TRY SOMEWHERE NEW: Your go-to family holiday spot might not be the most budget-friendly option and swapping the Costa del Sol for the equally sunny coastlines of Bulgaria, might save you a small fortune. Indian Rupee is weaker so you will enjoy more in a few dollars. so try something new.
According to new data from TravelAgentMall, flights to Milan are 63 percent cheaper than they were in the same months before the pandemic, with the average UK return fare just £38pp in May.
The comparison site has a handy “Everywhere” tool on its drop-down search list to filter options based on your travel dates and rank them by price, cheapest first.
BOOK Hotels DIRECTLY: “Booking your travel and accommodation directly instead of through a third party is a great way to avoid unnecessary fees.
Accommodation is often the biggest cost but if you are willing to put in the graft, you can knock prices down. According to Which?, holidaymakers will get a better deal eight out of ten times when they pick up the phone.
BOOK ONE-WAY FLIGHTS: You do not always have to book return fares with one airline. “Mixing and matching the airlines and airports you fly with can seriously cut costs,” says TravelAgentMall’s Mr. Sumit. “Look at flying out with one airline and back with another.” Flying from a different airport may save you a fair chunk too.
CONSIDER SPENDING MONEY: You may have bagged a low-cost package with a trusted operator but unless you are staying all inclusive, you will have to shell out for food, drink, and fun while out there.
Two weeks’ worth of food for a whole family can cost a lot, so calculate how much spending money you will need.
DON’T TRAVEL AT THE WEEKEND: The weekend is almost always the most expensive time to travel, whether you are flying, getting a train, or traveling by boat.
New research from TravelAgentMall shows Friday is the cheapest day to fly, with families saving an average of nine percent when they travel out from the UK on a Friday.
And Tui recommends that families book holidays for peak season as early as possible to take advantage of free child places.
DON’T PRE-BOOK PLANE SEATS: Studies from Which? show a group of four people could spend as much as £192 to reserve seats on a British Airways flight.
But many airlines, including BA and Jet2, say they will always sit groups together when there is space — meaning pre-booking seats is just sending money down the drain.
The consumer group found that 95 percent of short-haul passengers who did not pay extra got seats together just the same.
KEEP ON TOP OF THE RULES: Despite Covid restrictions easing across the world, many countries are still slapping on last-minute changes for holidaymakers. And these often come at a cost.
It is important to keep on top of the rules for your destination, as some holiday hotspots — such as Spain — require visitors to have had a booster jab if their last vaccination was more than 270 days before arrival.
Airlines are not always in the know when it comes to changes, so you could board your plane only to find out you do not meet a destination’s entry requirements and have to head back home.
