The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Seven pitfalls to avoid if booking for May or June
Now is the perfect time for a last-minute holiday – but don’t make these common mistakes, says Nick Trend
For those who can travel outside school vacations – and avoid flying over the two bank holiday weekends – May and June are good times to find a good-value holiday in the Med. Hotels and villas only rarely sell out at this time of year, and while you may not always get exactly what you want, there will always be plenty of discounts, and cheap options to choose from.
But if spring is a happy hunting ground for those who can be flexible with their exact dates and destinations, there are also some pitfalls for late bookers. Here are seven to avoid.
1. Booking accommodation before checking flights
While unsold accommodation is guaranteed in May and June, this year there seem to be fewer bargain flights than usual, likely as demand, inflation and other costs have pushed fares to record highs. So before booking, check the cost of getting there too.
2. Factoring in departure times Finding flights is only a problem for independent travellers – with package holidays they are included. But when it comes to both last-minute packages and flight-only bookings, remember that it is the most unpopular departure times – early morning and evening – which tend to still be available at this stage (and cheapest to book). As well as being inconvenient, there may also be cost implications such as the need to book an airport hotel or taxi transfer. 3. Factoring in car hire
If you are booking a villa and need a hire car, be sure to check prices for this before committing. Like flights, costs have risen sharply in recent years and may well affect your overall budget.
4. Being dazzled by the discount
We are all vulnerable to the temptations of an eye-catching discount. That’s fine if you have an idea of what a “normal” selling price would be – then you can make an easy assessment of how good a deal you are getting. It’s much harder with a one off-purchase. One thing which may help is to double-check that similar discounts aren’t being offered on much later departure dates for the same holiday. Ultimately, though, it is best to put the claimed discount out of your mind, look at the bottom line cost and make a decision based on that.
5. Failing to protect your holiday booking financially
In the hunt for last-minute value, it’s easy to forget to check that your money is properly protected. Either be sure that you are booking with an Atolbonded operator (caa.co.uk/atol-protection) or that you have protected your money by paying with a credit card.
6. Expecting instant summer
One of the problems with travelling in May is that we may be over-optimistic about the weather. Tour operators are running their “summer sun” programmes, so we expect the beaches and the pool patios to be baking under cloudless skies. But that is not always the case. I will be heading for Provence next week and the forecast, unfortunately, is for rain and cool temperatures. So it is worth checking climate statistics against your expectations before you book (weather2travel.com is a good website to try).
7. Forgetting the boring bits
Book with only a few days to go and you don’t give yourself much time to deal with any essentials and practicalities which may need sorting. For example, if your passport expiry date doesn’t meet the new Brexit rules, then you will have to do a fast-track renewal. Other things to consider are arranging insurance, applications for GHIC cards and, most important of all if you are headed long haul, which vaccinations (or malaria pills) may be necessary, and how far ahead of your departure you need to arrange them.