Experts guide: How to find the best travel deals
Sembo's travel expert Marco Edin gives you tips on how to get the most for your money. '
There's nothing better than that feeling of going away on holiday.
Well, actually, there is. Going on holiday when you know you've got a really good deal. A bargain makes the whole trip a bit more fun!
But how do you go about finding bargain holidays? It's not always easy and can sometimes take a little longer to find those really good prices. I've been doing this on a daily basis for years and can now share my top tips. Some of them are more famous than others!
1. Be flexible
This is the most important of all. Think about which of the following points are most important to you and try to rank them for yourself:
Dates - can I be flexible when travelling?
Prices can differ extremely between different days, depending on events at the destination or the fact that many people plan to go over a specific weekend to take advantage of an extra red day. Just looking one day before or after your planned departure day can make a big difference.
Length of stay - do I have to stay exactly as many nights as I planned?
Sometimes it is possible to find deals on hotels if you are looking for one night more or less than planned. This can happen, for example, if a hotel has a special rate for a certain number of nights or more guests on certain days of the week.
Departure airport - do I have to leave from my usual airport?
Sometimes it can be worth travelling a little further to get to another airport. For example, it may be cheaper to fly from Liverpool or Leeds instead of Manchester or vice versa.
Destination airports - can I go to a different airport than I intended?
If you want to go to Florence, for example, you can sometimes find cheaper flights if you search for nearby cities like Bologna or Pisa. Other examples include Bilbao instead of San Sebastian or Gazipasa instead of Antalya.
Destination - can I consider looking at alternative destinations?
Even if you're thinking of going to Majorca, you may want to consider alternative destinations such as mainland Spain, Sardinia, Cyprus or Malta. Sometimes you can save big money by changing your destination.
2. Book hotel and transport together
Booking hotels and transport at the same time has several advantages. Many people know that you are more protected in the event of flight cancellations or changes to the State Department's advisory, but fewer know that some hotel rates are only available when you also book transport. At Sembo, you also get a discount on Stena Line ferries if you book them together with hotels.
3. Stay over a Saturday in cities, stay on weekdays in sun destinations
Many hotels in big cities have special rates that you only get if you stay over a Saturday. This is because Saturday is the day with the least number of business travellers and hotels are often relatively empty.
The opposite is true in many sun and beach destinations, where weekends tend to have more local holidaymakers staying in hotels.
4. Look at different airports out and back
Within Europe, you can sometimes find cheap one-way flights in one direction, but more expensive for the return journey. By flying home from a different airport, you can often save money. When I was last in Croatia, I saved almost € 200 by flying home from Dubrovnik instead of Split.
5. If you see a good price, book as soon as possible
If you see a good price, book instead of thinking. Prices change all the time and there are usually only a few tickets or rooms available at the price you saw.
6. Many people? Split the booking!
If you're a larger group, especially several adults, it may be worthwhile to book your flight tickets in smaller groups. Often there are only a few tickets available at the cheaper price, and by splitting the booking you can avoid everyone paying the more expensive price.
7. Search for different journey lengths than you intended
Shortening or lengthening your trip can sometimes make a big difference to the price, especially if you're travelling on shorter city breaks where cheap flights may not be available every day.
8. Look for trips when the weather is nice at home
It's when the weather is nice at home that you should look for holidays. There are fewer people searching, which increases the chances of finding deals.
9. Don't wait until summer to book your summer holiday
Summertime at home can be fantastic. But - if the weather is bad in the start of the summer, many people get a rude awakening and start looking for sun holidays. Prices then go up and often stay high for the rest of the season.
10. Last minute is not always cheap
Last-minute holidays are not always cheap because they are a matter of supply and demand. If many people want to travel at the same time, you may not find good last-minute prices.
11. Travel when others are not travelling
If you don't have school-age children, it might be better to go at the end of August or beginning of September. Prices are usually much lower while the Mediterranean is still warm.
12. Don't be blinded by the cheapest price
The cheapest hotel price is often without breakfast and without the possibility of cancellation. Airlines sometimes charge extra for luggage. Look at several options before you decide.
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