The benefits of booking your holiday early and what to look out for when booking

Now that summer 2019 is out the way, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about your 2020 summer holiday. Booking early ensures you can get availability for your chosen holiday and at the best prices and here’s why:

When booking scheduled airlines such as BA, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic, as a general rule their prices are at their lowest when the flights are first released 11 months in advance of the travel date, so it’s a really good idea to start thinking early and getting your plans in place for when the flights are released to ensure you get the best possible price.

Low cost airlines normally release their summer schedules sometime in October and again, they release their lowest prices first which is why the closer to the date of departure you get, the higher the flight prices will be. By the time the “January sales” come around, flights have already been on sale for months and you are probably no better off then booking early.

If you are booking a complete package, this opens up the opportunity of low package airfares and low deposits allowing you to spread the cost of your holiday over the coming months, rather than having to pay for it all at once. Many companies have payment plans available to spread the cost or apps which allow you to manage your payments as and when you wish to make a payment, but always make sure the company you are booking with has full financial protection which ensures your money is safe. You can check that a company holds an ATOL licence at https://www.caa.co.uk/ATOL-protection/Check-an-ATOL/ATOL-holder-search/ and if booking a complete and ATOL protected holiday, ensure you receive a copy of the ATOL certificate upon booking for your records. Not all holidays booked online will be ATOL protected so always ask before booking if your holiday is protected.

So don’t leave it till the last minute, get planning your next adventure so you have something to look forward to knowing that you have the best deal and loads of time to pay for it.

Kate

Kate is a Personal Travel Counsellor based in Winchester offering an independent and bespoke travel service. ABTA members, ATOL licenced and everything booked with Kate is financially protected under the Travel Counsellors Trust. Having been to over 40 countries, Kate brings a wealth of personal experience to the holidays she books and doesn’t charge extra for her time or knowledge, so get in touch to see how she can turn your worldwide travel dreams to a reality.

www.TravelCounsellors.co.uk/kate.self   
01962 659280 
kate.self@travelcounsellors.com