‘I’m a travel expert – you need to book your summer holidays before prices rise’
Considering we're in the middle of winter and the final countdown to Christmas, it's fair to say that the summer holidays won't be on most people's minds.
However, according to travel experts now is the time to start planning your trip, as getting in early could actually help you save money on popular destinations like Spain and Greece.
Gavin Lapidus, eshores' Travel Agent and Director, revealed the best time to get summer holiday deals – and it's definitely a case of the early bird catching the worm.
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He explained: "If you’re looking to take a summer holiday during peak school holiday dates, book as early as possible. For long-haul flights, 10-11 months in advance is when you’ll find the cheapest deals, while 8-10 months in advance is best for European trips. If you miss this cut-off, you can often find cheap fares for long-haul in January and February when demand is lower.
"Generally, it’s always recommended to book holidays at least a season or two in advance. So, for summer, start looking at flights in winter or early spring, as that is when the best deals will pop up."
It wasn't the only advice he had for families trying to get ahead for next year's school holidays. When it comes to the peak holiday dates such as February half term and Easter, you might want to keep an eye on those Boxing Day holiday deals.
Prices for these travel dates can almost double due to the high demand, but getting in early could be key to avoiding the sky-high fares. He explained: "December is the last month to get a good deal on these peak dates, as prices will spike even further from January. If you’re not planning a holiday with children, then if you can, avoid travelling during the school holidays to get cheaper deals."
Oh, and while it may feel extremely early to be thinking about next Christmas… you might want to if you're thinking of going abroad. Gavin warns: "To get the cheapest prices for Christmas, flights need to be booked as soon as they come on sale. So, for Christmas 2024, you should ideally be booking in January or February. From October onwards, prices will be at their highest."
For those who aren't tied to the school holiday dates, then you may want to consider using up some of your annual leave earlier in the year.
That's because a recent study found that the cheapest overall month to travel was January. The research found that the first month of the year will cost you the least if you’re heading to Athens, Denpasar, Lisbon, Barcelona, Antalya, Prague, Rome, Dublin, Amsterdam, Berlin, Seoul, Vienna, Toronto, or Hanoi. Of course for most of these destinations you won't get to enjoy hot and sunny weather, but it can mean smaller crowds and shorter queues at some of these cities' most popular attractions.
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