How to Snag a Travel Deal
Inflation has definitely hit flight prices, hotel stays, car hire, and in fact most aspects of travel. According to GBTA (Global Business Travel Association) flights have increased by 48% year to date. GBTA Predictions for hotels and car hire are following this same upward trend. For us cost conscious travellers, it can be depressing reading. As travel bloggers we are increasingly asked ‘How to snag a travel deal?’
Well, there is good news – there are deals to be had!! In our experience, finding great deals these days usually comes down to being prepared to spend personal time researching online. In some ways doing the leg work a travel agent would normally do. It’s not as hard as you think to cut out costs. Think of it as a challenge! We don’t have all the answers but here’s what we do to get good value when we plan trips.
How to Snag A Travel Deal
1. Get a BASE Price
Decide where you want to go and get an initial costing from a travel agent, a brochure, or online site like Expedia. This is your benchmark – a comparison price to assess against.
Make sure it’s clear exactly what this price includes e.g. baggage, airport transfers, room type etc. Travel agents can get good deals too so don’t rule them out. The next job is to work out the cost of the different elements of your trip so you can compare like for like.
2. Use Travel Comparison Websites
Start with flights. Use travel comparison websites like Skyscanner, Google Flights or Hopper to compare costs. If you are just in the enquiry stage, set up email alerts for cheapest flight dates and keep an eye on cost trends.
We are signed up to free travel clubs like ´Jack´s Travel Club, Travel Zoo, Secret Escapes who share weekly offers on flights, hotels and a range of travel related experiences.
Not only is it fun to find out about new places from them, they are constantly looking for deals to share. They may black out some dates and flights tend to be priced from major hubs but they are an excellent resource.
Sign up for ‘sales’ with airlines or companies you use a lot. You’ll get emails advising of when the next block of flights are released for sale – for EasyJet this is twice a year.
You may also then get notifications regarding Flash fares which are usually only for a few days. Again BEWARE what this flash fare includes ‘ they tend not to include baggage or specific seat allocation.
3. Be Flexible – ‘Go Anywhere’
Hunting for how to snag a Travel Deal may require a bit more flexibility. If you want to go to a specific place on a specific date, you may not get any deals flowing your way!
However, if you want a getaway but don’t mind where you end up, try the Go Anywhere option. On Skyscanner, you can get some great options by entering a departure airport and then search for ‘anywhere’.
The site then presents a number of countries with deals for the dates you have selected. This is a great way to save money and explore somewhere new!
4. Fly on Cheaper Travel Days
In our experience, travelling on a Tuesday or Wednesday can sometimes be cheaper than peak Friday through to Monday. Sometimes this can be as much as a 50% saving! Hard to believe, we know! It’s a great tip to snag a travel deal that really can add up.
Typically, on Thursdays, prices start to rise but you can still get a good deal. Many airlines now show a calendar with cheapest prices on a given day – use this tool. For example we bagged a great flight price to Istanbul with Wizz Air using their calendar for best dates!
A package booking often has set days for travel. Usually, if that means you have to fly at weekends you will be paying a premium. If you are only going somewhere for a long weekend, then think about offsetting one peak day with a lower fare day.
For example, perhaps going on a Saturday to a Tuesday as opposed from Friday to Monday. This way you avoid both peak flying days. We did that when we went to Seville and saved over GBP80 a person by avoiding both high fare days.
Also if you have a preferred travel company like say Regent Holidays which we like for Eastern European destinations, they often have ‘offers’ so sign up and keep an eye on these deals! Don’t overlook Costco Travel if you have a membership. They offer many destinations from Mexico to South Pacific!
5. Book Flights Early
Booking flights early does pay off. Waiting until the last minute and you’ll pay more whatever the day and with current inflation rates, prices seem to be ticking up weekly
Sometimes, it can work out cheaper to book early. Buy a flexible ticket that allows free changes if it’s an expensive route and way ahead. It’s easy to see trends on flights if you look at flights a few months out vs say six months out on your preferred airline or consolidate site.
6. Vary Both Departure and Arrival Airports
Depending where you go, do think about your airport. Could you fly into an alternative airport and save money? Read our post on Pisa Florence and Siena in 4 Days as an example on how approach to trip planning.
Check carefully if there is an event going on in a particular city at the time you wish to go. If so, both accommodation and flights will be more expensive. e.g. festivals or sporting events. You can choose a different destination within the same country for a cheaper price.
Also be flexible in your departure airport. Whilst my closest airport is Stansted, often departing from Luton or Gatwick is cheaper.
7. Travel Outside Peak Season
Shoulder or off season travel is another way to get more value. You can secure good deals by going a few weeks later or earlier but do check regarding weather.
You might get a great price on a flight or hotel but if it is monsoon season in Asia or Hurricane season in the Caribbean then, it’s not really a good deal if once you are there your holiday is spoilt because of the weather.
Europe in particular is great in September and October and weather is still warm in many places. Once again Flexibility really is key in trying to figure out how to snag a travel deal.
It’s not always possible to avoid school holidays but if you can, do. Fares and accommodation really do shoot up at these times. If you have no choice, then try and use our other tips to help reduce the cost.
8. Use Free Cancellation Option for Hotels
So many hotels offer free cancellation options.
Again it is worth using several sites to compare accommodation prices. You can collect points and rewards with the first two sites when booking.
Air B&B is a little more tricky in terms of getting free cancellation so check the details if this is important to you. Write to the host and ask if they don’t offer it. Also it’s worth keeping an eye on prices once you’ve booked because world events can cause prices to drop very quickly.
We saved £200+ on a Corfu hotel by switching from the cheapest supplier at time of booking to another booking agent a couple of weeks later. With a locked in free cancellation, it cost nothing to switch. One other tip regarding hotel bookings is to email the hotel directly and ask for their best flexible rate. It can be cheaper.
9. Review Costs of Breakfast in Hotel Costs
We’ve had some amazing breakfasts on holiday and a hearty one certainly sets you up for the day especially if you have a busy sightseeing schedule ahead. However, unless it is part of an amazing hotel or resort rate, eating breakfast in a hotel can be pricey.
If all you fancy is a coffee and croissant you’re likely paying for a full English for a week! We’ve found most cities offer local cafes where you can get delicious breakfasts without feeling locked into one place.
We prefer this flexibility of having brunch later or choosing different cafes to try. You do the figures!
10. Reduce Airport Transfer Costs
Perhaps if you are putting together your own package, you may need to plan airport transfers. Our solution is to use booking.com or Google to find a local taxi company. Book directly with them.
Hopefully, you’ve already read in several of our blogs how easy and cost effective they are. The airline you travel with will often try and sell you a transfer when booking or even bombard you with emails up until the day you travel to do so, but do your price comparison before booking their option.
With a city break, it’s much easier as many airports have great links into their centres via train, tram or bus and you can simply purchase your ticket when you land.
When you book your own transfer, most companies usually allow cancellation up to 24 hours before so it’s a great option.
11. Reduce Rental/HireCosts
Avoid renting your car from an airport as fees are much higher. Often a rental pick up point within a city is more competitive. If you add on drivers, prices go up too so consider if you need more one person to drive.
Snuggle up! Renting a smaller car can save you quite a bit and cost less to fill up the tank. Also rental insurance is expensive so check ways to buy this in advance. For example check if your credit card covers insurance for car rental.
Finally, if you join a loyalty program and book a smaller car you may get free upgrades more often.
12. Pre-Book Airport Car Parking
Just when you think you have sorted everything out, you then need to budget in the increasingly extortionate cost of parking your car at the airport. In the UK, airport car parking is expensive. In the US…. Once again, PREBOOK!!!!. We cannot stress this enough.
In the UK, we have used both SkyPark Secure Parking or Holiday Extras who both offer discounted parking rates. There is no set charge however and airports set their own rates.
Therefore, it can be cheaper to book a PARK and FLY rate where you can for not much more stay at the airline hotel and park your car there. Both the above sites offer this option.
It can work out cheaper to stay at a hotel the night before you fly and then leave your hotel at the hotel while you are away. We have also used this in Miami several times. You just take the free shuttle to/from the airport. Search for this option around your departure airport.
13. Consider Taking The Train
Now this might not be practical for a family of 5 or those with mobility issues but the train can be very relaxing. Yes, I know the UK has been hit with strikes and in the USA, trains are definitely not ‘the favourite’ but in mainland Europe we find them really reliable, good value and fun. Italy in particular has an excellent train system and it’s easy to reserve seats on line.
Investigate railcards which offer savings routinely! In the UK, you can buy a ‘Two Together’ Discount Rail Card. This card gives ⅓ of fares as long as you travel together.
14. Use a Local Guide for Tours
If you have booked a package holiday, your tour operator will encourage you to book excursions with the holiday rep who will visit you in your hotel usually the day after you arrive.
There’s a welcome drink, you’re feeling relaxed and before you know it, you’ve spent a fortune on these trips. You will generally pay more booking it this way as that tour operator is the middle agent – you pay them; they pay the local guide.
TPoP tip is, simply, shop around. Can you book a local guide directly who is cheaper? Can you just as easily explore a place on your own with a map?
Another site which we’ve used for suggestions for tours and booked through is the global Get Your Guide Resource Also, we used My Day Trip Car Transfers from city to city during a Week Trip To Montenegro and Albania.
15. Keep an Eye on Exchange rates
The murky world of foreign exchange! We’re globally connected and recently markets have certainly impacted the pound and other currencies. (No politics on our blog 🙂
But that can mean a deal for the savvy traveller if your currency gains in value against another. At present, the US dollar is very strong and US travellers are getting an exceptional deal. For Brits travelling, Greece and South Africa remain good options looking at 2025.
It’s also important to use a credit or debit card that does not charge commission when using it abroad. We both use MONZO which is easy and you can keep a track on your spending.
16. Review Travel Insurance Options
This is always an extra whether you book a package or not. We recommend taking out your own annual policy if you plan to travel several times a year. A single use policy is not much cheaper. Use travel insurance comparison websites like Cheap Travel Insurance Options to get the best deal but don’t automatically renew without getting a new quote.
UK travellers used to be able to use a medical card in Europe called the EHIC card. Following Britain’s exit from the EU, these have actually been replaced by something called a GHIC.
This is FREE so don’t use anything other than the official website. There are some companies that charge a service fee to organize this. Avoid them and use this link to apply for your GHIC Card.
17. Try A Self Catering Vacation
Self Catering opens up ideas for different holidays and great value for money in many locations. And why not try camping?We used to love camping trips. Also Scotland remains of the the last countries in Europe for wild camping.
This means you can park your tent wherever. Alternatively, rent a camper van/RV and tour – this is a bucket list for many to do on a Tour of New Zealand for example.
Wrap Up – How To Snag a Travel Deal
There are times when we realize it’s easier just to book and not worry about savings. But at the same time, why overpay for travel when with a little bit of effort you can usually reduce costs.
We hope you have found this article helpful and our tips will work for you. Happy travel bargain hunting.