Travel experts share their top tips for bagging a holiday bargain in 2024
If you're already dreaming about your 2024 holiday, travel experts have some top tips to help you bag a bargain.
Just three days before Christmas it is still possible to get yourself a last minute bargain, if the prospect of pulling crackers and roasting spuds with your loved ones is a little too off-putting at this stage.
From the best way to secure a cheap flight to how to get the most out of a staycation booking and ensuring you go for the right package deals, these tips could help you stretch that holiday budget a little bit further.
Oh, and you may also want to check out our holiday deals guide which we regularly update with the latest sales, tips and discount codes we think you'll love!
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Keeping flights cheap
Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at The Points Guy, shared his advice for bagging the cheapest flights possible. "Google Flights is a brilliant tool for hunting down great deals. It lets you search a wide range of dates and multiple destinations at once," he said.
"Budget airlines usually sell their cheapest seats first, so booking early can get you the best deals. Prices on other airlines can change a lot throughout the year, so it's worth setting alerts on Google Flights and waiting for big sales."
He also suggested considering different departure airports if you know where you want to go. "Starting your trip in mainland Europe from places like Amsterdam, Oslo or Copenhagen can make long haul business class flights much cheaper, even when you factor in the cost of getting to that airport," he explained.
There are heaps of bargains if you know where to look (LightRocket via Getty Images)Rob Debenham, travel expert and manager at Destinations: The Holiday and Travel Show, urged holidaymakers to keep things light. "Pack light. Take as little baggage as you can so you don't have to pay for excess baggage (though easier said than done especially when travelling with a family," he said.
"Be conscious of the fact that booking cheap flights direct with an airline and accommodation separately means that you aren't covered under any of the rules of the Package Travel Directive, these only apply if you book a 'package' holiday with one company that consists of two or more travel services together, that are included in the 'one price' for the holiday. This can be a flight and accommodation, but not flight and an airport transfer (just to clarify).
"You are covered under these regulations if you book with a bonded travel company, and they are covered under ATOL; this gives consumers financial protection on all package holidays. Destinations does its best to promote bonded travel companies, as this gives the very best financial protection to visitors who book at, and after the show with exhibitors."
How to book staycations
Rob went on to champion websites like Travelzoo as a great way to get good deals on holidays in the UK. "Websites like Travelzoo have such an array of bargains when it comes to staycations so make sure you're receiving their regular updates," he said.
Rob also suggests following your favourite hotels on social media for special deals, saying: "If you have a favourite hotel in the UK, do follow them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X as often they'll promote offers and flash sales."
When to book
Booking early is often best and allows you to spread out the cost, Rob advises. "Attend events where you can get the very best travel deals. For example, at Destinations: The Holiday and Travel Show, we have some brilliant offers from our exhibitors which are only available at the show so you can bag discounted holidays and long haul trips and chat to real experts, with inside knowledge," he said.
Web platforms like The Points Guy can be useful too. "Signing up to websites such as The Points Guy is also a great idea they give essential tips on gaining points and air miles and choosing the best credit cards to book with."
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He went on to express solidarity with families unable to book holidays during term time. He noted: "Unfortunately for families, booking in the school holidays often means more expense so I would recommend booking all inclusive as much as possible. This is why often cruises are so popular as once you pay that one lump sum in advance you can eat, drink and do as much as you like (within reason).
"Travelling on a weekday can also save hundreds of pounds so if you're not fixed to flying on a weekend, so take the opportunity to save."
Chose the right destination
The UK's location means there a huge number of amazing holiday destinations on our doorstep. Rob suggested looking a little further than the classics to get the best deals.
"Rather than going to the regular most visited places, choose destinations which are a bit 'off the beaten track' or are not 'over-visited'. We are seeing an increased popularity in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro lately," he said.
"And in general be open minded to where you're going. Have a certain 'type' of holiday in mind, whether that's a beach holiday, a city break or adventure trek but be open to where that might be."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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