How to find a last-minute holiday deal

1. Be flexible

To enjoy the best choice of package holiday deals, be as flexible as you can when it comes to the date, day and time you are travelling. Travelling mid-week can be significantly cheaper than at the weekend, while you’ve got a better chance of bagging a bargain if you can avoid going away during peak travel periods such as the school summer holidays.

And, if you’re willing to travel when no-one else wants to – for example first thing in the morning or last thing at night – you’ll probably be rewarded with lower prices.

If you are within a reasonable distance from more than one airport, be flexible on your departure point too – but beware false economies such as travelling to an airport miles away and spending a lot getting there to save a pound or two on a flight.

2. Remain open minded about your destination

As well as being flexible around the timings of your trip, remain open about the destination you travel to so you can chase the best value. Narrowing down your choices too early on in your search might mean you miss out on a bargain.

And don’t assume that because a destination was cheap last year, it will be the cheapest this year too. We’re constantly crunching the numbers at TravelSupermarket to reveal where’s cheap at the moment – and there can be significant changes. As an example, in summer 2025, Tunisia was the place to head for an all-inclusive bargain. But, this year, our research found that Bulgaria’s Bourgas area – including popular resorts such as Sunny Beach – is the cheapest place to go for an all-inclusive holiday in 2026.

For inspiration, look at articles such as those in newspapers and travel magazines or on the TravelSupermarket blog and ask friends and family who know you well for recommendations. You never know, you may discover your new favourite place for a snip of the price of your trusty favourite.

3. If you can’t be flexible, book now

If you’re going away as a family and have to travel during the peak school holidays, you stand the best chance of finding a bargain the earlier you book.

As the summer holidays edge nearer, many parents will panic and book a trip meaning that demand can outstrip supply and prices tend to increase.

It also pays to book earlier if you have more specific needs than, say, a couple – you may be looking for interconnecting rooms or a hotel with a respected kids’ club, for example. The sooner you start your research, the more likely you are to find a holiday that matches your needs.

However, if you’ve not booked for summer 2026 yet, all is not lost. One tip to find low prices is to look at family holidays later in the summer break as prices tend to fall in late August. Why? Because many families want to travel as close to when schools break up as possible.

Look for holiday deals with free child places, too. While many of these are snapped up by early bird bookers, there are still some available and they can result in significant savings.

4. Visit sales and sign up for alerts

Trawling website after website looking for an offer can be an overwhelming task. To help narrow your search, keep an eye out for early or last-minute summer sales to bag a bargain.

You could also get the sales sent straight to you! Sign up to companies’ newsletters to be among the first to hear about deals and see them all in one place.

You can sign up to TravelSupermarket’s newsletter at the bottom of this page.

5. Compare different trip lengths

If you’re having no luck finding a brilliant seven-night deal, compare the price of different trip lengths.

Extending your holiday to ten or even 14 days may not be significantly more expensive, meaning your holiday will be better value for money.

6. Consider all board types…

Don’t assume that one board type will always be the cheapest option as both all-inclusive holidays and self-catering holidays have their own cost-saving merits.

All-inclusive breaks can be a great option for those who like to budget for the bulk of their trip before they even leave their house, while self-catering trips are perfect for travellers who like to make their own schedules and save money by buying in all of their own food and drink. Compare both options side-by-side to work out which is the cheapest for you.

While you’re making this decision, don’t forget to consider how much it will cost to self-cater in the destination you have in mind as certain destinations will be a lot more expensive than others.

7. Look at package holidays

There are many reasons to book a package holiday, from the financial protection they offer and the support you have should anything go wrong to the ease of having one booking confirmation and one company to deal with.

But, one of the most attractive elements of a package holiday is the value they can offer, especially when it comes to late deals. While the cost of a flight on its own is likely to increase the closer you get to your departure date, package holidays can decrease in price as the dates approach.

This is because tour operators bulk buy seats on flights and hotel rooms in advance so need to sell any that are left over – often reducing prices if there’s plenty left.

8. Use a price-comparison site

So you can enjoy the peace of mind that the price you’ve found is the most competitive out there, use a price-comparison site, such as TravelSupermarket, to compare holidays from the UK’s top travel companies in one place. Our customers save an average of £350 per holiday by comparing deals on our site.*

9. Do your research before booking

While trying somewhere new can both introduce you to parts of the world you may never have considered and save you money, if you’ve never heard of your destination or the travel company you’re booking with, it pays to do a little research to make sure the deal you’ve found isn’t too good to be true.

Take a look at online hotel reviews, do some research into the weather (certain places may be too hot for young children in summer), and check what the resort you are looking at is like – you don’t want to end up staying in a party destination with small children or in a quiet destination if you’re after a party.

How to prevent going over your budget

Finding a great deal can be satisfying so, to prevent any costly mistakes overshadowing your achievement, make sure you:

Budget for all of the holiday extras you will need – such as car hire, travel money, airport parking and travel insurance – and add these costs to your trip price so you have a realistic idea on how much you will spend in total.

Avoid being stung by any airline charges such as luggage or admin fees.

Check the cost of living in the destination you plan to travel to. You don’t want to end up spending more than you can afford while you are away.

Please note: The "average saving of £350 per holiday" is based on a comprehensive price comparison study conducted by Ice Travel Group on 15 January 2026.