Mr Lender’s Top Tips to Save you Money When Booking a Holiday

Published: 04/02/2020 and written by P Smith

airport save cash

At Mr Lender, we offer short term loans between £200-£1,000.

With Christmas out of the way we all need something to look forward to, its time to book yourself a holiday away, and now is definitely the time to do it. January is when a lot of travel firms slash prices and host flash sales – so it’s well worth keeping your eyes peeled for a bargain. Alternatively leaving it last minute to book can sometimes be the most cost-saving option. With our tips, we will make sure you save more time and money booking, so you can spend more on duty-free when you travel.

BEST TIME TO BUY

holiday alarm clock

A lot of travel websites usually adjust their prices depending on how holidays are selling around midday on Tuesdays. Ideally, you want to jump on after 11 am as before that you will most likely be looking at the previous night’s prices. And then you will be looking at the updated deals.

BEST TIME TO FLY

Calendar

If you are looking at securing a cheap travel fare then you should aim to fly on either Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturday afternoons. Midweek flights are less popular, hence the lower prices. But Saturday afternoons can also be good value as most weekend travelers want to fly out first thing on a Saturday morning or the night before. Just remember that most airlines will now require that passengers wear a face mask so why not look into purchasing a fashional face mask to really travel in style!

FLY NON-DIRECT

Connecting flight

Obviously, everyone wants to get straight to their holiday destination, after excitedly waiting for months, you don’t want to wait a second longer. But if you have a bit more time, sometimes an indirect flight only adds a couple of hours to the journey, and in some cases, you can save almost half the cost of your flight. If your flight layover time exceeds a certain amount of hours, some airlines offer you a free hotel.

CANCELLATION FEES

cutting tickets in half

A handy trick to make sure you definitely get the best price for your hotel is to make sure you book a deal that doesn’t have cancellation fees. This way you can still look around for any other deals knowing that you can simply switch over if you find a better price. Many travel firms block book hotels but if rooms don’t sell they may be sold off cheaply a couple of days before.

TIMING

map

Timing when you book your flights can mean a difference in the price of hundreds. Booking something too early, you miss out on those last-minute bargains, too late and you could end up paying twice as much. Depending on your destination here’s a rough window of opportunity of when the best deals are.
Short-haul: Aim to book approximately 50 days in advance.
The USA: Book approximately 36 days in advance.
Asia: Book approximately 30 days in advance.
Africa: Book approximately 70 days in advance.

PACKAGE HOLIDAYS

package holiday

A lot of travel agents allow you to book flights, hotels and car hire. Combining all of these aspects of your holiday into one package will often give you extra discounts. Sometimes you can even find a deal that includes travel and accommodation, for less than the cost of the flight alone. A majority of package operators are ATOL-protected. So if the company goes bust or something goes wrong, your holiday is automatically protected. This means you’ll get a refund if you haven’t flown yet, or if you are already midway through the holiday, not have the worry of how you’re going to get home.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

insurance - safety

Make sure that as soon as you book your holiday, you book your travel insurance to go with it. If you book but don’t have travel insurance, you won’t be covered if you get ill or need to cancel. But beware, some cheap airline and holiday websites try to add expensive travel cover in lengthy tick boxes when you book. Always double-check the full cost before paying. Holiday firm’s personal insurance is usually very expensive and offers more limited cover. Instead, check out comparison websites to make sure you’re getting a tailored cover for the best price.

START YOUR HOLIDAY EARLY

airport queue

The VIP treatment in airport lounges isn’t restricted to those flying first class, business class or elite frequent flyers. Check your credit cards or bank accounts perks/extras, as a few of them will offer you free access. A one-off pass would typically start from around £20 per person. Given you could pay that for your food and drink alone at the airport, it can be great value, and without the hassle of the crowds and lengthy queues.

AIRPORT PARKING

car flying

To maximise savings, book well in advance. As with most things when booking a holiday, comparison sites are the best place to start, but it’s also worth trying to book direct. Sometimes packaging your parking with a hotel room or renting a personal space near the airport will end up working out cheaper. Whatever you do, don’t let it be your last thought, leaving you paying the extortionate prices on the day.

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Mr Lender is a multi-award winning lender and is rated five stars on Trustpilot by customer reviews. So why would you choose anyone else for your short term loans?

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