Revealed: The money-saving tips the travel industry uses to book cheaper trips

REVEALED: THE MONEY-SAVING TIPS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY USES TO BOOK CHEAPER TRIPS

HolidayPirates, the leading source for travel deals and inspiration, has compiled its top tips for saving hundreds of pounds on holidays

With the cost of living at a record high and many of the UK population looking for ways to make their cash go further, HolidayPirates has revealed the top insider tips and tricks to help families and couples around the country save money on their next getaway.

Phil Salcedo, Head of Market, UK & North America at HolidayPirates, has provided a list of the top money-saving tips industry insiders use to get more bang for their buck, including the best times to book, how to source the cheapest deals, and tricks for saving on holiday extras.

What is the Cheapest Day to Book?

There are statistics that show Tuesday is the cheapest day to book a trip, and we do see evidence of this in our research, however many airlines - for example Ryanair and easyJet - run some of their best promotions and special offers on weekends.

Tuesday is also often the cheapest day to travel, followed by Wednesday, with flights on a Friday or Sunday being the most expensive. So, if you are looking for a bargain, it is better to avoid these peak travel days.

When is the Best Time to Book?

When it comes to early booking, it depends on whether you want to book a European route or a long-haul one. To bag a cheap long-haul flight, we recommend booking four to six months in advance. European routes on the other hand, are best booked four to eight weeks in advance. Again, we recommend comparing prices between high-demand and low-demand travel days.

How Do I Search For Flights?

When searching for a flight, it’s always worth comparing different airlines. For example, low-cost airlines often have long-haul routes in their program that can be booked cheaply for just one leg. We review the best deals we can find across the industry every day on holidaypirates.com. Here, among other things, you can display a price map with the cheapest destinations from a self-selected departure airport, as well as a price calendar with the cheapest flight days.

Is There a Way of Setting Price Alerts?

If you are set on a specific destination, airport and time period, you can set a price alert on many flight comparison sites. This brings the information to you automatically via email if the price falls and eliminates the need to manually monitor the web. In addition, you can set a travel alert in the HolidayPirates app, where you’ll be automatically notified via push message about suitable offers for your desired destination.

What is the Best Way to Book a Long-Haul Flight?

In this instance, it’s often most cost effective to book the flights in individual stages. The classic example is the South Sea islands. You can book flights to Singapore for example and then separate flights from there, whether you want to go to Fiji/Tonga/Vanuatu or even San Francisco etc. This can help to save several hundreds of pounds as well as giving you the opportunity to explore multiple destinations.

What is the Best Way to Book a Last-Minute Holiday?

Those who rely on weekends or school vacations should book as far in advance as possible. Last-minute bookings are typically more cost effective when you have the luxury of being able to travel mid-week or out of the peak holiday seasons.

Which is Better: Package or Individual?

This really depends on a case by case basis. We always recommend comparing both package or individual options to ensure you’re getting the best price. An advantage of package tours is that travellers are legally protected in the event of any eventualities such as flight delays, flight cancellations, insolvencies, or hotel overbookings through the organiser, and can thus save holidaymakers a lot of trouble.

Any Tips for Cheaper Baggage?

With some airlines, it is often cheaper to book the next highest fare if you plan to take luggage with you. Adding a piece of luggage with cheaper/ low-cost airlines can often increase the overall price, and as a result makes it a much more expensive option. In addition to luggage cost, the low-cost airlines also regularly charge for onboard catering or a seat reservation – so make sure you’re factoring this in as well!

If you’re planning a European break, low-cost airlines offer some great deals! If you can manage without a checked bag, try and take a cabin bag when possible. I’m sure we’ve all over-packed in the past and usually you don’t need to bring as much as you think when jetting off on a short-haul break. If you’ve forgotten anything, chances are you can pick it up at the airport or when you land. Another plus of travelling with carry-on luggage is that you can skip the checking-in queues; simply check in ahead of the flight online and head straight to security.

Phil Salcedo, Head of Market, UK & North America at HolidayPirates, said:

“Our website attracts 30 million page views per month, and those views are made up of potential holidaymakers seeking out the next opportunity to save on holiday costs whilst not skimping on important aspects like destination quality. We know a thing or two about how to look for a good deal, and holiday thriftiness seems to be top of the agenda for would-be travellers this year in light of the continued rise in the cost of living. Getting a good deal on a much-needed getaway is more important than ever.”

With HolidayPirates, holidaymakers can read unbiased reviews of hundreds of getaways from all categories and all destinations on one independent website. From the latest and greatest spa experiences to the ultimate package beach holidays - HolidayPirates knows them all!

About HolidayPirates:

HolidayPirates, the UK arm of the HolidayPirates Group, is a travel deals platform with a mission to make travel accessible and affordable for everyone.

Our team of travel experts find and curate the best value-for-money deals from packages, flights and hotels, through to car hire, holiday homes, luxury stays and weekend breaks. We also work with leading travel brands to source exclusive offers that simply cannot be found anywhere else.

HolidayPirates takes the time and hassle out of finding genuine travel bargains by sharing deals directly across our website, WhatsApp, newsletters, mobile app, and on social media. 2 million travel enthusiasts visit our website every month, plus we have over 2.2 million followers on social media – the largest of any travel brand in the UK.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Berlin, the HolidayPirates Group operates in 10 countries – the UK, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. Our expert editorial teams around the world inspire over 20 million consumers every month to travel, explore and holiday more for less.

Press contact

Annabelle Rennie
PR & Communications Manager UK

E-Mail: [email protected]

E-Mail: [email protected]