made fares to the US more competitive
Fares for flights to the US are quite competitive, especially to New York (from around £300 return), thanks to new low-cost airlines such as Norse (flynorse.com) and Play (flyplay.com). There is also JetBlue (jetblue.com), BA (britishairways.com) and Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com).
EUROSTAR HACK
It is best to book Eurostar tickets as soon as they are available. Most are published on eurostar.com 180 days before departure.
CURRENCY CONTROL
Sterling is performing well year-on-year against the Turkish Lira (+23 percent), the Egyptian Pound (30 percent), the Swedish Krona (4 percent), the Japanese Yen (4 percent) and the Hungarian Forint (3 percent). See changes on xe.com. And never buy foreign currency at the airport.
GO ALL INCLUSIVE
With the pound fluctuating against some currencies, booking an all-inclusive holiday makes more sense than ever. Try tui.co.uk, thomascook.com and jet2holidays.com.
GET MORE MONEY ADVICE
Every year Post Office Travel Money publishes a report on overseas resort expenses. Marmaris in Turkey was the cheapest last, followed by Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, the Algarve in Portugal and Cape Town in South Africa.
TAKE A TOUR
Signing up for a guided tour can be 25 percent cheaper than creating your own, as operators receive discounts on accommodation, attractions and tours. Find out about the latest offers from group specialists newmarketholidays.co.uk, titantravel.co.uk and travel.saga.co.uk.
TRY A TRAVEL AGENCY
Travel agents on the street can sometimes offer cheaper deals
Travel agents rarely get a peek these days. But see if a high street agent like barrheadtravel.co.uk, trailfinders.com, flightcentre.co.uk and haystravel.co.uk can do it cheaper. It might surprise you…
BEST VALUE MONTHS
November and January are the best months for bargain hunters. “There are great discounts on offer,” says Brian Young, general manager of G Adventures (gadventures.com).
AVOID THE SUMMER
Go during the “shoulder months” and stay away from June to August. May and September are best for sun and low prices.
BOOK HOTELS DIRECT
Hotel websites often offer lower prices than general booking sites, so always check with the hotel. Compare this to bookings.com and hotels.com.
stay on a sunday
If you want to stay in the UK for a few days, try to stay on Sunday nights when rates can be as high as 50 percent.
SIGN UP FOR OFFERS
Free membership-based websites have sprung up that offer fill-in flash sales for Mediterranean vacation packages and hotel stays. See travelzoo.com, secretescapes.com, holidaypirates.com and voyage-prive.co.uk.
LAST MINUTE DEPARTURES
If you’re brave enough to wait until the last minute, many tour operators offer deals of up to 60 percent off the original price — and 20 to 30 percent in the weeks before departure. TUI (tui.co.uk) is great for this.
BIG CITY PRICES
Cities popular for business travel, such as Milan, Frankfurt, Munich and Luxembourg City, often have cheaper hotel rates on weekends. Many European cities also offer “City Cards” with discounts on attractions and transport that can be purchased in advance. Lisbon has 24-hour tickets costing from £17.45 (shop.visitlisboa.com).
DISCOUNT FOR HOLIDAY HOME
If you are bringing a large group of friends or family, wait until a month before you travel to book. Discounts of 40 percent on holiday homes in Great Britain are possible. Try byquince.co.uk, vrbo.com or cottages.com.
CHEAP EUROPEAN TRAINS
On a rail adventure in Europe, avoid high-speed trains and opt for cheaper regional trains, especially on Wednesdays or Sundays. See fredholidays.co.uk, seat61.com, thetrainline.com and raileurope.com.
LONG ADVENTURES
Save on your heating bills by getting somewhere in the sun for a month or more. You may stay in the EU for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Jet2holidays.com offers 55 nights Ourapraia Hotel Apartments in the Algarve from £1,612 per person, with flights to Stansted on 10 February.
YOU CAN FIND MORE TIPS ONLINE
Check out our cheap city guides for short-haul destinations with rooms under £100 a night at dailymail.co.uk/travel.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
