Dad Reveals How to Save £100s on Summer Holiday Flights
- Money-saving Dad Tom Church shows how to save £100s on family summer holiday flights
- He reveals RETURN flights to Europe from just £22
- Despite hundreds of flights being cancelled, parents are desperate to go abroad
- Tom shares his top European flight deals
- He explains the exact method he uses on Google Flights to uncover the top deals
- Plus, he provides tips on exactly which dates are best to fly
Going abroad with the kids can be stressful enough, but the price tag often makes it even less appealing. Finding a budget hotel can feel like a mission in itself, and then you have to budget for flights - which can easily cost £100s just to get everyone out there and back.
Fortunately, keeping track of flights can result in £100s of savings. Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said:
‘I wanted to go on a summer holiday abroad with my partner and son but we’re on a budget. At first glance, everything was so expensive.
‘I found flight price comparison sites aren’t very good at the moment. Lots of the prices they show are old or don’t include things so it’s always more expensive.
How I Find Cheap Flight Bargains
‘Google Flights, which is free, has some nifty tools most people don’t know about to help you find bargains:
‘You can set your budget and search for open dates to either specific or open destinations. Then, what I do is create free email alerts. These email alerts tell you whether the flights are below-average price, average, or a high price.
‘I’ve been a bit obsessed over the past year and have set up thousands of these alerts. You can then filter them so you only see the best deals. It’s like having your personal travel agent.
‘The good news is that flight deals are out there, and I’ve found some great offers which result in savings of £80 on average. Here are some examples of what I discovered.’
London to Tours, France - £26 in July
There are many reasons to visit Tours, including its rich history, beautiful architecture, and vibrant culture. Tours is also a great base for exploring the Loire Valley, with its many chateaux and vineyards.
You get a nice 1 hour 20 minutes flight with Ryanair from London Stansted, and it’s non-stop too. It departs just after 1 pm, so there’s plenty of time to get the kids ready and over to the airport. Flights are few and far between for this destination, and prices can go up to £50, so by paying £104 for a family of four instead of £200 you’re saving £96 - tickets are basically half price!
London to Toulouse, France - £26 in July
Toulouse is located in southern France, in the Occitanie region. You can visit the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, explore the Canal du Midi, and enjoy the city's many bars and restaurants.
This Ryanair flight departs from Stansted just after 7 pm, so once you’re there you can check into the hotel, go straight to bed and wake up refreshed for a week of fun. Shockingly, if you chose a flight just two days earlier you’d be paying £50, so you’re saving just under £100 by picking your dates wisely and grabbing this half-price offer.
Birmingham to Cork, Ireland - £26 in July
Cork is definitely worth visiting! There are many things that make it great for a family holiday, including its lively city center, its picturesque setting on the River Lee, and its abundance of pubs and restaurants.
You’ll be getting the kids up early for this flight, as it departs from Birmingham Airport at 6:15 am. However, it’s only an hour and 20 minutes, and you’re saving a decent amount of money. That’s because prices go up to £50 per flight, so why not hop over to Ireland for half the price and enjoy this bargain-friendly holiday?
Birmingham to Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain - £30 in July
Some of the best activities in Palma include exploring the Old Town, visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Palma, and enjoying the city's many beaches. The average summer temperature is 26 degrees Celsius, so you can work on that tan.
There aren’t always flights to Palma coming out of Birmingham, so grabbing this deal is even sweeter. What’s more, prices easily go up to £50, so save £80 on four tickets easily by selecting this week-long round trip. The flight leaves in the evening, so the kids can have dinner at home before taking a nap on the plane for the 2-hour, 20-minute journey.
Bristol to Cologne, Germany - £30 in July
You could spend a few days in Cologne and still not see everything the city has to offer. However, if you only have a limited amount of time, you could spend a day or two exploring the Old Town, visiting the Cathedral, and enjoying the city's many cafes and bars.
It’s worth grabbing four flights for £30 each while you can, as deals like this tend to run out quickly. I’ve also noticed that prices go up to £48 or £49 per flight easily if you were planning on going just a few weeks later, so you may as well fly as a family for £120 instead of £196! Plus, it’s a short flight and departs in the evening, giving you plenty of time to make sure you’ve packed everything.
Manchester to Kerry, Ireland - £26 in July
The best time of year to visit Kerry, Ireland, is during the summer months when the weather is warm and the days are long. There are many things to do, including hiking in the Kerry Way, exploring the Ring of Kerry, and visiting the Skellig Islands.
Prices are nice and low in early and mid-July, but flights become few and far between by the end of the month. The prices also go up, as a flight departing 28th July shoots up to £48. Pocket £80 by going on 7th July, departing from Manchester Airport just after 2 pm. It only takes 1 hour, and 15 minutes to get to this green Irish paradise, so what have you got to lose?
Leeds to Paris, France - £30 in July
Some of the top attractions in Paris include the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Palace of Versailles. Book a river cruise, explore the restaurants and let the kids run free in the parks.
It’s important to pick your dates wisely, as prices fluctuate wildly depending on the day you depart. For example, if you fly out on 9th July and return on the 19th, you’ll pay £30 return. But if you leave just a few days later, on the 11th of July and return on the 22nd, it’s £49. Multiply that by four and that’s a £76 price difference!
London to Cologne, Germany - £29 in August
You can also head to Cologne from London on a budget. There are many fun activities to explore, but one of the most popular is exploring the city's many breweries and beer gardens. One brewery you can head to is Brauerei Zum Kolsch, which offers tours and tastings.
There’s a cluster of decently priced flights in mid-August, but beware - fly just a few days on either side of this time window and prices shoot up to as much as £47. Why pay £188 for a family of four when you could fly for £116? Ryanair is offering two flights for the same price, leaving on the 11th of August. One departs just after 7 am and the other leaves around 10 pm, so the choice is yours.
London to Milan, Italy - £24 in August
Milan is known for many things, including its fashion, design, and cuisine. The city is also home to many famous historical and cultural landmarks, such as the Duomo and the Last Supper.
Flying in late August can land you a cheap flight, with a big cluster of £20-odd flights in this time period. But fly just a day earlier, on 27th August, and pay £49 per ticket - that’s twice the price! You can grab this deal by booking separate tickets together with Wizz Air. Just be sure to choose your flight carefully - easyJet is the most expensive on this day, with a 9 am flight priced at £45.
London to Dublin, Ireland - £22 in August
Dublin is a great destination for families, with its many kid-friendly attractions, such as the Dublin Zoo and the National Aquatic Centre. There’s also the National Museum of Ireland, the Guinness Storehouse, and Trinity College.
August is a great time to fly to Dublin, as there are £22 flights galore. If you can be flexible with your departure and arrival dates, check the Date Grid on Google Flights. You can see exactly when the best bargains are to be had. For example, when I looked, I saw that departing between the 8th and 11th August will get you a good price, as will returning between the 22nd and the 25th.
Slightly Higher Budget - But Still Seeking A Bargain?
London to Madeira, Portugal - £111 Cheaper
Madeira, Portugal is a beautiful island destination with stunning scenery, great beaches, and a rich culture. There is plenty to see and do, including the Madeira Botanical Garden, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, and the Madeira Cable Car, making it a great choice for a holiday or short break.
There’s a Wizz Air flight in mid-August for £152. Google Flights tells me that, 50 days ago, prices were £317. That’s crazy - you’re paying over £200 less! Even similar trips are usually £111 more, according to the price history tool. Fortunately, you can grab this bargain and take the four-hour flight for a fraction of the price. It departs from Gatwick just after 3 pm, and it’s a non-stop flight.
London to Mykonos, Greece - £108 Cheaper
Mykonos is a stunning Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. It is well known for its beautiful beaches, clear blue waters, and lively nightlife. Some of the top attractions include the Windmills of Mykonos, the Little Venice district, and the Mykonos Archaeological Museum.
Six weeks ago, you’d be paying over £200 for a flight to Mykonos, but right now prices are low - you’ll be saving £108 and flying for just £93 if you book with Wizz Air. You’ll be leaving in the evening and arriving in the small hours, but it’s worth it to save £100s on a dreamy getaway to Greece, right?
London to Santorini, Greece - £97 Cheaper
Santorini's best feature is its stunning volcanic scenery. The island is home to a number of active and inactive volcanoes, as well as a number of black sand beaches. Some of the top activities to look into while on holiday there include exploring the volcanic scenery, relaxing on the beaches, visiting the archaeological site of Akrotiri and taking a cable car ride to the top of the volcano.
There are Santorini flights going for half price right now - a month ago, you’d have had to fork out £212 on average, but now you can go for as little as £109 with Wizz Air if you book separate tickets together. It’s a 6:20 am departure, but you can grab a nap on the flight before you head out for some sun, sea and sand.
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