WITH so much choice out there, booking an affordable holiday can feel like a mammoth task.
When is the cheapest time to fly? How do you avoid paying for hand luggage? Is there a way to eat on the cheap? So we’ve spoken to our team of travel experts, with thousands of miles racked up between them each year, for their top tips.
We’ve covered it all, from flights and hotels, to cruise trips and package holidays.
Here are the 50 best tips, according to the Sun’s award-winning Travel team.
Booking your holidays
1. Book as a package instead of separately
While it may be tempting to go for those budget flights and cheap hotel, it might still end up costing you more than a package holiday.
Not only can they often offer insane bargains – Loveholidays regularly have seven-night stays in Europe for under £150 each – but many include free transfers and luggage too.
2. Fly midweek
With so many options for flights these days, looking beyond the traditional weekend to weekend departures will often garner savings.
Instead of heading off on a Friday or Saturday, compare with the pricing for a mid-week flight – very often you’ll spend less on Tuesday or Wednesday departures.
3. Check holiday price matchers
A number of the big travel companies offer holiday price matching, like EasyJet Holidays, Thomas Cook and On The Beach.
For example, EasyJet Holidays guarantee to beat the price if you find the same holiday cheaper after booking with them.
Check the terms and conditions before booking, to make sure you understand exactly when they’ll shell out.
4. Turn on flight price checkers
Setting alerts is the key to this one.
If you’ve got a dream destination where the price of flights is way too high, then make sure to turn on notifications for price change on the likes of Google Flights or Skyscanner.
You can set it up so that you’ll get a message when the fares come down, and you can race to book them.
5. Book your flights in incognito mode
Have you ever been browsing flights, gone back a few days later to look again – and the price has skyrocketed?
If so, then next time you open your browser to book your flights, you may want to hit ctrl+shift+N.
Browsing in incognito mode means that your browser can’t keep track of your cookies, so you’ll avoid those pesky last-minute price raises when you’re desperate to book.
6. Sign up for newsletters
Newsletter sign ups to companies like Which? VoucherCloud are great for saving money, as they flag a range of current restaurants and attractions offering money off.
You can also sign up to chains to get vouchers – Prezzo, Zizzi’s,and Pizza Express all offer deals to subscribers, like a free drink or money off the bill.
The app EatClub (free to download) is also excellent for getting money off the bill – restaurants and bars offer discounts to members for early bird and late slots, to get people through the door.
7. Book attractions online
It’s no secret that attractions cost more on the door. For example, if booked in advance, a day pass for Alton Towers is from £34pp, but the walk-up price is double that.
In some cases, the further in advance, the bigger the savings, so it pays to be organised.
Hotel and accommodation tips
8. Email your hotels for upgrades…
If you don’t ask, you don’t get! It’s always worth emailing your hotel to ask if they have a specific room upgrade.
Or even email the hotel saying you have found a deal online, and they will often either match it or throw in some freebies.
9 …Or remind them if its a special occasion
Don’t forget to tell hotels if it is a birthday or anniversary too, as they often provide small welcome gifts if they are made aware in advance.
Just don’t lie, as you don’t want to risk being caught out.
10. Skip the breakfast
If they’re not already included in the price, breakfast buffets are rarely worth shelling out on.
Instead, pack some cereal bars – they’re often just enough to carry you through until lunch and save you money on added breakfast charges.
11. Find new hotels for soft launches
If you want a luxury hotel stay without the price, look for ones that have just opened as they often offer discounts during their “soft launch”.
Keep an eye on lists of new hotels opening on sites like Hotel News Resource, and be proactive by contacting the reservation desk to ask for an introductory offer.
While this can mean they are not fully operational – for example, the spa may not be open yet – you can still enjoy a five-star on a budget.
12. Work for your board
Sign up to a site like Trusted Housesitters and look after someone’s pet in exchange for free board at their home while they are away.
The website lets people find house and pet sitters for when they are away from home and has listings all over the world, from the Caribbean to Costa Rica, New York and London.
13. Try a hostel with private rooms
Hostels are one of the best and easiest ways to feel like you are clawing your money back.
And don’t worry – these days, they aren’t just for backpackers, with brands like Generator Hostels offering a very boutique feel in city centre locations.
Many have private rooms, which cost far less than a hotel as you may have to share a bathroom.
14. Consider house swapping
If your home is fit to be seen by strangers, and you’re not too OCD about your possessions, then consider listing your property on a house-swapping site.
Website HomeExchange, where you swap homes with someone else around the world, has seen a boom in UK properties signing up – members have to verify their identity and address and build profiles including reviews for security purposes.
You could find yourself in Paris, New York or even Hawaii without having to splash the cash on a hotel or Airbnb.
15. Check the hotel freebies…
Depending on where you are staying, there will usually be some freebies for you to use – and not just shampoo and conditioner.
Some will go even further with a toothbrush and toothpaste, razor, shower cap, earbuds, makeup remover pads and so on.
To find out what is in your room, check the website of where you are staying and look at the reviews, by searching for key words like ‘razor’ or ‘shower cap’.
Quite often reception will also have a selection of items that they will provide if you have forgotten something, too.
16. Check for free hotel perks
Before you choose you hotel, check if they have any additional perks.
For example, some will operate a free shuttle service to popular tourist destinations, while others might hold a daily cheese and wine service in the later afternoon that is complimentary for guests.
17. Sign up for hotel loyalty programmes
With some hotel chains like Ibis and Hilton, if you have a member account – which is usually free to set up – you will get exclusive offers and discounts.
For example, I recently stayed at Ibis London Luton Hotel and because I am a member, I saved around £10 on my booking.
18. Find hotels with free waterpark entry
Next time you are looking for that all-singing, all-dancing hotel resort abroad, try and find one that includes waterpark entry.
This can quickly rack up if you are paying for entry for all of you, and lots of parks have deals with nearby attractions.
When on holiday
19. Avoid overpriced essentials abroad
Don’t skimp out on packing important toiletries (for example, shampoo and ESPECIALLY suncream), as resort towns know you’ll need them – so often sell the basics for a very ridiculously high prices.
20. Find free tours
Once you’ve chosen your destination, it’s always worth searching online for free tours.
Check sites like Freetour, GuruWalk, Walkative as well as Londonwithalocal.
While there is no upfront cost or booking fee, you are expected to tip your guide at the end based on your satisfaction with the tour.
21. Visit museums on first Sundays of the month…
Most European cities have free entry to museums and art galleries on certain days.
This is commonly on the first Sunday of every month, so time your weekend break then to get some free tickets.
22. … Or book closing-hour tickets
Other attractions may offer free tickets an hour before they close, although these are often booked up quickly.
For example, in Seville, both the Royal Alcazar Palace and Seville Cathedral have limited free tickets for the final hours.
23. Secret boarding pass discounts
Never throw away your boarding pass as it can get you discounts on the ground.
Emirates and Etihad Airways passengers can get discounts at shopping centres and theme parks in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, respectively, while Turkish Airlines has discounts at hotels.
24. Make the most of city passes
If you’re looking to do a lot of sightseeing on a city break, it’s always worth checking out any city passes on offer.
For a set fee, you’ll get entry to all the main attractions, plus many also offer free or subsidised travel and discounts on food and drink.
In some cases you might even get skip-the-line access, which will save time during city exploration too.
In London, the London Pass (from £79) offers up to 50 per cent off attractions, while in Lisbon, the Lisboa Card (from £27) lets you queue jump as your card is actually your ticket.
25. Use food waste apps
We swear by Too Good To Go which is an app that sells leftover food from restaurants and shops, ranging from £3 to £10.
Once our Assistant Travel Editor Sophie was in New York with her sister, and she spent just a few bucks on a bag of food before her flight using the app, with pasta, salad, potatoes, couscous and more from a local deli.
26. Grab an eSIM to avoid roaming charges
There’s nothing worse than using your phone abroad, only to be surprised by a massive phone bill when you arrive home.
Rather than paying for an expensive monthly add-on that you’re not even sure will cover all of your travels, you’re often better of downloading an eSim from an app such as Airalo for the specific country you’re visiting.
27. Always ask for tap water (if it’s safe)
Perhaps the most simple one out there is just to ask for tap water in restaurants.
If you ask for still water, you might end up paying for bottled water.
Just make sure it is safe to drink the tap water of the country you are in.
28. Head to designer dupe markets
If you’re not too fussed about having real designer bags or sunglasses, then you can probably find some great dupes on holiday.
Fair enough, they won’t be of the same high quality – but they also won’t be the same high price either.
Some of the best-known are Laleli Market in Istanbul, Pratunam Market in Bangkok and Costa Adeje Market in Tenerife.
29. Find a local carpool
BlaBlaCar is a carpooling platform that helps travellers across Europe, by connecting their with car drivers.
Drivers offer space in their car in exchange for petrol money – so you’re saving the environment and your cash.
All things money
30. Check the discount sites
Discount sites aren’t just for students… There are loads out there to use with real discounts, not fake voucher codes.
For example, students can use Student Beans or Unidays, but so can graduates. If you work for the NHS, you can use the Blue Light discount. And many employers offer discount sites as a work perk.
These sites often have hundreds of companies giving them discounts, from transport to accommodation and from restaurants to things to do – it is always worth checking them out before booking something.
31. Use cashback sites
Cashback websites are an easy way to get some free money on a holiday you are booking.
Some examples include 3.75 per cent cashback on an easyJet holidays (working out to £11 back on a £300 trip) or hotels.com, which gives you seven per cent back (£14 if you book a hotel for two nights at £200).
32. Buy your travel money before you go
Never, ever buy your travel money at the airport – the fees charged and rates you’ll get are always going to be the worst.
Compare foreign exchange providers before you go and have the money either delivered to your house or pick it up and you could make significant savings.
33. Pay in local currency
When the cash machine asks if you want to pay in local currency or pounds, you always go with local.
This is because the conversion rate is always better than your banks’, so it will save you money.
34. Find no foreign fee cards
Don’t fall victim to foreign card fees, with some credit cards charging as much as £2.99 per transaction.
Many like Starling, Revolut and Monzo all have no fees for using cards abroad, as well as banks like First Direct.
Airport hacks
35. Ditch the pricey plane food
For shorter flights, it makes no sense to shell out on expensive sarnies and snacks.
For both kids and grown-ups, pack a Pot Noodle and ask the flight attendant for hot water – they are nearly always happy to oblige if you ask nicely.
36. Try a different airport
You can often make significant savings by choosing to fly from an airport a little further from your home.
This is particularly the case for those living in the north of the country, who can take advantage of the fact that fares from Scottish airports will be less if you travel in the summer, when Scottish school holidays are much earlier than English ones.
37. Check in before you fly
It sounds super simple, but make sure to check in to your flight before you get to the airport, especially if you are flying with a budget airline.
Wizz Air, for example, will only let you check in 24 hours before your flight, but check in then closes three hours before your flight.
If you check in at the airport, you might pay a premium of over £30.
38. Avoid paying for luggage at the airport…
One of the biggest costs to your holiday can be buying your luggage at the airport, which can be as much as £80 each way.
Make sure to always check the airline rules, and to weigh your bag before heading there so you aren’t caught out.
39. …Or never check it in at all
If you are a light packer, try to skip the checked luggage entirely.
Most weekend breaks can easily fit into an underseat bag, while a week-long trip can easily be a carry on.
Compression packing cubes are excellent for saving space in a bag, and try to bring items of clothing that will work for multiple activities.
For instance, our Deputy Travel Editor swears by these sandals that only cost £21, and are the only pair of shoes that she needs to take on holiday.
40. Make use of the duty free bag
Let’s just say that sometimes when I grab a bottle of water in a shopping bag post-security at the airport, it’s not because I’m thirsty.
There’s often plenty of extra room in that duty-free bag…that big jacket you’ve been sweating in? It may just find a nice home in a duty-free plastic bag.
41. Walk a block to get cheaper taxis
If you walk straight out of the airport to the taxi rank, just know that you’ll likely be paying some of the highest prices for a transfer possible.
Next time, walk a few blocks away from the airport with your luggage, download the country’s local taxi app, and call yourself a cab from a bit further away.
Car hire and train travel tricks
42. Bring your own carseat
Hiring a basic booster seat for your child can be astronomical at car hire companies on holiday, with some asking for up for £10 a day.
Instead, buy an inflatable one that can fit in your hand luggage, or the clever booster seat backpacks that are now on the market.
You’ll make your money back in just one trip.
43. Book your car hire excess waiver separately
You can buy excess car hire polices in the UK at much cheaper prices.
Should you have an accident, it protects the no claims bonus and means you aren’t faced with a huge bill.
They are accepted by every reputable car hire company; if they try to convince you that you can’t use it and you have to buy theirs, that is wrong.
There are some very high-pressure selling techniques around so be strong.
It will save you a lot in the long run and annual policies mean if you are going to be hiring cars abroad more than once you’re saving even more.
44. Wait two weeks before your arrive to book cars
Research from TravelSupermarket found that the sweet spot for booking cheap car hire at around two weeks before your holiday.
The worst time to book your car hire is a full year in advance, with average daily prices reaching £93.12 – an extortionate rate compared with the average of £46.75 per day when booked at around the two-week mark.
45. Eurostar snap
Did you know you can get up to half price Eurostar tickets outside of sale season?
Eurostar Snap lets you book last minute tickets just 14 days before travel, where you choose between morning or afternoon slots.
Then 48 hours before, you are told your exact time – and save up to 50 per cent on your ticket.
46. Bid for better train seats
Seatfrog is a useful app that partners with train companies to offer upgrades to first class by auction.
So let’s say you bought a standard class ticket, but decided you want to upgrade, you can bid for a first class seat on your journey and usually secure it for less than a first class ticket in the first place.
You can also swap train times on Seatfrog, and find discounted tickets.
47. Find the right railcard
There are loads of different railcards out there and you might be eligible.
For example, there are 16-17 saver cards, which get 16 and 17-year-olds 50 per cent off travel, while railcards for 18-25-year-olds and 26-30-year-olds can get a Railcard save up to a third on travel prices, along with a senior railcard does the same.
There is also a Family and Friends Railcard and a clever Two Together Railcard, which allows two adults traveling together to get a third off their joint rail fares.
There are a number of regional options to look out for, too.
Cruise hacks
48. Don’t book cruise excursions through the ship
You’ll find them for much better prices if you book them independently – check out local sites for the city you’re stopping at, or visit shoreexcusionsgroup.com.
49. Get cheaper spa treatments on cruise port days
Not all cruisers know that spa treatments onboard are cheaper on port days.
This is because most people are off the ship exploring, whereas during an at sea day, there will be higher demand.
For example, when I went on a Virgin Voyage, some spa treatments cost up to £60 less on port days compared to at sea days.
50. Go for the drinks packages
If you are planning on a boozy cruise holiday, a drinks package could save you a hell of a lot.
For example, Princess Cruises offer a drinks package for $64.99 (£50) which includes unlimited wine, cocktails and soft drinks – so you only need a few coffees and cocktails before you have made your money back.