Avoid these common holiday booking mistakes for a stress-free vacation
cost of going awayEven seemingly irrelevant decisions, like what day of the week you make the booking on, can make a huge difference to the cost.
With the average family spending £1,828 on flights for a nine-day holiday, according to analysis by Nimblefins, booking on the right week can save you thousands.The best time to pick up a bargain is by searching for your flights as close to midnight as possible on a Tuesday or Wednesday, according to The Parent Social’s Francesca de Franco.
Based on the average flight costs outlined above, that would be a saving of £475.28 for a family of four. In France, holiday-time bookings cost an average of £238pp more than in term time. For a couple travelling, that means you could save more than £500 by avoiding the breaks. Sarah-Jane Outten, shopping expert at MyVoucherCodes, shared her top round up of offers that are currently available:
Consider booking a summer holiday with Jet2Holidays. It is currently offering up to £240 off selected breaks. In addition to this, Jet2Holiday packages include a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. There are some free child places up for grabs too Until the 30th of June, MyVoucherCodes is giving away an exclusive £40 Amazon voucher when you spend £2100 at Virgin HolidaysMystery shoppers for consumer champion Which? paid multiple visits to Co-Op Travel, Hays, Kuoni and Tui branches and found a couple could have saved, on average, £252 on a one-week holiday in Spain by booking the same holiday online themselves instead.
However, once Which? added in hold luggage and a seat, the price through eDreams shot up to £814. BA quoted £712 for the same flight with the same extras – £102 less.Make sure you shop around for every element of your holiday, from flights and hotels to insurance and airport parking.Before you book, check what the cost would be if you booked directly, as this should mean you get the best price available at the time.
If you do use a credit card, make sure you pay it off in full straightaway. You’ll still get the protection but won’t be stung with high interest rates for delaying payments.There are usually savings to be had, even from booking just one day before you travel.A fifth of British holidaymakers were planning to travel without any travel insurance over the next 12 months, according to Mintel’s UK Travel Insurance Market Report 2023.
As an added bonus, for some airlines, checking in as early as possible also allows you to select seats together without paying hefty prices. Often, upgrading to Economy Plus or equivalent depending on the airline is cheaper than adding baggage separately, so crunch your numbers to get the best deal and factor this in when comparing your flights.Buying local currency in the UK before your trip will save money on costly ATM and bank charges.
Graeme Buck, director of communications for ABTA Travel Money, said: “People are spending more while on holiday overseas and that can’t just be put down to inflation. That way, you can avoid lots of withdrawal fees. Let’s say you take out £200 in one go, to cover you for four days, you might incur up to £15.98 in charges.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How to save £100s with DIY wedding nails – and the biggest mistakes to avoidHolly Willoughby's manicurist Tinu Bello shares her top tips for bridal nails
Read more »
Sisters at ‘UK’s most luxurious mansion’ spark fury after cutting down 100s of trees as locals blast ‘utte...Sisters at ‘UK’s most luxurious mansion’ spark fury after cutting down 100s of trees
Read more »
UK’s worst accident hot spot outside of London revealed with 100s of drivers affected in major city...UK’s worst accident hot spot outside of London with 100s affected in major city (1)
Read more »
Drivers urged to pick up ‘must-have’ £2.99 Amazon gadget to keep safe during a breakdown ahead of Bank Holi...Martin Lewis reveals how you can get £100s in FREE cash when buying car breakdown cover
Read more »
‘They stole absolutely everything,’ slams driver after £7k van was broken into when AA worker left key in w...Martin Lewis reveals how you can get £100s in FREE cash when buying car breakdown cover
Read more »
Martin Lewis issues 12-hour Easyjet cheap flights warning to save you £100sMoney Saving Expert Martin Lewis has shared a crucial piece of advice about the budget airline which could see holidaymakers save £100s as part of a new promotion set to launch in just a few hours time
Read more »