single traveller

catoutthebag

Hello
I find myself a single traveller for the first time and want to know any best buy tips or other advice please?

I am plan a 2-3 night trip as a city break, perhaps Bruges, from February.

Prices seem high from a midlands airport?

A quick lastminute search for 2 weeknights in Feb for direct flights and hotel were £600 which is ridiculous?

Quick eurostar check was £150 return from West midlands, but would add 3 hours each way to the journey.

I am flexible with dates and could travel lastminute (ish).

How do I get the best deals?

With partners I've travelled with, we've gone from northern airports and booked in advance like I'm checking now, but they're so high. Is it a Brussels thing?!

Thanks

callum9999

catoutthebag wrote: »

Hello
I find myself a single traveller for the first time and want to know any best buy tips or other advice please?

I am plan a 2-3 night trip as a city break, perhaps Bruges, from February.

Prices seem high from a midlands airport?

A quick lastminute search for 2 weeknights in Feb for direct flights and hotel were £600 which is ridiculous?

Quick eurostar check was £150 return from West midlands, but would add 3 hours each way to the journey.

I am flexible with dates and could travel lastminute (ish).

How do I get the best deals?

With partners I've travelled with, we've gone from northern airports and booked in advance like I'm checking now, but they're so high. Is it a Brussels thing?!

Thanks

There are no tips, the process is exactly the same as booking for 2 - you merely buy flights for one person and can book a single room instead of double if you want.

I have no idea why you are finding such ridiculous prices. I just did a random search and got flights for £127 return with BMI regional (you can presumably get that quite a bit lower by playing with dates/airports) and I'm sure you can find a hotel via a site like Trivago for well under £100 for 2 nights.

BusinessStudent

Have you considered staying in a hostel? This could be a great way off meeting others.

catoutthebag

callum9999 wrote: »

There are no tips, the process is exactly the same as booking for 2 - you merely buy flights for one person and can book a single room instead of double if you want.

I have no idea why you are finding such ridiculous prices. I just did a random search and got flights for £127 return with BMI regional (you can presumably get that quite a bit lower by playing with dates/airports) and I'm sure you can find a hotel via a site like Trivago for well under £100 for 2 nights.

Thanks just because I heard you get penalised as a solo traveller?

Will try Skyscanner tomorrow

Bit nervous about it as normally not of that disposition!

Are these best booked last minute or asap?

catoutthebag

BusinessStudent wrote: »

Have you considered staying in a hostel? This could be a great way off meeting others.

I'm early 30s so would prefer to leave thst to the 20s crowd.

Especially as it's a short break. I'm used to 4* star minimum so want to be comfortable. I don't have budget constraints too much or want to make friend as such. I'll talk to others out and about sight seeing that'd fine

PeacefulWaters

catoutthebag wrote: »

Thanks just because I heard you get penalised as a solo traveller?

In that you often pay the same price for a room as a couple, then I suppose you are. But if a room's £80 you pay £80.

Will try Skyscanner tomorrow

Try using UK as departure and full month to identify cheapest fares. If you select a half term date it's more expensive. Sometimes it's the families who get penalised.

I can see £117 return from East Midlands, £119 from Birmingham and £42 from Manchester (albeit to Charleoi - Google Maps is your friend).

Bit nervous about it as normally not of that disposition!

A couple of successful trips and you'll be fine. It's also fun learning from mistakes. Master the art of travelling light (or wearing heaviest clothes on flight days) and those flight costs can drop too.

I'm naturally cautious and have only deviated from package holidays in recent years. The world seems to have become more accessible as a result.

Are these best booked last minute or asap?

It all depends on supply and demand - so the question's difficult to answer. If I was flying to the USA I'd monitor prices over several weeks to understand where value sits. For your trip I'd probably lock in now if the price is right.

Planning well in advance, travelling with hand baggage only and avoiding peak times will often get you air fares of less than £30 each way.

Use a loyalty site like TopCashback to book hotels. Last time I looked Hotels.com paid 10% commission to you that way and also offer their own loyalty scheme of a free night for ten nights booked via them. Some of the airlines may pay a small booking commission too. Many don't, although you'll find Easyjet will throw a few Nectar points at you if you book via the Nectar web site.

ERICS_MUM

The cost of a hotel room is the same for two people as for one, it's just that 2 people each pay half (assuming it's the same room of course). I don't think single flight bookings are priced any differently from bookings for 2 or more, again assuming all other things being equal.

catoutthebag

Thanks all!

Doshwaster

The secret to solo travel is to ignore the package holiday companies as they are set up for couples and families. Just book the flights and accommodation separately to get the best deals.

callum9999

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

The cost of a hotel room is the same for two people as for one, it's just that 2 people each pay half (assuming it's the same room of course). I don't think single flight bookings are priced any differently from bookings for 2 or more, again assuming all other things being equal.

Easyjet is a tiny bit more expensive for single travellers (they have an admin fee built into the prices, with a single traveller paying the same fee multiple travellers would), but there's no major single supplements etc. you get with some package holidays.

dug123

P&O from Hull do Bruges mini breaks, This time of year they do a 2 for 1 so it would cost you about £85 with overnight crossings on a ferry.
A private cabin is included both ways.
It might be worth looking at.
On the P&O website it comes under minicruises from Hull.