How to get the best sun holiday deals

Despite the shock of a third Covid wave, now could be a good time to get a holiday deal, writes Louise McBride

HAVING a holiday to look forward to later this year could be just what you need to get through the current lockdown. Despite the huge rise in Covid cases since Christmas and the extent that the virus has wreaked havoc with travel plans so far, you may believe the rollout of the vaccine will allow you to holiday abroad later this year. Throwing caution to the wind doesn’t work with this virus — so be careful how you go about booking any holiday and mindful of the challenges you could run into. Here’s what you need to know.

YOU MUST BE REALISTIC ABOUT TIMING

It’s hard to know if and when normal travel will resume this year — and for when you can therefore plan a holiday. Err on the side of caution.

“Push out the dates of your holiday as long as you can,” said Sarah Slattery, founder of the travel website, thetravelexpert.ie. “If it’s a family holiday, maybe choose July or August. If you don’t have children, maybe think of September.”

A LONG HAUL TRIP COULD BE A N0-NO

Be realistic about your chances of being able to visit — and return from — a particular destination this year. A European sun holiday could be a much safer bet than a long haul trip. Covid saw many holidaymakers stranded abroad last year — with those marooned in far-flung destinations such as Australia, the United States and parts of Asia finding it particularly hard to get back home.

“People will want to holiday closer to home,” said Slattery. “Also, long haul is likely to be restricted this year. A lot of countries [outside Europe] are saying they are not opening up until later in the year.”

BOOKING EARLY MAY STILL BE WORTH IT

Any delays or complications with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine — or further waves of the virus — could dampen demand for holidays this year. Booking a holiday or flight before confidence in travel returns again could be the key to getting a good deal this year — but only do so if you will get your money back, or can change your booking, in the event that you have to back out of your travel plans.

The window to travel this summer could be much shorter than previous pre-Covid summers — particularly if you’re travelling with children. So once we hopefully start to emerge from the third wave, many families could be clamouring to book a holiday for July and early August. This is likely to apply for staycations as much as sun holidays.

ONLY MAKE FLEXIBLE BOOKINGS

Go for the free cancellation option when booking accommodation — even if it works out more expensive to book in that way. With free cancellation, you won’t be charged if you cancel your holiday — as long as you give the required notice.

Even a small cancellation fee shouldn’t put you off booking — particularly if consenting to that fee (in the event of a cancellation) secures accommodation which is usually booked out quickly. However, avoid booking accommodation which requires a large and non-refundable upfront deposit or which has a high cancellation fee.

Similarly, choose a flexible fare when booking flights, even if it’s dearer.

You’re not entitled to any refund or voucher if you opt for Aer Lingus’s cheapest fare (Saver) and then decide not to travel. However, you can get a cash refund or flight voucher from Aer Lingus if you book its Advantage or Flex fare — and then decide not to travel.

You can also get a voucher if you choose Aer Lingus’s Plus or Smart fare and decide not to travel. To ensure you get your refund or voucher with these flexible fares, provide the required notice to Aer Lingus if cancelling flights.

Only use travel agents with flexible booking policies. Sunway, for example, allows you to change your holiday for free if you can’t or don’t want to travel — as long as you make the change by May 31. TUI Travel also allows you to change a new holiday booking for free as long as you do so 21 days before departure, book by February 28 and travel between May and October 31.

FLIGHT DATES CAN BE CHANGED FOR FREE

Many airlines — including Ryanair and Aer Lingus — still allow you to change the travel dates of your flights for free, even if you haven’t bought a more expensive flexible fare.

You can change your flights for free as often as you like with Aer Lingus — right up to two

hours before departure, as long as you change the date of your flights by September 30, 2021.

You can change Ryanair flights booked before January 31, 2021 for free — as long as you change by September 30 and travel before that date. You must however change the flights at least seven days before the original scheduled departure date and you can only change your flights once.

Remember, you have to pay the difference in fare if changing to more expensive flights.

TRAVEL VOUCHERS COULD FALL SHORT

When booking a holiday this year, you may be using a voucher or credit note issued when the Covid-19 crisis led to the cancellation of your flight or holiday.

“Your flight voucher may not go as far as you expect it to go when booking your holiday for 2021 because the cost of holidays and flights could go up this year if demand for holidays is strong,” said Cyril Sullivan, director of ECC Ireland. “Expect disappointment.”

Another thing which could push up the cost of flights and holidays this year is reduced airline capacity. Covid has forced many airlines to cut back on the routes and flights they offer and so certain flights could be much more expensive this year.

Should your flight voucher not cover the full

cost of your flight, you will need to pay the difference. The same applies to package holidays — if a credit note received from your travel agent last year in lieu of a refund does not cover the full cost of a 2021 holiday.

÷ EXPECT DELAYS WHEN USING VOUCHERS

You may run into delays when using a flight voucher to book flights — particularly if a lot of people are trying to use vouchers to book flights at the same time and the airline’s system can’t efficiently process them.

“Don’t lose heart if your voucher doesn’t work within a day or two — it could take a few weeks [for it to work], maybe some months,” said Sullivan. “Be ready for delays.”

To eliminate hitches when using a flight voucher, know exactly what it can — and cannot — be used for, who can redeem it, and what currency your booking must be in. For example, the Aer Lingus voucher can be used to pay for flights operated by Aer Lingus — but not for bookings which involve travel on flights operated by partnership airlines.

DISCOUNTS ARE ALREADY UP FOR GRABS

Aer Lingus is offering a 30pc discount off flights to Europe as well as up to 30pc off checked bags — as long as you travel between March 1 and

June 16, 2021.

Aer Lingus is also offering return flights to North America from €149 each way — as long as you travel between April 13 and June 16, 2021. You must book by January 19 to get either offer. Travel agent Sunway told this paper that some of its current summer offers are about 25pc better value than pre-Covid. The price of a week in Lanzarote this May for a family of four, for example, was recently advertised by Sunway at from €221 per person including flights and accommodation in a self-catering apartment.

ACCOMMODATION COULD BE PRICIER

The pandemic could lead to the permanent closure of hotels in some holiday destinations, which could in turn reduce the choice, and therefore push up the price, of accommodation in some areas.

COVID-PROOF TRAVEL COVER IS A MUST

Buy travel insurance when you book your holiday but choose a policy which includes medical cover for Covid and ideally, cover for Covid-related holiday cancellations or curtailments.

Understand the restrictions of any Covid cover in your policy. You usually won’t be covered if travelling against the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs or if you are disinclined to travel.