People considering when and where to take their next holiday should avoid these mistakes that could be driving up prices, experts say. It comes as summer is fast approaching, a time of year when demand for a getaway typically peaks across the UK.
Travel specialist Kate (@Thedonnellyedit) claims in a TikTok video that several things could be the reason your next holiday may cost more, and how to get around them. Although Kate mostly talks about foreign holidays, involving flights and airports, some of these options may also affect staycation prices.
Once you have decided on a destination, researching where to stay and when to go often comes next. But this careful planning is one of the reasons holiday prices can go up.
Kate said: "We are all guilty of this [and] we all know that airlines operate using dynamic pricing. So, the more you search a route, the algorithm detects demand and therefore adjusts the prices.
"The prices go up, they don't go down. If you find a good price, leaving it for a couple of weeks and constantly searching for it is not gonna make that price come down."
In reality, most Brits are not alone in this habit, and that is what can make the price rises seem so sudden. If hundreds of people are keeping an eye on the same holiday price, this counts as 'demand' and will likely lead to raised prices.
Kate said: "If you do find something that you're happy with, and it falls in your budget, don't wait. Book it there and then."
Kate said that ignoring all but your local airport can be the reason travellers are missing out on the best deals. She said: "It's very convenient if you have an airport on your doorstep, but if you're actually looking to save money, then sometimes travelling further afield can significantly bring that price down."
She shared her experience of ditching one of her nearest and busiest airports, Manchester, for a trip to the same destination, flying from Leeds, "because it was £300 cheaper". She said: "You can actually do this on the likes of SkyScanner.
"You can search your main airport and then just make sure you select 'nearby airports', and it will tell you what the prices are, and then you can see if there's a significant difference." Also, being flexible with dates can help save a fair few pounds in some cases, Kate claimed.
She said: "I get that some people are bound to certain dates because [maybe] they're a teacher or they're travelling with kids, but sometimes just moving the date by one day or staying an extra night can significantly reduce the overall holiday price.
"I have booked many holidays where it's been cheaper to go for 10 nights than it has seven, so having that flexibility can make a difference."
