There’s plenty of advice out there on how to get the best deals on flight and hotel comparison sites.
From checking at certain times of day to using different filters when researching, the list of hints and tricks seems endless.
But some experts are better placed to advise on the matter.
Now, experts from consumer group Which? have shared their best tips to save money and get great deals when planning your next holiday.
The first tip? Let comparison sites help you decide whether to book – or hold off for a cheaper price.
Lauren, a senior researcher and content editor at Which?, said sites such as Google Flights/Hotels and Kayak display info boxes in their results that let you know whether it’s a cheap time to lock in a price, or best to wait until a later date.
She added that these insights are based on vast amounts of price data, and are often specific.
Kayak, for example, told Which? prices for a flight to Tokyo were expected to rise £68 in the next 45 days. When searching for a hotel, it told Which? one property was 28 per cent cheaper than forecasted, meaning it would likely become more expensive later on.
Now, experts from Which? have shared their best tips to save money and get great deals when planning your next holiday
Google Hotels and Google Flights have similar features to help you discern whether it is a smart time to book, or if it’s better to wait.
You can also use built-in tools to find the cheapest week to travel, Amy, a senior researcher and writer, revealed.
She says: ‘If you open Skycanner’s savings generator tool and type where you’ll depart from, the month you’ll be travelling and your dream destination, and Skyscanner’s custom tool will spit out the average price to expect and how far in advance you should book, down to the week.
‘It will also show you other destinations that are cheaper to visit during your travel month to consider.’
It’s worth noting, though, that the information is based on the previous year’s data, and flight pricing won’t follow the exact same patterns each year.
Senior writer Kate also advised using ‘everywhere’ or ‘explore’ tools to find the cheapest deals.
For instance, on Google Flights, click ‘anywhere’, and on Skyscanner there’s an ‘explore’ option.
Kate added: ‘On Momondo you can choose “Can’t decide where to go?”, or try its map tool, which allows you to toggle across a map of the whole world to find prices based on real-time data. You can even select flight durations or different types of stays, such as “outdoorsy”, “beach” or “skiing”.’
The first tip? Let comparison sites help you decide whether to book – or hold off for a cheaper price
If you plan to take luggage, use ‘checked bag’ filters to compare prices like-for-like, Trevor, a senior researcher and writer, suggests.
He said: ‘Flights can seem cheap, but adding luggage later on can see prices soar.
‘Kayak, Skyscanner and Momondo let you filter results according to your preferred luggage options, and Google Flights lets you filter out results without checked bags included – meaning you can factor in the cost of taking baggage with you.’
You should always make sure you sort results by ‘cheapest’, not ‘best’, when choosing, Naomi, deputy editor, says.
Meanwhile, Jo, a senior researcher and writer, suggests using the comparison sites on your phone as some offer ‘mobile-only prices’ – such as Trivago and Kayak.
Also, you can use price graph tools to help you spot the cheapest dates to travel If you’re slightly flexible with travel dates, Kate, a senior writer, says.
She explains: ‘Google Flights’ price graph makes it easy to spot the cheapest days to travel. To find it, search the approximate dates you’re interested in, then on the results page scroll down and click “price graph”.
‘The tool lets you lengthen or shorten your trip while clicking on different dates to experiment with the price. It’s much easier and quicker than searching different dates and noting down the best prices.’
Meanwhile, you can try the comparison site on your phone as some offer ‘mobile-only prices’
And it’s worth actually comparing the price comparison sites themselves, Amy, senior researcher and writer, adds, saying: ‘Even price aggregators can sometimes show different results.
‘If you’ve found a cheap deal on one site, make sure to check the same flights or hotel stay on a different comparison site to make sure you’ve got the best deal out there.’
Finally, senior researcher and writer Jo says you should always check the price direct.
Jo explains: ‘Comparison sites are useful for narrowing down hotel options and finding the best price, but we also recommend contacting the hotel directly.
‘Sometimes they’re able to offer a cheaper rate to incentivise you to book directly, or throw in free breakfast or other freebies.
‘For flights, we recommend using a comparison site to whittle down options but ideally you’ll go on to book directly with an airline, rather than a third party booking site. It’s the most hassle-free option if you later need to change your booking, or if something goes wrong as you can cut out the middle man.’
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