Brits urged to make four checks before booking holidays in Black Friday sales

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Brits looking for a cheap holiday deal this Black Friday – November 25 – have been warned about being tricked by scams and deals that are too good to be real.

Plenty of people are currently on the hunt for a bargain trip, with 46% of adults in the country actively seeking out a holiday this Black Friday, according to UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) research.

Before leaping at the first bargain break that you find, make sure you check the deal carefully and be wary of scams to make sure there are no nasty surprises.

To give a helping hand, the CAA has revealed four key checks you should make when booking a holiday – check them out below.

Watch out for hidden costs

Before you part with your cash, check the terms and conditions for any hidden costs – for example, whether baggage allowance is included.

Shopping around can help you check if it's a good deal – holiday bargains can usually be found through the festive period and into the New Year.

It's also worth checking if it's a flexible booking and whether parts of the holiday can be amended in the future without incurring any extra costs,.

Check for ATOL protection

Travel companies selling air package holidays in the UK are required to hold an ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) and the scheme also applies to some flight bookings.

This means that if a company ceases trading, you're protected; aka you won't end up stuck abroad or out of pocket.

Some non-UK travel companies will be advertising their deals over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to Brits, so make sure they also have ATOL protection.

You can easily check it on the CAA website here.

When you book, your travel company will provide you with an ATOL certificate, which tells you what you are protected against if your travel company ceases trading, and shows exactly which parts of your booking are ATOL protected.

Use a credit card when booking

Using a credit card should allow consumers to benefit from enhanced purchase protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

This means if you pay for your flight or hotel with a credit card and something doesn’t go to plan, in many cases your credit card issuer should provide you with your money back for purchases between £100-£30,000.

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Get travel insurance

Travel insurance can provide extra protection if your holiday doesn’t work out quite as you intended, whether that's a lost suitcase, a cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances, medical emergencies or stolen gadgets.

Make sure to get travel insurance when you book, so you're covered for any potential mishaps in the lead-up to your trip as well.

Policies and what people need do vary – for example you'll need winter sports cover for ski holidays – so always carefully check the insurance terms and conditions for full details of cover.

• Find out more on caa.co.uk.

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• Black Friday
• Money
• Deals

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