Booking a last minute holiday

Arsenal2019

Has anyone had experience of booking last-minute holidays? I’m talking within three weeks or so solved before planning on going.

The last two years me and my partner have spent around £2,500 in total for a 10 day all inclusive holiday.. however, we don’t really want to spend that anymore & are seriously considering doing a last-minute holiday.

I’ve looked at another holiday in June next year and for the same or similar holiday is now looking at £3000-3500 which I just cannot justify. 

I’d like to add that we have no children and are not restricted for when we can go on holiday. But we do like to go between May and August usually
I think we’ve landed at the conclusion. We will wait until next summer or the start of to book our holiday… up to 3 weeks before we travel, maybe even 4 week.

Has anyone done this before and is there such thing as a good deal anymore? Also, does anyone know what the SweetSpot is in terms of how many days or weeks booking before you intend on travelling?

Jemma01

As a child free lady, I book my holidays between oct-nov (mostly nov) and april-may, to avoid expensive seasons. You don't need to queue for anything , you get better deals there, you can bargain prices (I like adventures). The beach is mainly free, no screaming kids around, quite and cheaper hotels/flats. I could never travel on school holidays seasons again.

I've done a last minute holiday to Greece in Oct and it was the end of their season, it was great, I had nearly a quarter of the beach for myself. I think it was 1 week before, my client was lovely and supportive. It was a cheap getaway.

I highly doubt you'll get a good deal doing last minute anything if you choose school-holiday seasons. Last minute would be few days before

Usually I book much earlier in advance because I find flight tickets tend to go up and get worse, as I often travel long haul. I also tend to not book hotels, I like to have a kitchen and get closer to the locals. I'm not a "stay at hotel" person, I'm an explorer. If they drive same side, I hire a car and reach places often hard to reach.

Woodstok2000

If you have no specific destination or date in mind you can get some amazing deals. When our daughter was young we saved thousands by going to the travel agent and saying 'where can you send us for 14 days with a beach and a pool at some point in the next month'.

Conversely, we've also had holidays where we had a specific destination/date in mind and have booked as early as possible. In those cases the holiday has never gone down in price, and in some cases has become significantly more expensive as the departure nearer.

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035842#Comment_82035842

I like to go to hotels & all inc for the main holiday in the summer. And then to have at least one city break throughout the year which we book entirely ourselves and everything separate

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035877#Comment_82035877

hi

no we’re really not bothered about where we go. Just as long as the hotels nice and there’s stuff to do around the hotel / resort- then we’re happy. We intend on booking off around 2-3 weeks in the summer and then booking a holiday for 10 days during that period and then obvs cancelling the annual leave which isn’t required. So yeah, we’re fairly flexible and easy going hahah

good to know you can still get some good last min deals.

Jemma01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035938#Comment_82035938

you can check the prices now without travelling and compare booking last minute vs booking in advance for next summer

flaneurs_lobster

I've done last minute as in popped into a travel agent on a whim and was getting on a plane 3 days later.

Cheapish flight,transfer,beach resort holiday from one of the big operators. Only hassle was having to revisit travel agent with passports next day.

strawb_shortcake

Jet2 had some good offers for the Peloponnese for around this time two weeks ago, as I recall there was one AI for around £450 for 7 nights and other board options cheaper still

TheShape

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6672638/booking-a-last-minute-holiday

I've booked a couplke of last minute holidays in the past. Both around a week from departure. Those we with TUI and with EasyJet Holidays.

You could check both of those sites now to get an idea of what they have listed as last minute deals in the near future and look again every so often to get an idea of what sort of holidays/prices are available. You could add BA Holidays and Jet2 as well and any other holiday provider you might have a recommendation for.

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035976#Comment_82035976

thanks!! I presume you could also do the last minute holiday booking online yourselves? Or are you just one of those who prefer to go to a travel agents, like my parents do…

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82036037#Comment_82036037

That sounds like a very good deal, especially for that part of the world!