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Budget travel tips and guidance for cheap holidays
At HolidayPirates, you can check out many budget travel ideas when planning your next holiday. With last-minute options and holidays, you can book well in advance, but what is the best approach? Read on to find out more about booking tickets for budget travel.
Is budget travel practical for a family holiday?
Yes, many package holidays are geared up to meet the needs of families. You will always find budget options among family holiday options. When booking a resort holiday for a family, look for three-star accommodation, which often suits families that are out all day. You will also find that larger families of five or more benefit from transfers being included in package deals. If you cannot all fit into one taxi, paying for the airport transfer to your resort in advance often saves money.
Beach holidays are firm favourites with families seeking budget travel. Swimming and building sandcastles is free, after all. Bear in mind that if you find a resort you like, there's no need to explore elsewhere with the resulting cost. Budget travel doesn't mean having to spend a great deal once you're there, especially if you opt for full or half-board.
Is booking tickets in advance wise for budget holidays?
If you want to enjoy budget holidays during any of the peak seasons, then advance booking is best. Of course, you might find prices change if not enough holidays have been sold. However, this is usually not the case when it comes to budget holidays. During peak demand months – in the summer for most locations – most budget hotels in resorts expect near-to-full occupancy rates.
If you are more flexible about when you can travel, then booking later can sometimes pay off. You may also need to be flexible on where you will travel with this approach. Overall, if you are tied to the dates you have booked off work and want to travel in the school holidays, advance booking is advisable.
Are last-minute deals the best way to book budget hotels?
Most budget hotels operate dynamic pricing, just like luxury ones. If you want a last-minute budget hotel, then you can often find leaving it until 24 hours before travel is the best way. However, there are some exceptions. If you want a budget hotel and flight for a city break, then prices won't drop if there's something going on. Check whether there is a big sporting or cultural event taking place in the city. If there is, book in advance, change your preferred destination or change your dates.
More widely, budget hotels offer everything needed for a city break. If you intend to explore the city during the day and eat out in the evening, then why pay more? Luxury accommodation may look more appealing, but there's no point if you won't be there to enjoy its amenities. Budget travel often means being able to stay in well-run establishments that won't break the bank. As such, you can spend more time travelling and exploring for the same budget.
How do you track down the best budget flights?
Budget airlines tend to release their flights in slews. This means that the lowest prices are there to be had when a flight has just been announced. As tickets for the service are bought, the price for the remaining seats goes up. Therefore, when it comes to budget flights, booking early is wise. However, last-minute price drops also occur, so it is also worth checking shortly before travel.
If you want a budget flight, then look for the least popular days to travel. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are often cheaper than weekends. In addition, the first and last flights of the day will usually be unpopular, meaning seat price increments are less pronounced.
Where should you stay on budget holidays?
If you want your accommodation to be part of your budget travel, then consider a cruise holiday. Three- and five-night cruises are possible from the UK. So long as you don't mind travelling only as far as Western Europe, then this is a cheap way to travel. With your food and accommodation thrown in, you will need to budget for drinks, however. Seven-night cruises tend to be the cheapest in the Mediterranean. There again, Danube River cruises can also be cheap in the low season, a good way to explore multiple countries on a budget.
If you are looking for cheap destinations, then the UK is a good place to start. Staycations mean you won't have to fork out on passport renewals and so on. London, Cornwall and the Lakes District are all tourist hotspots. If you avoid them and don't mind travelling to the beach, there are some bargains to be had. Northumberland is a lesser-visited part of the UK, with superb beaches and rugged hillsides. East Anglia also offers affordability, as do the Scottish Highlands.
Budget travel FAQs
Q: Where is the best and cheapest holiday?
A: The best budget travel destination is a matter of opinion. Because it is relatively close, Eastern Europe is a good choice, with low-cost travel and accommodation. In Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India, accommodation and food are relatively cheap, but it will cost more to get there. There are plenty of places in the UK that are great for holidays. Cheaper places like mid-Wales and northern Scotland are well worth visiting.
Q: What are the cheapest months to go on holiday?
A: Off-peak travel is the cheapest time to go on holiday. In Europe, this means the cheapest months are November, January and February. December tends to see a rise in holiday prices due to the Christmas peak. In the summer, June – before the school holidays start – is the best month for relatively cheap travel.
Q: Where are the cheapest all-inclusive holidays?
A: All-inclusive holidays tend to be the cheapest when packaged with flights and transfers. Resorts close to international airports are a good place to start looking. Southern Turkey and Eastern Turkey are both strong options for budget holidays. Benidorm, Tenerife and Lanzarote are all contenders for cheap, all-inclusive deals in Spain. Budget hotels in Bulgaria mean it is a country worth looking into, as well.
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