It’s never too late to book that dream break and according to one travel expert there’s a sweet spot this weekend where you can make huge savings – but you’ll need to set your alarm
With the August bank holiday weekend around the corner, families across the UK are still hoping to lock in a spontaneous getaway that won’t blow the budget, especially to hot spots like Disneyland Paris and classic European escapes.
Jet-setting Brits may be thinking it’s too late in the season to book a last-minute getaway for next weekend’s bank holiday, but that’s not the case according to one expert who has a top tip for booking your dream break and saving the most money.
Ticket experts at AttractionTickets (www.attractiontickets.com) have analysed pricing data and industry travel trends to reveal the exact date and time Brits should book their last-minute August bank holiday trips for the best possible price.
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Their findings show that the best date is this Sunday, 17 August but there’s a slight catch – you’ll need to prep on Saturday evening, get an early night and set your alarm. This is because 6am is the time slot on Sunday you should aim for if you’d like your dream getaway at impressive prices that won’t blow your budget.
According to Oliver Brendon, CEO of AttractionTickets, the trick to finding value this late is timing your purchase carefully.
“It’s easy to assume the early bird always gets the deal. In reality, travel companies adjust fares repeatedly based on demand, and we see opportunities appear even in the final days before departure. There’s still time to save on last-minute August bank holiday travel if you know when to book.”
He admits that his review of historic pricing alongside industry reports shows that Sundays regularly deliver the lowest average booking prices. “Airlines adjust seat availability and prices over the weekend, and travellers who book on a Sunday can often expect to pay significantly less than those booking on a Friday.
“We also see a clear early-morning advantage. Around 6:00 a.m is when fresh fares frequently appear, before the day’s search traffic ramps up.”
And there’s one time that Oliver urges holidaymakers to avoid – deeming it the “most expensive time to book.”
“Avoid Fridays – this is when fares tend to spoke due to demand.”