Finding a low cost winter break

At this time of year, when the nights start to draw in, the weather gets even colder and rainier than usual, and the prospect of the winter months brings on doom and gloom, many people start thinking about planning a winter break either before Christmas or afterwards, where they can soak up some sun, kick back and relax, and simply forget about their worries.

However, with Christmas coming up most people are on a budget when it comes to booking some time away, and most will be on the lookout for a bargain winter break. Getting away to the sun isn’t always cheap, but a number of steps can really slash the cost of a holiday, giving you something to look forward to without having to break the bank.

It is important to remember that the time of year that you book will affect the price you pay for your hotel as well as your flight. Holidays tend to be cheaper in the winter months, but can be more costly on certain weeks such as over the Christmas or New Year periods. Therefore you may find that going before Christmas such as late November or early December may be the best choice, or failing that waiting until after New Year, and jetting somewhere warm as others are heading back to work after the Christmas break.

In order to find the best price on a winter break you need to ensure that you compare prices on flights, hotels, or package holidays depending on your preferences. Many people these days prefer to book a package because of the number of small airlines and holiday firms that have gone bust, leaving many of those that booked separately unable to claim. However, if you do prefer to book your flight and hotel separately check and see whether you travel insurance policy will cover you, as some have now started to do, and ensure that you book with a credit card for extra protection under the Consumer Credit Act.

You should make sure that you also compare things such as travel insurance, airport parking, and if necessary car hire in order to get the best prices on these. Also, remember that whilst the headline prices on budget airline tickets may look cheap there are often additional extras that can really bump up the price, so you may end up paying far more.

Finally, do remember that you can often make a saving by booking your flight and hotel together, so it is worth comparing the cost of doing this against booking separately or a ready made package deal.

Tags: car hire, worries, holiday, winter, extra protection, travel insurance, christmas, travel

Ryanair makes millions in charges

Over recent years a rising number of consumers going on their travels have decided to opt for a low cost or budget airline in the hope of saving money on the cost of their travels. Read more

Tags: low cost airlines, play, telephone, ryanair charges, lowest fares, airline hidden charges, budget airlines, car hire

DIY holidays are ‘a false economy’

Holidaymakers wishing to save money by purchasing their flights, accommodation and car hire themselves may find that they are not covered by travel insurance, the Association of Independent Tour Operators (Aito) has said.

Booking the different parts of a trip separately could be “a false economy”, since people may be putting themselves at financial risk in the event of something going wrong, according to the organisation.

As many as 20 million consumers on ‘do-it-yourself’ holidays could be risking their money this summer and could even be stranded abroad if a company goes out of business, the Civil Aviation Authority reported.

Consumers are advised to book with one operator because if something goes wrong, such as a plane being cancelled, this could also affect car hire and accommodation arrangements.

A spokesperson for the Aito commented: “Always book with a tour operator because you’re spending quite a considerable amount of money and rather than saving one or two hundred pounds, why risk it if something goes wrong.”

Tags: Association, company, accommodation arrangements, Human behavior, car hire, independent, Civil Aviation Authority, operator