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Original poster

Holidays

61 replies

Cautiontothewind · 07/05/2022 07:21

Posting for traffic really I guess but I'm looking at holidays for this year and I am shocked at how expensive they are! I knew they'd be a bit more but for 2 adults and 2 children in a family friendly hotel (some slides, a kids club etc) all inclusive it's well over £3000 for the likes of Spain, canaries etc for a week. It just seems extortionate and I know it's a luxury to go on holiday but we've never been and I'd love to take my kids before they get much older.

I did find some great ones on first choice yesterday morning for under the £3000 mark but when we went to look again that evening they were either gone or had gone up by a significant amount.

Anyone got any tips to finding a more affordable weeks holiday abroad?!

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 07/05/2022 07:22

Look at separate flights, booking the hotel direct, and arranging your own transfer.

Indoorcamping · 07/05/2022 07:30

What dates are you looking at? Which airport?

We need passports for all of us (expired during covid so didn't bother renewing) so we've got no chance of a holiday this year. Happy to take a look and live vicariously through your hols :)

JamMakingWannaBe · 07/05/2022 07:33

Clear all the cookies off your web browser and look again. Allegedly the websites know you have been looking and increase the prices.

rookiemere · 07/05/2022 07:39

@Cautiontothewind unfortunately if you're looking for deals this July/aug you've left it far too late. Demand is very high - first summer in 3 years that people can travel without restrictions- and lots of carried flights and holidays from the last two years.

You could try an Everywhere search on Skyscanner for your dates and see what you could find. Best bet is not going for a standard holiday destination.

rookiemere · 07/05/2022 07:40

Or what might be better if you do want a Spain or Canaries holiday- Jet2 already has next Summer available, book up now for the cheapest prices and you can pay in instalments.

Ponoka7 · 07/05/2022 07:40

"Look at separate flights, booking the hotel direct, and arranging your own transfer."

Just be aware that if they oversell the flight, it's those who aren't on a package that will get bumped off. Also if that or anything else happens, such as landing a flight because of fighting/medical emergency etc compensation isn't paid for every element.

We are looking for next year and it's looking like abroad holidays will be every two years with the way prices are.

YesitsJacqueline · 07/05/2022 07:43

It's always been that way in the school holidays I'm afraid . I've worked as a travel agent for 25 years and that's what you'd expect to pay for a family of 4 in peak season.
There's only me and DS we have a week in Spain in late July, half board and its 1100 , booked back in November and I think that's quite good !

Indoorcamping · 07/05/2022 07:43

This is from London Luton so might not be relevant. Also probably doesn't include checked bags. They'd need to be added.

Holidays
IwaswhoIam · 07/05/2022 07:45

We are going to Dominican Republic this month . The hotel is Grand Palladium Punta Cana. We are a family of 4 ( a three year old and a one year old ) and the hotel is all inclusive and it’s costing us £1500 for 7 nights . It’s a huge resort , with kids club, lots of entertainment etc . Caribbean in general is super affordable and the beaches are incredible. We used our air miles to book flights. British Airways fly directly into Punta Cana . The cost was still £800 with you with taxes but it made the trip more affordable for sure .

I highly recommend checking out the Caribbean . It’s great value for money . Be careful about the time of the year as some islands get hit bad with hurricane season in the Summer .

PumpkinPie2016 · 07/05/2022 07:45

I have book Austria for next year and when looking through tour operators such as tui, they were really expensive.

I have booked the hotel direct (DH's family have been before and booked this way so we know it's ok)

I will book flights ✈ when they come out. Probably either jet2 or Austrian airlines/Lufthansa. All are much cheaper than tui.

I will take out travel insurance.

With all of the above, I will save around £1500 on the holiday.

DashboardConfessional · 07/05/2022 07:46

rookiemere · 07/05/2022 07:39

@Cautiontothewind unfortunately if you're looking for deals this July/aug you've left it far too late. Demand is very high - first summer in 3 years that people can travel without restrictions- and lots of carried flights and holidays from the last two years.

You could try an Everywhere search on Skyscanner for your dates and see what you could find. Best bet is not going for a standard holiday destination.

This! I was thinking, by this year I hope you mean October half term at the earliest! I used to go in May half term and October half term as a kid. The Costa del Sol or Canaries were still warm.

Scianel · 07/05/2022 07:47

Lots of campsites in France do chalet type accommodation as well and tend to have pools and often loads of other amenities, restaurant on site etc. Why not look at that and also if driving will then work out cheaper?

rookiemere · 07/05/2022 07:50

@DashboardConfessional October is also pretty ridiculous for standard holiday destinations. We booked back in Feb for Oct half term to Lanzarote and the same holiday has gone up £1.5k as was pricing for a friend.
So instead they've found cheap flights to Sicily and are having a non package holiday there, but with younger DC and if you've not been abroad much I'd say a package holiday is a safer option these days.

PurassicJark · 07/05/2022 07:54

Don't go all inclusive maybe? That's always the most expensive way.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 07/05/2022 07:57

This is why I've haven't been overseas since the children started school. I can never find anything under £3/£4k for 4 of us and won't spend that one a holiday. A UK holiday always costs us about £1500 for the cottage, then another £1k spending money.

Oblomov22 · 07/05/2022 08:04

"I did find some great ones on first choice yesterday morning for under the £3000 ", if you see another good deal, Your'll now know you book immediately.

NCforpictures · 07/05/2022 08:08

Why not go self catering?

Movingdreams · 07/05/2022 08:10

I have two friends who always book the best accommodation available in European campsites, and then organise their own flights/Eurotunnel/meals etc, but of course it depends what kind of holiday you are looking for.

I always used to book everything myself for much cheaper than what package holidays do, but then all-inclusive isn’t the kind of holiday I look for so it all depends on what you want.

HollyHocks13 · 07/05/2022 08:10

It doesn't need to be this expensive. I've just booked us 2 weeks in Italy for £2000 for 5 of us. EasyJet flights and a villa through Airbnb...

LondonWolf · 07/05/2022 08:11

Go over February, May or October half terms. Sometimes Easter holidays are doable too. Weather usually fine, destinations are quieter, and much cheaper. I would never go away during the summer holidays - too hot, crowded and expensive.

user1485155939 · 07/05/2022 08:13

Look at easyjet package holidays, they are such good value and I think the only difference is they don't have a rep in resort (not sure many do now anyway) ... I've always used tui but the customer service has really gone downhill lately.

Thehop · 07/05/2022 08:14

Don’t book a package, do seerate flights and hotel. Much cheaper for us.

Skelligsfeathers · 07/05/2022 08:14

An all inclusive package holiday WILL be expensive! How can it not be?
Look at self catering/villas/apartments etc

Skelligsfeathers · 07/05/2022 08:15

I've booked a villa for two weeks in august for 4 adults for 3k including flights

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