The cheapest holiday sites on the web
Andrew Stuckey • May 15, 2020
Where once upon a time people would head down to the local travel agent to book their next big holiday, nowadays more and more people are sorting everything from flights to hotels online. And why not? With hundreds of price comparison sites, online reviewers and travel bloggers pointing everyone towards the best deals, it's easy to see why.
The best bit is, just because you end up paying less, buying a cheap holiday online doesn't mean settling for a substandard trip. In fact, more often than not people find that they can afford a nicer hotel thanks to the fact that their flights were so much cheaper online, while some even find they have enough cash left over to extend their trip by an extra day or two.
From sorting flights to picking the perfect hotel, with this guide, you'll never need to set foot in a travel agency ever again.
Before you get started
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, there are a few things to look out for when booking your next trip online. For starters, if you're in the market for a package holiday, be sure to check that the deal you're buying is ATOL protected.
Being ATOL protected means that if your tour operator or airline fails, you won't be forced to pay more for a separate flight or hotel in a worst case scenario.
Buying holiday insurance can also go a long way in terms of protecting yourself in the event of things going wrong. Obviously, more people have a wonderful holiday that goes down without a hitch than those who don't – but that's not to say it doesn't happen, so get insured!
Leaving it late
Forget everything your parents taught you – it's OK to be late. In fact, when it comes to buying a holiday online, being late could save you a small fortune.
Hotels are filled from top to bottom with rooms, and sometimes, not all of them get booked up. When this happens, certain hotels will make these rooms available at a discounted price – because taking £50 per night might not be as good as £100 per night, but it certainly beats the £0 the hotel will take if the room remains empty.
Websites like lastminute.com and LateRooms.com have built their respective businesses on this simple premise – and since launching around the turn of the millennium, both sites have built a first class reputation with holiday makers on the lookout for a better deal.
Compare, compare, compare
Shopping around for flights is the easy part. Just head to Skyscanner, punch in your destination, the date you wish to fly and the class you'd like to travel in, and the site will do all the legwork for you by comparing thousands of flights in a matter of seconds. Keen to learn more? Check out our guide to scanning the skies here.
Comparing hotels is a doddle too, the only difference is that instead of visiting one handy site, there are loads to choose from! From Trivago to Kayak, Travel Supermarket and Hotels Combined, finding your next luxury, family-friendly, budget or boutique hotel can be done in just a few clicks.
The pirate's treasure chest
In a world of endless comparison sites and thousands of voices all bidding for your attention, it can be tricky to stand out in the online marketplace. However, one site that's currently blowing the opposition out of the water is HolidayPirates - a site that specialises in inspirational holidays at reasonable prices.
Overnight log cabin trips for £25pppn? Flights to the US for less than an overnight stay in London? A five star all inclusive holiday in Costa Rica for under £1,000? HolidayPirates has more deals than you could shake a stick at – so even if you think you've found the best deal on the web via Skyscanner or Trivago, it’s well worth double checking to see what's inside the Pirate's treasure chest.
Knowing where to find the best deal is a skill that's worth sharing – so if you've enjoyed reading this blog or fancy helping your pals save a few quid come holiday season, be sure to like and share this post on both Facebook and Twitter.