FOOL'S EYE VIEW
Even More Cheap Travel Tips!

By Alison Hunt (TMFAlly)
January 5, 2006

Following my recent article giving cheap travel tips, I've been asked if I can give some similar tips for saving money on holidays. Luckily, travel is rumoured to be even cheaper this year than last, with a number of bargains available to a whole range of destinations! So, if you're in the mood for booking a holiday, here are some great offers on at the moment.

Ryanair Seat Sale

If you fancy a week in Europe, why not take advantage of Ryanair's current "free seat sale"? Book before midnight tonight and you'll only have to pay the taxes, fees and charges for your trip, which Ryanair promises will cost no more than £15.20. If you're able to fly midweek before the end of March and can put up with an early morning or two, there are some good deals available.

I decided I'd quite fancy a week in Florence, and found I'd be able to fly from London Stansted to Pisa on Wed 15 March at 6.45am for 1p, returning the following Wednesday at 3pm for another penny. After adding on the taxes, fees and charges, the whole trip for two people would cost £54.78 -- that's just £27.39 each.

Furthermore, I plugged my details into the Eurocheapo website and found that I could book a double room in a bed & breakfast within walking distance of the attractions in Florence from just €39.90 per night -- that's roughly £14 each. So flights and accommodation for week in Florence in March could cost just £250 for two people!

Alternatively, I found you could fly from London Luton to Barcelona (Girona) on Saturday 18 March at 18:50, returning a week later at 22:20, for a penny each way. Add on the taxes, fees and charges and the trip would cost £24.43 per person. After checking out Eurocheapo's available accommodation I found I could book a week in a central apartment for €70 per night (around £25 per person) meaning the whole trip could be done for just under £200 per person.

Jet2.com

Budget airline Jet2 has thousands of seats available in its "Seats sale" for travel between now and the end of March from just £1 (plus taxes and charges). Book before Friday and you can snap up flights from Manchester, Belfast, Newcastle, Blackpool, or Edinburgh to a whole host of European destinations.

Lastminute

Fancy a romantic St Valentine's Day break in Paris? Lastminute.com has two night packages including Eurostar travel, departing on Tuesday 14 February from just £98 per person. Alternatively, travel the week before (7 February) and pay just £74 -- saving £24.

And if you'd prefer a bargain weekend trip, why not take advantage of its breaks to Brussels? Eurostar travel and two nights accommodation departing on Friday 10 February is currently available from just £70 per person.

Disneyland Paris Kids go free!

Alternatively, if you have kids that would love a trip to Disneyland Paris, why not snap up this deal? If you book a trip (which includes Eurostar tickets and bed & breakfast accommodation at the Disney Sequoia Lodge Hotel) with Lastminute before the end of March, for every adult travelling, a child aged 3-11 can go free! What's more, if you book your trip over certain dates in this period, you will be entitled to either four nights for the price of three, or five for the price of four.

British Airways

If you fancy travelling further afield, British Airways has slashed pounds off its holidays in its World Sale. A week in Tobago staying in a two star resort in January/April now costs from just £459, a whopping £468 saving on the brochure price. Alternatively, a week's fly drive in Florida now costs from just £389, saving £34 compared to the brochure.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic too has a number of deals in its January flights sale. Fly to Boston or Washington between now and the end of March from £258. Flights from 10 January to Barbados start at just £419, dropping to £388 if you can wait until 12 April. If you fancy a holiday in Dubai flights are available from 27 March from £269. Travellers to the Far East can benefit from flight savings too, with flights to Hong Kong reduced to £389 until the end of March and Shanghai from just £380.

Ebookers

Ebookers is offering trips to experience Chinese New Year in Hong Kong -- flights and four-nights in a 3 star hotel start from just £512.

Teletext Holidays

Teletext too has a January sale on at the moment, with one-week skiing holidays on offer from just £114 per person.

Airline Network

Finally, check out the Airline Network site for bargain flights and deals. Current deals include four night breaks in Hong Kong (including 3 star hotel accommodation) from just £435, and flights and four nights in a 3 star hotel in Las Vegas for £369. If you'd prefer to laze on a beach, you can get return flights and seven nights in a 3 star hotel in Pattaya from £450 (flying in June) or experience Cape Town for five nights in a 3 star hotel from just £565 in May/June.

So if you're in the mood for saving some money on a holiday or short break, now seems to be a pretty good time to book. If you're planning on visiting somewhere you've never been before, don't forget to take a look at the Rough Guides and Lonely Planet websites as they can provide a wealth of information from other travellers on the best places to go (and where to avoid!).

The BBC Holiday site also lists information given in its television programmes; so if you can remember them visiting your destination, refresh your memory on their report before you go.

Finally, make sure you check the Foreign Office website for any possible travel restrictions and vaccinations required and check your passport requirements (some countries require a minimum of six months to be remaining on a passport for travel). And don't forget to read our Top Tips for Travellers for useful information on the new European Health insurance cards, the best places to get holiday money and the best credit cards to use abroad. Have a great trip!

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