- Thought to be result of level of demand as well as flights working out cheaper
Less is more, as the saying famously goes. But not necessarily when it comes to our holidays, as it turns out.
For research has found that travellers can make huge savings this summer by staying at a destination for a longer period.
In good news for those looking to cut the cost of their holiday, couples who choose to extend their ten-night trip to 11 nights could save over £1,000, according to the research from Which?.
This is thought to be as a result of the level of demand, with 11-night holidays being less popular, as well as flights working out cheaper on some days than others.
The consumer champion analysed the prices of 400 package holidays from providers including easyJet, Jet2, Love Holidays, On The Beach and Tui.
In one case, a couple taking an all-inclusive, four-star package holiday in Fuerteventura with Tui in August could save £1,188 by extending their stay from ten nights to 11, a saving of 28 per cent.
The shorter holiday would have cost £4,148, but opting for 11 nights reduced the price to £2,960.
In 26 instances, researchers found that staying for 11 nights rather than ten worked out cheaper overall.
In another case – also with Tui – two people sharing a twin room with a balcony or terrace in Corfu on a bed and breakfast rate could collectively save £584, or £292 per person.
This would slash the cost of the holiday by almost a third (31 per cent), from £1,862 to £1,278. Which? also discovered package examples where staying an extra night would cost just a little extra spare change.
For £1 more per person, two people could extend a ten-night stay in Crete with easyJet to 11 nights, bringing the total cost to £2,544 on a bed and breakfast rate (versus ten nights for £2,542).
Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘If you’re booking a holiday, it’s worth checking if you can save money by making some small changes to your travel dates and duration of your stay.
‘While it seems counterintuitive, occasionally there are substantial savings to be made by extending your trip.
Ms Rhodes added: ‘Of course, there are plenty of other ways to cut the cost of holidays. Shop around online to find the best price for accommodation and flights – using price comparison sites can be a good place to start.
‘You can also slash money off your airfare by opting out of added extras – for example, we’ve found that most airlines will seat you together even if you don’t pay for pre-selected seats.’
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
