Tips for cheap flights during school holidays

money_saver_4

Our son started school this year. We are trying to be good and some flights for the next year or two, to save money. But the flight are either not available yet or the ones that are available, are already very expensive (for four of us £1200).

If anyone has any tips on how to book flights at school holidays times without paying an arm and a leg for them, we would be grateful if you would share them.

Thank you.

Spendless

Has school issued when the teacher training days are? They are frequently tagged onto a hol either just before or just after. Look to see if starting or ending your hol on an inset day makes a difference to the price. We only fly if going long haul but as a generalisation for our hols May half term is cheaper than any of the 6 week summer hols. The last week fo the summer hols is cheaper than the rest. Also sometimes you get a 'blip' where your area is on hol at different times to the majority of the rest of the country. I once went away oct half term very cheaply cos the rest of England had been off the week before.

angelil

Funnily enough, it can often be cheaper to book last minute rather than way in advance. It's great that you're trying to plan ahead (I'm the same!) but ironically it may be better to hold off in this case. Although saying that, if anyone does have any tips...

Kaz2904

You just have to acept that you are going to be paying extortionate prices until all of your children leave school. We haven't found any way of cutting the costs in the school holidays and as such haven't had a holiday for a few years. Never flown with the kids either. We used to hire a cottage in France and drive over getting the midnight tunnel crossing for ease and lowest cost but even that is still really expensive.
Holiday prices are ramped up everywhere even if you stay in this country.

money_saver_4

Than you for your responses so far. I am beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as cheap flights at all.

This year, I tried to find cheap flights approximately a month before half term holiday and they were around £1500 for four of us. We decided to cheat and booked a holiday in November during term time at £400. Big difference. Next year autumn half term flights are already £1200 (not including the luggage and fees). I can not justify paying this much for two adults and 5 and 3 year olds. Then on top of this we would have to pay for accommodation, car rental etc. Too expensive for seven days holiday.

I don't like the idea of taking my son our of school during term time and the school where he goes to doesn't authorise this. But he is under 5, so legally speaking, we can get away with it this year. Next year he will be 5 and we will no longer be able to do this. So any tips are very welcome.

milliemonster

If you can't afford the prices of the flights you have found, or just don't want to pay that for a holiday then have a look at holidaying in the UK for now, we have 2 school age children and have booked a lovely cottage by a loch in scotland for half term in june next year for £400 for the week for the four of us, so you can holiday cheaply during the school holidays but maybe you just have to change the way you holiday now your children are at school?

Kaz2904

milliemonster, may I ask who you booked your cottage through please? That sounds reasonable enough for a weeks stay somewhere. Especially when you're looking at about £80 for 2 nights on a camp site in Cornwall where you have to provide everything and are exposed to the weather.

JC9297

money_saver wrote: »

Than you for your responses so far. I am beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as cheap flights at all.

This year, I tried to find cheap flights approximately a month before half term holiday and they were around £1500 for four of us. We decided to cheat and booked a holiday in November during term time at £400. Big difference. Next year autumn half term flights are already £1200 (not including the luggage and fees). I can not justify paying this much for two adults and 5 and 3 year olds. Then on top of this we would have to pay for accommodation, car rental etc. Too expensive for seven days holiday.

I don't like the idea of taking my son our of school during term time and the school where he goes to doesn't authorise this. But he is under 5, so legally speaking, we can get away with it this year. Next year he will be 5 and we will no longer be able to do this. So any tips are very welcome.

Where are you flying to?

Also it is much harder to find cheap flights at half term holidays than during the long summer holidays as everyone wants to go at the same time, whereas in summer the demand is spread over six weeks.

milliemonster

Kaz2904 wrote: »

milliemonster, may I ask who you booked your cottage through please? That sounds reasonable enough for a weeks stay somewhere. Especially when you're looking at about £80 for 2 nights on a camp site in Cornwall where you have to provide everything and are exposed to the weather.

Yes of course, we used https://www.cottages4you.co.uk I haven't used them before mind! but there seems endless choice on there for all budgets, we love cornwall too but my parents always said the best time for the highlands was end of May so as we love scotland, we've booked for that week and it's quite reasonable really.

We looked at cottages in the lakes for august and have a found a nice one in coniston for about £550 for the week so there are lots of choices available

UnlikelyButTrue

In the past, I have found my cheapest internet price, and then taken it to my local travel agent. They're a small business and take the time to try and beat the price I have. In one case we had a week away self-catering (cheaper!) for nearly half of the best internet price in May half term. If you can find one who likes the challenge, I'd say they're well worth a try.

good luck!

lollipopsarah

Yep it's not just you, I'm in the same boat as I work at school.
Night flights are a bit cheaper, but with the expected rise in taxes expected I don't really have an answer.
As to late bookings, we went to spain for a mini break in June, and just happened to check the day before we went, and the prices had gone up!!
You little ones are young so probably wouldn't miss much at the end of term, we used to always book the first week in september so only lost about 2 days of school, mind you that was when we used to go to yarmouth for a week (and saved about 300) - happy days.
I hate to say it, but for what you can save it's almost worth paying the £100 *fine* for taking the kids out of school - not that the politicians need to worry about that with their free holiday island trips - grrrrr.
Best of luck
xx