What is the Best Time to Book the Best Value Holiday?

Posted on 26 Jan 2017 by Anna Scott
It’s that time of year again. January is cold and miserable so of course we all start thinking about where we want to go on holiday over the summer, and for this reason, now is the busiest time for travel agencies and operators up and down the country. But is January really the right month to book for the best value holiday, or is it worth leaving it until the last minute to save a few quid? Unfortunately there’s not really a catch-all answer to this question, but here are a few tips on how you can secure the best value depending on your circumstances…

 

Greek beach holiday


 

Flexibility vs Restrictions


Before you decide when the best time to book is, you need to ask yourself a few important questions:

Do you only have a strict window of availability?

Do you or any members of your holiday party have specific room requirements?

If the answer to either of these questions is ‘yes’ then we recommend you book your holiday as early as possible. So right about now, then. If you can only travel during school holidays, then a lot of other people are going to be in exactly the same position as you and places covering popular destinations are going to fill up quickly. The same goes for any particular room requirements as these places will be very limited. However, if you leave it a bit later to book, then bear in mind that it could well be worth your while seeking out a last-minute bargain after a few months as, if they do drop, prices won’t go down until then.

But, if you are lucky enough to be in a position to be flexible, then your options aren’t quite so limited and it could be worth hedging your bets.

 

Is ‘Last Minute’ Really Cheaper?


Ah, the ultimate question and yet another one that doesn’t have a clear answer. The phrase implies a bargain, but remember, just because you do leave it until the last minute, this doesn’t necessarily mean that holiday companies will reduce their prices, and in some instances, they can actually raise them. For example, the prices of low-cost or scheduled flights that are initially advertised very rarely drop unless they’re going to an unpopular location, and who wants to holiday there anyway? But on the other hand, travel operators do not want to be left with unsold packages. This is all part of the risk of leaving your holiday booking late in the day.

 

Aeroplane taking off


 

January Savings


If you do decide to play it safe and book before the end of the month, this doesn’t mean you have to miss out on savings. Organising your trip online can helps cut costs in itself, and there is a wide selection of savings available to temp early birds.

To illustrate, Thomas Cook discount codes can save you £100 on your summer 2017 holiday with a minimum £2500 spend when booking before 28th February and Fred Olsen Cruises promo codes get you 10% off selected holidays right now.

And if you don’t want to venture too further afield but still claim a decent discount, then Stena Line voucher codes currently have a number of January deal available including 10% off France bookings and 25% off selected bookings across their entire range of destinations.

 

Cruise ship


 

To Wait or Not to Wait?


Well, on the whole, we would recommend you book in January, whatever your circumstances. Yes, there are benefits to leaving it late for a certain section of the population, but even this still comes with risk and no real guarantee of a saving. The travel industry wants to get as many people booked as possible, as early as possible, and by offering decent January discounts, it seems that now everyone can benefit.

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