Brandt Clarke scored a power-play goal with 6:10 to play to lift the Kings to a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Clarke’s slap shot from just inside the blue line came with just two seconds left on the man advantage and ended the Kings’ losing streak at three games.
Foegele opened the scoring 5:31 into the third period when he tapped in a pass from Joel Armia, who skated the puck down the right wing. Armia has points in three straight games.
Fabian Zetterlund tied it at 1-1 with 9:11 to play in the third with his third goal of the season and second in two games, but the Senators went scoreless on three power-play opportunities.
Leevi Merilainen made 20 saves for Ottawa, which was coming off wins over Anaheim and San José, the first two games of a seven-game road trip.
Up next for the Kings: vs. the Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night.
Olen Zellweger scored 1:50 into overtime after Troy Terry tied it with 4.1 seconds left in regulation, and the Ducks dramatically ended their skid at three games with a 3-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Monday night at Honda Center.
Terry forced overtime when he tapped in a rebound after Chris Kreider deflected Cutter Gauthier’s shot off the post with an extra attacker on the ice for the Ducks.
An unchecked Zellweger then scored his second goal of the season with ease after a ragged overtime rush left him all alone at Karel Vejmelka’s post.
Lukas Dostal made 16 saves and Jackson LaCombe scored his first goal of the season for the Ducks, who moved back into first place in the Pacific Division with their first victory since winning seven in a row. Anaheim also opened a six-game homestand by staying unbeaten at Honda Center since Oct. 16.
Logan Cooley ended his eight-game goal drought since signing his $80-million contract extension by scoring with 10:41 left in regulation for the Mammoth, who have lost five of six.
Cooley’s one-timer glanced off the leg of Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson for his ninth goal of the season — and the 21-year-old center’s first goal since agreeing to his hefty eight-year deal last month.
Dylan Guenther also scored and Vejmelka made 22 saves for the Mammoth.
Anaheim scored first when Ryan Strome set up LaCombe in the first period for the defenseman’s first goal since agreeing to an eight-year, $72-million contract extension last month.
The Mammoth finally tied it late in the second period with Guenther’s eighth goal off a cross-ice pass from Nate Schmidt.
Ducks captain Radko Gudas returned from an 11-game injury absence, but forward Mikael Granlund was out for the 10th time in 11 games.
Up next for Ducks: vs. Boston Bruins at Honda Center on Wednesday.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota backup Jesper Wallstedt made 28 saves for his second straight shutout and the Wild beat the Ducks 2-0 on Saturday night.
Wallstedt extended his shutout streak to 141 minutes 9 seconds after beating Calgary 2-0 last Sunday night.
The 23-year-old Swede’s biggest save Saturday came when he robbed Frank Vatrano alone in front of the goal late in the second period. Wallstedt the backup to Filip Gustavsson, the fellow Swede who signed a five-year, $34-million extension Oct. 4.
Marcus Johansson scored in the second period and Matt Boldy added an empty-netter.
Minnesota improved to 5-1-1 in its last seven games, giving up only 12 goals in that stretch. The Wild are 19-1-0 against the Ducks dating to the 2020-21 season, including six consecutive wins since March 14, 2024.
Petr Mrazek made 29 saves for the Pacific Division-leading Ducks. They have scored only four goals in losing three in a row after winning nine of 10. Anaheim entered the day averaging 3.88 goals per game, second-best in the NHL.
Johansson opened the scoring 55 seconds into the second. Down the slot a stride behind Ryan Strome, Johansson got a pass from Boldy, went from forehand to backhand to deke Mrazek and lifted the puck past the down goalie. Johansson has seven goals this season after scoring just 11 goals each of the last two seasons.
The Wild have scored first in a franchise-record eight consecutive games.
Minnesota was 0 for 7 on the power play, the Ducks 0 for 2.
Ducks center Mikael Granlund, who returned Thursday after missing eight games because of a lower-body injury, missed the game because of the same issue. Wild right wing Vladimir Tarasenko missed his first game of the season because of a lower-body injury.
Up next
The Ducks open a six-game homestand against Utah on Monday night. The Wild host Vegas on Sunday night.
I stood atop a lookout point in the heart of Los Angeles County watching the sunset paint downtown L.A. a deep orange.
I was amazed to be alone in the outdoors just before 5 p.m. in America’s second-largest city. I took in more of the panoramic view before me. I could see Mt. Baldy turning a hazy pink as the sun coated the rest of the San Gabriel Mountains in a scarlet hue. I spotted thick clouds moving in over the South Bay. It’d be foggy later.
I’d usually need to travel to Griffith Park or Debs Park for similar views, but that evening’s location was the lesser-known Elephant Hill Open Space, a rolling landscape in El Sereno that local activists hope becomes L.A.’s next great park. But that’s only if they can save it in time.
Mt. Baldy is visible in the distance from a hiking trail in Elephant Hill Open Space in El Sereno.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
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Elephant Hill Open Space is a 110-acre plot of undeveloped land in El Sereno that residents have advocated, for more than 20 years, to be developed into a public park like nearby Debs Park or Ascot Hills with hiking trails, benches and overlook points.
Their final challenge, though, if the entire 110 acres is to be saved from development, is persuading about 200 different land owners to sell their parcels of Elephant Hill to a public agency — and at fair market rate.
Newly installed steps near the Elephant Hill test plot lead hikers toward panoramic views of L.A. County.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
About 25 acres are owned by government agencies. Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority, a local government agency focused on protecting open spaces, manages 8.37 acres at Elephant Hill and is in the process of buying another 2.4 acres. The city of L.A. owns about 15 acres after buying around 20 acres in a 2009 settlement with a developer who wanted to build luxury homes on the hillsides. (The city later sold five acres to MRCA.)
In recent years, MRCA has received about $4.2 million, including $2 million last month from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, to research and buy more land, build a 0.75-mile trail to bring in more hikers, and install gates and boulders to prevent illegal off-roading.
Sarah Kevorkian, deputy chief of wildfire resilience at MRCA, said her agency is required by law to buy land at fair market rate, making it hard to compete in a “cutthroat” market with private developers who can offer landowners more money.
“The number of individual landowners is an added layer of complexity, and I don’t think that exists in other places, not like this,” Kevorkian said.
A view looking east from Elephant Hill’s new hiking trail.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Still, she remains optimistic, regularly checking land sales websites to see whether any Elephant Hill owners have posted their properties. Community members are quick to call her if they see a “for sale” sign go up.
“I immediately will call,” Kevorkian said. “I called this one person, and they said, ‘Yeah, we have an offer, we’re going with it.’ … I said, ‘If anything changes, call me back.’ They didn’t, but I just had a feeling.”
The land was next to the hiking trail that MRCA was installing. It’d be such a perfect parcel to snag.
Kevorkian called the property owner back a few weeks later, and they told her the deal had fallen through. “It was such an awesome win,” she said.
Mt. Wilson is visible from the Elephant Hill Open Space in El Sereno.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
And anyone who visits can easily see why.
I first visited Elephant Hill a few weeks ago with Elva Yañez and Hugo Garcia, co-founders of Save Elephant Hill. They started their efforts in late 2003 to try to fight off private developers. Both live within walking distance of the open space.
We started our hike on the western side of Elephant Hill, with an aim of seeing the beginnings of Elephant Hill’s first official hiking trail, which MRCA expects to complete next year with way-finding signage, boulders and more.
We headed up the steep terrain, quickly passing the latest disputed development — a truck garden that’s drawn the ire of Save Elephant Hill and other conservation groups for its owner’s choice to chop down protected native trees, as reported by L.A. Taco.
A tree canopy provides shade over the hiking trail in Elephant Hill Open Space in El Sereno.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
We took the trail’s switchbacks and then paused to catch our breaths in the shade of hollyleaf cherry, black walnuts and other trees creating a dense canopy. There, the hills blocked the noise from the roads and city. It’d be the perfect place for a picnic table, bench or both.
Next, we walked down newly installed steps to reach the Elephant Hill test plot, a lush experimental restoration garden where volunteers have planted hundreds of native flowers and shrubs and close to 100 trees. The land looks grateful.
Bees buzzed around the sugar bush and coyote brush. Unlike other parts of the park that remain overwhelmed with invasive mustard, trees of heaven and castor bean, this area is thriving with drought-tolerant and, in some cases, fire-resistant native plants.
A native sunflower in the test plot garden, from left, a shaded path in Elephant Hill, and a white-crowned sparrow perched in the test plot garden.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Yañez said during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and Garcia realized they needed to expand their list of allies for Elephant Hill. “We’re not naturalists. We’re not traditional environmentalists. We’re not native plant people,” she said. “We realized at a certain point that we have to activate this space. We have to get people on it to start building that support.”
Joey Farewell, an estate planner who lives nearby and manages the test plot, said, with Yañez and MRCA’s blessing, the test plot volunteers installed the garden in fall 2022 and have seen it thrive, largely without watering outside of what’s needed to first establish new growth.
The test plot started as 3,000 square feet and has expanded to 10,000 square feet of native plant, said Jennifer Toy, director of nonprofit Test Plot, which has 16 experimental gardens around L.A. At Elephant Hill, volunteers have cleared about 20,000 square feet of invasive species, she said.
“It’s not a huge area, but each year we think about” what they can do next, Toy said. “It’s a work in progress.”
And it’s a powerful proof of concept of what Elephant Hill could look like with investment.
Farewell, who is the conservation co-chair of the L.A. and Santa Monica Mountains chapter of the California Native Plants Society, said most people don’t realize what a dynamic landscape Elephant Hill is, including its water features.
“My kids would play by the brook” after heavy rains, Farewell said. “You could reach your hand into one of the springs that fed the stream and feel the water bubbling out of the ground.”
The view of downtown L.A. from a high point at the Elephant Hill Open Space in El Sereno.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Yañez wants more local children to have similar experiences. Elephant Hill sits among a neighborhood plagued by environmental racism, she said. Green space isn’t readily available, but with the development of Elephant Hill into a park, it could be.
Yañez said she understands the need for more housing in L.A., but Elephant Hill has repeatedly proven an unsafe option. In the late 1980s, townhouses in a nearby development started falling into the ground, causing major structural damage. Around 2006, a developer was using a backhoe to build a fence around his property when the heavy machinery fell deep into a spring. Neighbors referred to it as a “sinkhole.”
“When you look at the big picture of climate change and lack of access to park space in communities like El Sereno, it’s kind of a no-brainer — and it’s very difficult to build here. In fact, it’s not safe,” Yañez said. “All the factors come together and make a pretty strong case on their own for conservation. Plus, I think the community deserves access to open space on these hillsides.”
3 things to do
Volunteers repair habitat in the Bolsa Chica Conservancy in Huntington Beach.
(Erika Moe / Amigos de Bolsa Chica)
1. Address messy nests in Huntington Beach Amigos de Bolsa Chica needs volunteers from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday to restore nest habitat for the threatened western snowy plover and endangered California least tern. Participants will remove invasive and overgrown plants in an area of the reserve off-limits to the public. Register at amigosdebolsachica.org.
2. Craft s’mores ’round the campfire in Culver City The Nature Nexus Institute will host a fall harvest event from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook featuring a campfire and drum circle. Guests can also take guided nature strolls, listen to storytelling and make s’mores around a campfire. Register at docs.google.com.
3. Nurture native plants in the Hollywood Hills The Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife needs volunteers from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday for a habitat restoration project in the Hollywood Hills. Participants will weed and water young native wildflowers, trees and shrubs, and install humane protection from deer and gophers. Register at clawonline.org.
The must-read
A sign stands in the middle of the fire-ravaged remains of the ranch house at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. The park reopened Saturday.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Hikers rejoice! Will Rogers State Historic Park reopened Saturday after being closed for 10 months following the devastating Palisades fire in January. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts reported that 4.2 miles of the park’s trails are now open while 4.8 miles remain closed. Unfortunately, the segment of the Backbone Trail — a 67-mile trek from Point Mugu State Park to Will Rogers — that runs through the park will remain closed because the fire destroyed the Chicken Ridge Bridge. The Rivas Canyon Trail and Rustic Canyon Trail will also remain closed. The looping trail to Inspiration Point will be partially open, although parks officials might sometimes close it for trail work.
I am glad, slowly but surely, we’re getting to return to some of our favorite places closed by fire.
Happy adventuring,
P.S.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s — no, it’s a bird! It appears that a bald eagle was spotted flying over the Audubon Center at Debs Park last Thursday. “Could it be?!” the Audobon Center posted on Instagram. The answer is yes, it really could have been! On the citizen science app iNaturalist, users have reported almost 1,000 bald eagle observations in L.A. County, including one over Debs Park in 2017 and others in nearby GlassellPark and Pasadena. Perhaps the Steve Miller Band was correct about our national bird’s flight pattern: “I want to fly like an eagle / To the sea.” May your spirit carry you through this week, friends!
For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
LAS VEGAS — Last offseason, the Dodgers swung big in their offseason pursuit of impact bullpen additions.
After largely striking out, however, they might now have to decide if they’re comfortable doing it again.
The Dodgers don’t have glaring needs this winter, but the back end of the bullpen is one area they will look to upgrade. Although the team has ample relief depth, it has no clear-cut closer as it enters 2026.
The main reason why: Tanner Scott’s struggles after landing a lucrative four-year, $72-million pact last winter.
Scott’s signing represented the second-largest contract, by guaranteed money, the Dodgers had ever given to a relief pitcher (only behind the five-year, $80 million deal closer Kenley Jansen got in 2017). It was a high-risk, high-reward move that, at least in Year 1, quickly felt like a bust.
Scott posted a 4.74 ERA in the regular season, converted only 23 of his 33 save opportunities, and did not pitch in the postseason (in part because of an abscess incision procedure he underwent in the National League Division Series).
The Dodgers’ other big reliever acquisition last winter, Kirby Yates, suffered a similar fate, posting a 5.23 ERA on a one-year, $13-million deal before injuries also knocked him out of postseason contention.
Scott will be back next year, and is one of several veteran relief arms the club is hopeful will make improvements. Still, for a team vying for a third straight World Series title, adding a more established closer remains of interest.
The question now: Will they be willing to do so on another long-term deal? Or will last year’s failed signings make them more hesitant to traverse that same path again?
It might not take long to start finding out.
Already at this week’s general managers’ meetings at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the Dodgers have expressed interest in two-time All-Star Devin Williams, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
The 31-year-old right-hander had a down year with the New York Yankees (4.79 ERA, albeit with 18 saves in 22 opportunities), but his underlying metrics remain strong, and the Dodgers’ interest in him dates to last offseason when he was a trade target of the club before ultimately landing in the Bronx.
With a mid-90s mph fastball and signature “Airbender” changeup that has made him one of the most prolific strikeout threats in all the majors over his seven-year career (in which he has a 2.45 ERA and averages more than 14 strikeouts per nine innings), he would significantly improve their ninth-inning outlook.
But the Dodgers’ pursuit of him, which was first reported by The Athletic, could come with a tricky decision.
Williams is expected to have several serious suitors this offseason. And, though some outlets projected him to sign only a one-year deal upward of $20 million, others have him pegged to land a three- or four-year contract.
By nature, the Dodgers typically prefer shorter-term deals, particularly in a role as volatile as relief pitching. If Williams does receive longer-term offers from other clubs, it’s unclear if the Dodgers would be willing to match.
The team could face similar dynamics if it goes after other top relievers on the market, including three-time All-Star and top free-agent closer Edwin Díaz (who also comes with the added complication of a qualifying offer that would cost them a draft pick).
They could wind up having to once again weigh a high-risk, high-reward move.
And on Tuesday, general manager Brandon Gomes struck a decidedly risk-averse tone in the wake of last year’s failed signings.
“It’s one of those things that, I don’t think it’s a ‘need,’” Gomes said of the team’s interest in making another splashy reliever acquisition. “But it could be a nice-to-have, depending on how it all plays out.”
There are other alternatives, of course.
Former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Pete Fairbanks is one potentially shorter-term target some in the industry see as a fit in Los Angeles, after racking up 75 saves with a 2.98 ERA over the last three seasons.
Former Angels and Atlanta Braves right-hander Raisel Iglesias is potentially another, after amassing 96 saves with a 2.62 ERA over the last three years, thanks to a mid-90s mph fastball and swing-and-miss changeup that have kept him productive even at age 35.
There are other familiar free-agent relievers available this winter, too, from former San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez to former St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets right-hander Ryan Helsley (who has also been linked to the Dodgers in trade rumors in the past).
The Dodgers could also explore the offseason’s trade market, or roll the dice with a current relief corps that still includes Scott (whose 2025 issues had more to do with execution than quality of stuff), Alex Vesia (who has established himself as one of the top left-handed relievers in the sport) and Blake Treinen (another reliever the team sees as a bounce-back candidate after he struggled with injuries last season in the first season of a two-year, $22 million deal). They will also be getting Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips back from injuries, with Graterol on track to be ready for the start of 2026 after missing last year with a shoulder problem, and Phillips expected to return at some point in next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.
For now, however, the team’s search could depend on how the markets for Williams, Díaz and others develop — and whether it’s willing to take another big bullpen swing on a longer-term deal.
“We have so many guys that are capable of closing and have done it in the past,” Gomes said, highlighting the team’s current returning bullpen arms. “But it’s one of the areas we’ll look to potentially add to the team.”
Skenes wins NL Cy Young Award, Yamamoto third in voting
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will always be remembered for his historic performance in the Dodgers’ postseason this past October.
On Wednesday, his regular-season performance received some deserved recognition, too.
While Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award as expected, after leading the majors with a 1.97 ERA in just his second MLB season, Yamamoto finished third for a campaign in which he went 12-8, posted a 2.49 ERA over 30 starts, and anchored a Dodgers rotation that was ravaged by injuries for much of the season.
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez was the NL’s other Cy Young finalist, and was runner-up. Skenes garnered all 30 first-place votes while Sánchez received all 30 second-place votes. Yamamoto collected 16 third-place votes.
Yamamoto’s finish was the highest by a Dodgers pitcher since Julio Urías came in third in 2022.
It caps a year in which the 27-year-old Japanese star made significant strides from his debut rookie MLB season (when he had a 3.00 ERA and was limited to 18 starts because of a shoulder injury) and helped carry the Dodgers to a World Series with a 1.45 ERA in six playoff outings and a grueling 37 1/3 October innings — including back-to-back complete games in the NL Championship Series and World Series, before back-to-back victorious appearances in Games 6 and 7 of the Fall Classic.
Match of the Day pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy believe Rob Edwards has “too big a mountain” to climb to keep Wolves in the Premier League, as the Middlesbrough manager is set to takeover at the club he spent four years at as a player.
DALLAS — Leo Carlsson‘s short-handed goal midway through the third period proved to be the winner as the Ducks rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 7-5 on Thursday night.
Carlsson scored on a slap shot 10:38 into the third period to give the Ducks a 6-4 lead. Troy Terry had an assist on the goal.
Wyatt Johnston had two goals, Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas, which lost for the third time in four games. Miro Heiskanen had four assists and Jake Oettinger made 18 saves.
Dallas had its seven-game points streak halted.
Up next for the Ducks: at the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Hotels are one of the priciest parts of a holiday, with UK travellers now spending around £92 per night on domestic overnight trips on average. But there’s a way to save money
Certain days are better to book on(Image: Getty)
If you’re planning a holiday, it’s always a bonus to save some money. The costs can quickly mount up between flights, accommodation and of course, activities.
However, there’s a brilliant way to book your hotel that could save you hundreds. Hotels are often the most expensive part of a holiday, with UK travellers now spending around £92 per night on average for domestic overnight trips.
If you’re staying in a big city, that cost can soar even higher.
Take London, for instance, where recent industry data shows average room rates nearing the £200-a-night mark.
But experts at Webpop design have shared a simple trick that could save your hard-earned cash.
Once you’ve decided where you want to book, clear your browser cookies and cache or use a private window, then search again, reports the Express.
The price you find could be significantly lower.
This is because booking sites use dynamic pricing and tailor your results based on what they know you’re looking for.
By clearing your cache and cookies, you give yourself a fresh start to search from, free from dynamic pricing.
There are also certain times of day which are better for booking holidays – for example, Tuesdays are likely to offer lower prices. This is because the weekend rush is over, and there is often more availability.
Sites will also be keen to fill any remaining slots quickly. And booking sites are eager to fill up their remaining hotel stays – fast.
If you’re flexible with your travel dates, consider booking your stay from Sunday to Thursday. You’ll avoid the weekend price hikes and likely snag a bargain.
So if you don’t mind missing out on a weekend in your dream destination, aim to book your accommodation during these days.
Adrian Kempe scored his 200th NHL career goal and Drew Doughty broke the Kings record for goals by a defenseman as they beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves and Kevin Fiala added a late power-play goal to help the Kings get their first home win of the season in six games.
Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for the Jets, who dropped their first road game in five tries.
Kempe scored late in the first period to put the Kings in front, getting his sixth goal of the season by attacking the crease to put in Joel Armia’s centering pass from the trapezoid. Kempe is the ninth member of the 2014 draft class to reach 200 goals, getting there in 644 games.
Doughty passed franchise stalwart Rob Blake with his 162nd goal in 1,221 games with an empty-netter with 54 seconds remaining.
The Kings made changes by moving Armia to the top line and reuniting Mikey Anderson with longtime partner Doughty on the first defensive pair, and there were immediate returns as Armia and Anderson had the assists on Kempe’s goal.
Kings forward Corey Perry played in his 1,400th career game, becoming the 44th player in NHL history to do so and joining Brent Burns (1,511), Alex Ovechkin (1,503) and Anze Kopitar (1,464) among active players who have appeared in that many games.
Jets captain Adam Lowry made his season debut after undergoing hip surgery in late May, centering the third line. Lowry had a career-high 18 goals last season.
If you’re looking to save money on a UK hotel stay, there’s one day of the week you should always book on
Some excellent hotel bargains can emerge after 6pm just 24 to 48 hours beforehand(Image: Getty)
Whilst holidaymakers frequently look to secure a staycation during this period, it might seem logical to book over the weekend whilst enjoying a relaxing brew. Nevertheless, this approach could result in higher costs.
Rather, you should hold off until the surge of weekend reservations subsides and corporate travel arrangements are finalised. This puts Tuesday as the optimal day for holiday booking, given increased availability and booking platforms seeking to fill remaining accommodation swiftly.
Consequently, being adaptable proves beneficial if you can tolerate the uncertainty.
Hotels generally maintain a cancellation period of 24 to 48 hours, prompting them to market any cancelled accommodations – occasionally at discounted rates, reports the Express.
Whilst extremely risky and spontaneous, some excellent hotel bargains can emerge after 6pm – provided you happen to be nearby.
Nevertheless, these guidelines are reversed regarding major chains such as Premier Inn and Travelodge.
Travel specialist Linda Reynolds, from Personal Travel Agents, informed The Guardian that she advises travellers to reserve early for optimal deals.
For instance, Travelodge promotes “rooms from £35 or less” when secured in advance; and particular travel platforms prove valuable additions to your toolkit.
Google Hotels, Kayak and Trivago, for example, will alert subscribers when rates drop, ensuring you’re informed about fantastic holiday bargains.
When to book a holiday
When it comes to choosing your actual hotel dates, Sunday through to Thursday typically offers the best value, helping you dodge those weekend price surges targeting short-break travellers.
It’s also worth keeping school holidays, bank holidays and local festivities in mind, as these will inevitably push costs up and are worth swerving if possible.
Reynolds said: “Sunday nights in cities are usually cheaper than Friday or Saturday nights because leisure demand dips after the weekend.
“In rural locations, including coastal areas, midweek (Monday to Thursday) is often cheaper than weekends, when leisure travellers arrive.”
If you’re plotting a London getaway, think about booking accommodation outside the city centre in zones two to three.
These areas offer better value, excellent transport links and still provide an authentic taste of the capital.
The same principle works for other major cities including Glasgow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol.
Meanwhile, money coach Maddy Alexander-Grout suggests checking out Plans Change marketplace, which lets holidaymakers flog their trips at reduced rates – with discounts starting at 25% off.
“In my job, I travel around the country a lot, and I regularly use the site, saving about 20% on a hotel booking direct,” she said.
Planning ahead of time could make your holiday much, much more affordable
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There are a variety of ways to save money on your flights(Image: Getty Images)
Regardless of whether you’re planning a quick getaway this winter or later into next summer, you will more than likely be looking for ways to save some cash. Fortunately, one of the easiest ways to shave off money on your holiday is by cutting costs before you’ve even booked your flight.
A variety of things could factor into the upfront cost of your flight, such as what time you book it, what seats you get, and what time you plan on jetting off. However, more often than not, it’s always a good idea to book your flight in advance to save some cash.
Generally, it’s best to book your flight between three and nine months in advance to get the best price while also avoiding booking one last minute, as you may find your costs go up significantly.
Cheapest time to book flights
Your flight price may change significantly depending on what day of the week it is set to depart. According to data from Skyscanner, Fridays and Sundays are generally the most expensive days of the week to fly out of the country.
Meanwhile, Tuesdays are generally the cheapest day to book a flight. However, if you’re determined to have a weekend flight, it may be slightly cheaper to fly out on a Saturday instead of a Friday.
Different airport both departure and arrival
You may find that you save money signifiacntly by arriving at a different airport, generally the lesser popular one, according to Which?. This is because higher-traffic airports tend to be more expensive for arrival flights rather than smaller and quieter airports.
However, you may find that the cheaper airports will be a significantly longer distance away to your hotel than the closer, more expensive one. Overall, you should calculate how much transport to the hotel will cost you at both the different airports and compare that to how much you’ll save on your ticket to see if it’s a big enough saving to take the extra time commuting.
Avoid hidden extras
While budget airlines tend to provide a cheaper upfront ticket cost, you may find that costs will pile on from all the extras being offered, some of which you may believe were initially included in the upfront ticket price. For example, you may be charged extra for carrying any luggage that doesn’t fit under your seat – which may cost much more than you think.
While this is a common practice at airlines like Ryanair and easyJet, other airlines such as British Airways and Jet2 don’t commonly charge for cabin luggage but may have a higher upfront cost as a result.
Avoid airport rush hours
You may find that the cheapest time to depart from any given airport is in the early hours of the morning. You tend to be offered cheaper prices at this time as the airport will generally be less busy than the peak daytime hours.
Otherwise, if you’re not the type to wake up super early, you can still save some cash by departing in the later hours of the night. In fact, the industry tends to call flights heading out at this time red-eye flights and your itinerary may even have a red-eye logo which shows that your flight is heading off during this money-saving period.
Compare flights
If you want to quickly find the cheapest flight possible for any given location, it may be a good idea to use a comparison site such Skyscanner or Kayak can provide all the prices for flights heading to where you want go. Furthermore, many of these sites can allow you to add extras to help you better calculate your costs, such as adding a car hire or hotel. Many sites also allow you to add nearby airports so you can potentially save money by heading to the same area but a different, cheaper airport.
