Money Brave travellers eye cheap flights as prices fall by 83pc

Flexibility is key for anyone dreaming of a trip abroad this year, writes Jessica Beard

Daring travellers will be in for a bargain this summer as air fares remain low – flights to Italian destinations, for example, are as much as 83pc cheaper than this time last year.

Holidays are back on the table and those brave enough to venture abroad this year will be rewarded with cheap flights. A return ticket from London to Milan in August could set you back just £18, compared with the average £105 it would have cost in August 2019 and 2018, according to Skyscanner, the flight comparison website.

If you plan to travel in September, Copenhagen is one of the cheapest destinations. Return tickets are available for £19, compared with an average pre-pandemic price of £82.

Fares also remain low for those who are undaunted by the risk of a second wave and book for later in the year. Tickets for London to Gran Canaria in December are 72pc cheaper than in previous years, costing £30 versus a previous average of £108.

Stella Penso of Skyscanner said prices had been significantly lower than normal during lockdown and were forecast to remain low after the end of the travel ban. Enticing travellers with cheap tickets is a common trend. She said: “While we might see some slight increases as we see more demand for seats and people return to travel, prices will still be much lower than usual for this time of year.”

Airlines will be forced to grapple with changing travel restrictions throughout the year as different countries re- evaluate the risks of keeping their borders open. This means that holidaymakers are open to disappointment if airlines have no choice but to cancel or reschedule flights.

Those who had hoped to travel to Austria this month had their plans derailed after its government extended its ban on planes from Britain. Many disappointed would-be passengers may have been attracted by the low fares as Austria had been one of the cheapest destinations, according to Skyscanner, with flights starting at £18.

Flights to Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg start at £19, while the

A return trip to Milan in August is 83pc cheaper than the £105 it cost during the past two years cheapest ticket in the market for Spain costs just £18.

British holidaymakers have been given the go-ahead to travel to dozens of countries without having to quarantine on return. But depending on when they book and the destination, travellers can visit fewer than half of them freely.

Anyone considering booking a flight should seek flexible options. “Looking for reductions on flexible tickets is a good option for savvy travellers. If you can afford to be flexible with your destination or dates, you could bag a great deal and miss the crowds,” said Ms Penso.

Sales of travel insurance policies rocketed by 251pc last week after the travel

A return flight to Copenhagen this September costs £19, almost three quarters less than its usual £82

A trip to sunseekers’ haven Gran Canaria in December is a fraction of its usual £108 price ban was lifted, according to Compare the Market, a price comparison website.

Many major travel insurers had fled the market, halting all new policy sales during lockdown. However, they have since started to trickle back. Brian Brown of Defaqto, a ratings service, said more than 350 policies had been taken off the market by mid-April and 78 insurers had withdrawn. Only 34 of those have since put their policies back on sale.

Even so, many travel insurers are refusing to cover for coronavirus-related cancellations and are rewriting their policies to include specific pandemicrelated exclusions.

‘Prices will be much lower than usual even if demand picks up’