How to save money when booking a holiday

Holidays are always fun but they can put a strain on your finances. But it is possible to enjoy a perfectly relaxing holiday without completely emptying your pockets. There are plenty of things you can do when booking to save yourself some money. 

Here are my personal top tips.

Get online

One of the best ways to ensure that you get the best holiday deal is to get online and search for it yourself. Travel agents still have their place, but if you're looking for something fairly straight forward then there are a load of websites ready to help you search out discounts on hotels, flights, and holiday packages. Travelscoop is one of them. We have a package holiday search that will compare multiple providers in one hit. Think TUI, British Airways Holidays, LoveHolidays, On The Beach, easyjet Holidays and more. There are others too, like Kayak, that will also search flight-only and hotel-only deals.

Book early...

An excellent way to make sure you grab the cheapest holiday deal is to book early. Most people start looking at their annual travel plans after Christmas, with travel agents reporting a big spike in activity from Boxing Day onwards. This increased activity coincides with an increase in promotional and sales push from the major tour operators, making January a particularly good month to book. 

...or book late

If you’re not the best at planning in advance, booking late is also a great option. Last-minute deals are particularly good in July and August, as tour operators attempt to fill any remaining capacity. You can also get some exceptional bargains in late September for departures in the first two weeks of October, the very end of the European season.

Get insider offers

Sometimes travel agencies have special deals that aren’t always advertised on their website. That’s why it’s always a great idea to sign up for newsletters at your favourite websites whenever you can to make sure you’re covered on all fronts! Some websites also specialise in these kinds of deals. My personal recommendation would be Voyage Privé.

Grab handy vouchers

Vouchers and discount codes can be an incredibly handy way to save on your travel extras. Things such as airport parking, hotel rooms, airport transfers and more can all be covered by discount codes from different companies. Tour operators like TUI use discount codes extensively. Keep an eye out on their website homepage and on deal aggregator websites such as Travelscoop, and remember to try searching on Google before you make a booking.

Consider cheaper accommodation

There are many different types of accommodation available to you when you are booking your holiday package. A hotel room is what is most standard but options such as holiday homes, camping/glamping, self-catering apartments, hostels or home switches are great alternatives that can end up saving you money.

Travel as a group

Group travel packages can actually help you save loads of money. First, because many agencies offer special discounts for large groups. Secondly, even without the discounts, group travel allows you to choose accommodation and transportation options that are much more budget-friendly. Opting for a villa or apartment via Airbnb or Verbo can save you more than multiple hotel rooms and is more sociable to boot. And renting a car or big van will end up being much cheaper than travelling by train, for instance.

Grab family discounts

If you are travelling as a family with young children, keep an eye out for those handy family discounts! Things such as children eat/stay free, special age discounts on monument entries, or offers for 2 for 1 are all great opportunities for saving more when you book your next holiday. All are widely advertised on TUI, On The Beach, LoveHolidays etc.