Very last minute holidays?

Merroney

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice. I am a single parent to two young children. I want to take them abroad on holiday in February half term. In the past, I have booked package holidays in advance or booked my own flights and hotels. I would like to experiment in booking a very last minute deal but I'm not sure where is the best place to look and how last minute I should leave it? Is it possible to get a cheap deal if we leave it until a day before we travel? I'm looking to save money where I can. Thanks.

strawb_shortcake

Take a look at TUI, I've not booked a last minute holiday but have played around with the website to get an idea. I have found you get a better deal weeks before rather than days before. My theory is that if someone wants to be really spontaneous then they have to pay for it.

With it only being a few weeks to the half term I'd start looking now and book when it's a price you are happy with. I typically look around summer holidays, so not sure if the limited destinations at this time of year may mean a less reduced price?

richardw

Try and see what’s available going between now and Sunday, and if there’s anything you fancy. Look at TUI, Jet2 and holidayhypermarket.

iwb100

I've looked for many years at bookings over time on Tui and other (some no longer) package operators. I would say that a) if you're completely flexible on where/exactly when you go you can get amazing deals about 2 weeks to a week before travel.

However, if you need to go on a set date - the risk is it gets very expensive if the plane fills up - the last few seats often cost loads because operators calculate that demand will draw a high price. This is also dependent upon how full a flight is. If its under 70% full then they may reduce prices a lot. But half term week we can assume the opposite is more likely.

The length of flight also makes a difference - long haul tends to have less fluctuation - at least with TUI so booking up earlier sometimes works better.

My advice would be to find a holiday you want from one of the sites mentioned by other posters. And watch its price for a week or so. If you're comfortable with the price and it isn't moving then its down to you. It might drop but chances are it might well go up as well. Its a risk. Nobody can predict for sure. If someone forced me to bet I'd say the last two weeks in January will be the time to book - leaving it later may well see price rise.

The impossible thing to predict is hotel deals and offers that come online at random times when hotels need to fill their rooms. This can have an effect on the price - but unless you monitor a specific hotel's rate you're just going to have to take a chance. And most packages are slightly flight cost dominated anyway.

jessicawelliam

Try Super Escapes Travel for best and cheap last minute holiday deals. They are the best and have great customer service and the deals they provide are ABTA and ATOL Protected.
Happy Travelling!!

Heer2019

Try looking at package deals on sites like Expedia and last minute. However, make sure to check for flights on Skyscanner and for accommodation use Booking.com or Airbnb. Then find the cheapest combination. It will take some time but definitely worth it for the savings. One of the best destinations for this time of year with a bit of sun is Morocco which is not very expensive. Some European countries are also quite cheap such as Austria, Slovenia etc.

Alan_Bowen

For half term, I would not leave it until the last minute at all. It is one of the peak travel periods when fares shoot up. Just compare fares for Easyjet, for example between now and mid-February and you will see the problem, travelling to Malaga on Sunday 26th January and returning a week later the fare is around £110 return, travelling on Sunday 16th February and returning a week later, the minimum fare is £300 return! All flights searched from Gatwick. Avoid booking with agents you have never heard off before on line!