Don't Get Stung By Cheap Last Minute Holidays
There aren't many of us that haven't been affected by the recession in one way or another
. Gordon Brown warned us that times would be hard yet surveys revealed that the majority of us decided the one thing we would definitely not be giving up was our annual holidays. However, in reality, many of us have had to forgo our annual trip to sunny climes and now the winter is here, we are really feel like weve missed out. So we need to find out how we can still manage to get away on holiday, without breaking the bank. So how do we find these cheap last minute holidays?The best place to start is on the internet, this gives the widest option of finding the best prices without trailing from shop to shop. How you search is up to you, you may have a destination in mind so you can use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, and search directly for that, or you may search for a more general phrase such as 'cheap last minute holidays. This will result in a number of options being brought up which you can then compare.
Searching online also means you get the chance to sign up for airlines email offers so you will receive discount news before anyone else, and also benefit from any last minute sales.
Booking flights that fly at unsociable times can also save you money, no-one usually opts for these flights if they can help it so airlines usually charge less to encourage people to book them.
Check flights from different airports, it is sometimes more economical to travel a bit further and stay overnight than it is to fly from your usual choice.
Be careful when booking to check for hidden charges, cheap last minute holidays can become more and more expensive at each click of a button if you are not careful. You'll find that some airlines will give you a price and then add extras as you go along, for example checking in baggage, flight meals, pre booked seating and then just when you think youve got your final price, they add on a credit card charge.
Type your details in very carefully and always check the small print as some companies will charge a small fortune to amend a booking, sometimes up to 50 a letter so be warned!! It will be false economy to get bargain cheap last minute holidays, only to discover that you have to pay a small fortune in extra charges.
Make sure the company you book with is either ATOL (Air Travel Organisers Licensing) or ABTA (Association of British travel Agents) bonded, and then if anything does go wrong with your tour operator, you should be covered financially. ABTA is for agents who sell holidays on behalf of a tour operator, ATOL is for those who sell flight tickets only.
Remember to still take out travel insurance though, whether you are having a short weekend city break or long stay holiday abroad. Travel insurance is there for the smaller and more personal things. It will cover you for things like injury, illness, flight delays and loss of possessions. Booking cheap last minute holidays is a fantastic way to get away with minimal cost; however if something unfortunate happens, it could end up costing you a fortune. So dont look at it as adding to your holiday cost by booking travel insurance, look at it as a necessity, safeguarding yourself and your finances, making sure those cheap last minute holidays dont end up costing you a fortune.
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