Travel Designers When school is out for the six weeks your summer holiday can seem a long time if you have no family holiday planned. How to save on your summer holiday is always a good idea as the cost of some holiday destinations is just way out of reach for some families. Last minute deals are not always plentiful and with this year falling euro, there is less chance of deals for Europe.
Years ago we would sit on the Teletex and watch the pages flip over looking for those last-minute bargains. Most were with the charter companies such as Airtours, First Choice, Cosmo, and Thomas Cook to name a few. As these operators have changed their models so have holiday package prices. No longer can you pick up a last-minute deal as the company needs to sell the seats on the aircraft. More often than not there is accommodation but no cheap flights to get there!
In this blog, we look a 6 ways to consider reducing the cost of your summer holiday. Everyone loves a bargain but sometimes leaving last minute just adds stress and panic buying.
Read on to find out how we think you are best served to save on your summer holiday.
Indirect flights
Everyone loves to get there as quick as possible but often looking at an indirect flight can save hundreds of pounds. For some, the chance of an upgraded flight on an indirect route is another saving consideration. Especially with flights to America, you can save hundreds of pounds by taking a flight with a stop off in the hub city of that airline. Examples of this is Orlando in Florida. Often in Peak times, a direct flight will be thousands more than a flight via New York, Washington or Dallas for example.
Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa, for example, offer excellent fares for routes to America, Indian Ocean, etc with a short stop in one of their main international airports. If you are looking for first-class travel this is another way to save hundreds of pounds on your travel. Families, in particular, can save thousands of pounds at peak times by adding one stop to their route.
Self-drive in Europe
Whilst we are still part of Europe, take the opportunity to drive to Europe. It beats trying to restrict your packing and allows you to stop off en-route and visit other countries. The south of France, Spain, and Italy are all easily accessible by car. Just check with your insurance company and give your vehicle service before setting off.
Savings in peak times can be hundreds of pounds and add to the family adventure!
Travel with Friends
Renting a 4 bedroom villa between two families saves money in comparison to renting a villa on your own. Add to this sharing food bills and added company for your children, a shared villa rental is worth considering. There are many great villa companies out there offering great packages for groups and early booking discounts.
Consider early booking to bag the best deals for groups of families traveling together.
Book in Advance
Benefit from early booking offers such as free half board, upgrades, etc as a lot of tour operators and hotels offer some great early booking savings. Long gone are the days of last-minute bargains.
By leaving it last minute prices actually increase. It’s what no one else wanted that’s left behind The best airfares are when the airlines launch their schedules 11 months in advance. The same for car hire, as demand increases so does the prices. Hotels run out of rooms and special offers dry up leaving last-minute rack rates in place.
Look Further afield
Often long haul destinations offer fantastic out of season rates for luxury accommodation. Five star-hotel in America will often be cheaper per night than a five-star European hotel. If you don’t sit on the beach consider other destinations in the world that offer you more for your money.
Use a Travel Agent
Online sites are not always real-time availability. There’s nothing more frustrating than searching online for days to eventually find something that then says on request. As soon as you enter your details the message, “we’ll be right back to you appears.
By using a good independent travel agent they will check real-time availability and price correct at the time of quotation. If possible they can even option your flights for 24 hours or so, until you make up your mind. Give GoEasy Travel a call today.