When should I travel to get the best price holiday?

It’s important to remember the cheapest time to travel is not always the best time to travel! The weather might not be great, the resort may be out of season, or attractions and restaurants could be closed. The demand during school holidays is a huge factor in holiday prices and I want to avoid just saying avoid the school holidays as many families cannot do this.

To understand when you are likely to get a more affordable holiday, without having to compromise on the possible enjoyment it’s important to understand when the most popular and expensive times to travel are. Tour operators and airlines tend to use demand pricing, so the more demand the higher the cost of the holiday. So school holidays, bank holidays, and Christmas you are going to see higher prices. Remember your travel agent can help you find a holiday for your budget.

Most popular/expensive times to travel

Christmas

With a number of bank holidays, school holidays and company closures, the Christmas period is always going to be one of the most popular times to get away. As it’s also Winter the number of available destinations is also going to be more limited than during the summer. If you need to travel at Christmas and New Year my recommendation would be to plan ahead and book early. Destinations such as the Canary Islands are very popular at this time of year and prices are going to be high especially if you don’t plan ahead. 

School Summer Holidays – First Two Weeks

Although holidays do cost more during school holidays, the first two weeks of the summer holiday (e.g. 22nd July – 5th August 2023) are by far the most popular weeks of the six weeks holidays. These first two weeks generally have the highest costs because of this high demand. The week prior to school returning at the end of August is the least popular of the school holidays.

Easter Holidays – First week

Easter can be difficult to predict as it moves but as a general rule the first week of the school holidays is generally more popular and therefore more expensive than the second week. 

September

Believe it or not, going on holiday in September can be more expensive than during the school holidays, especially for adult-only resorts in destinations such as Greece and Cyprus. The main reason for this is couples without children like to travel when most of the schools have returned and much of Europe is still enjoying fantastic weather. 

Half Terms (May & October)

These are generally more expensive times especially if you are trying to fit a full week’s holiday in these half-term periods. Most schools around the country will normally have the same weeks off resulting in many families all looking to depart as schools break up returning a week later. This concentrated demand can make these holidays much more expensive. Considering a shorter break or even a city break, avoiding the weekend departures could be a lot more affordable at this time.

More affordable times to travel

Essentially trying to avoid the popular, high-demand times above will save you money on holiday. Let’s take a look at some of the more affordable times to holiday.

May (avoiding school and bank holidays) 

Most of Europe kicks off its summer season in May so you will have a higher choice of destinations than in the previous winter months. This is when we tend to see some really affordable holiday prices although the weather will still be warming up, especially in more northern parts of the Mediterranean but can still be very enjoyable. Remember schools tend to have a half-term break on the last week of May, around the spring bank holiday.

Early October

You should find prices cheaper going into late September/ early October. Around Europe, the seas have had a whole summer to warm up and this normally keeps the air temperatures good into the later part of the summer season. Demand is normally less so there are normally some good offers to be had at this time of year. 

June and July

Travelling in June and early July, after the May half term (from 3rd June) and before the school break up for summer (around 22nd July) can be more affordable. Certainly more than later affordable than late July, Early August and September. 

If you are an adult couple looking for an adults-only resort don’t discount travelling during the school holidays. Adult-only resorts see less demand when schools are out and this can be reflected in the prices they charge. 

Late August

While holiday costs will probably be higher than outside school holidays, the last two weeks of the school summer holidays tend to have the least demand. If you have school-aged children you could see savings of several hundred pounds by choosing to travel later in the summer. A lot of European schools also go back in mid-August again reducing demand and costs.

Get in touch with us to have a chat about your holiday plans. We would love to try and make your holiday more affordable. We can compare prices across dates and our network of over 140 travel suppliers to get you the best deal. We would love to hear from you!

Look out for part 2 of this blog looking at affordable destinations coming soon.

travelco@tim-potter.co.uk

0117 214 1884

Photo by Natalya Zaritskaya on Unsplash