Alternative ways to get cheaper long haul holidays

[Flimpychunk]

We usually book our flights when easyJet release them, meaning we are able to get return flights for a family of 4 in school
holidays for under £500.

This has been amazing and a real game changer the last few years but we’re thinking of going further afield next summer. Are there any similar tactics to booking longer haul flights?

Only Avios and companion vouchers, or Virgin points.

Long haul flights are a much more complicated market because people travel for a wider variety of reasons.

In my experience one way to save is to be more open in your choice of airline. For example Vietnam Airlines can be half the price of BA or Lufthansa to get to Australia. Their reviews are great and they fly the same (or more recent) models of plane as the national carriers. (I'm looking at you, old and crappy Swiss A330.) I haven't been with them, but you can check out every airline via the YouTube travel vloggers.

Also consider where you're flying to eg Kuala Lumpur is significantly cheaper than Singapore if you're going on further.

I’ve always meant to get into points but just never managed it, which is ridiculous I know.

Is it generally the case that booking further in advance is the cheapest time to buy tickets if you’re limited to popular times like school holidays?

Can I jump on slightly off topic, sorry! How do you find out when EJ will be releasing new flights, eg, for next May half term and then for summer 2026? Thanks!

Sadly the May 2026 flights (if that’s what you mean) were released today, which I missed and prompted me to start this thread! There’s a MN thread about it that usually has reminders and EasyJet sometimes email to say when the date is (although I’ve only ever received that once).

Usually for school holidays, but I don’t think it’s a given