12 money-saving tips for a cheap family holiday

Spending quality time together with no expectations to do anything or be anywhere, exploring far-flung shores with the brood, watching the little ones experience somewhere new… you can’t put a price on holiday memories, but your bank account certainly can.

The good news is that family holidays don’t have to be a blow out. From taking advantage of free kids’ places to tactically planning your travel days, there are plenty of ways to keep the cost of your break down.

To help keep your spending in check, we’ve rounded up our best money-saving tips and tricks for a cheap family holiday.

1. Take advantage of free kids’ places

Free kids’ places are an excellent way to save money on your family holiday – and you don’t have to search far and wide to find them. Big package operators including TUI, First Choice, Jet2holidays and easyJet holidays offer thousands each year, especially during the school summer holidays.

Usually with a free kid’s place, one child per two full-paying adults will receive the exact holiday as their grown-ups. That includes the flights, accommodation, airport transfers and the same food and drinks package as the adults – all without paying an extra penny. But there can be some differences. Here’s what to expect from each operator:

• TUI: A standard flight ticket, accommodation (whether that’s a hotel, apartment or villa) and access to all the amenities, the standard board basis offered by your hotel, and transfers to and from the airport.
• First Choice: A standard flight ticket, accommodation with access to all the amenities and the same board basis as the adults. Transfers will be included if adults add them to their package. Kids usually need to be between 2 and 12, but some hotels may offer free places for children up to the age of 15.
• Jet2holidays: The basic flight fare, one piece of checked baggage, accommodation and coach transfers. Officially, Jet2 defines a child as between the ages of 0 and 17, but you’ll generally have more options if you’re travelling with younger children.
• easyJet holidays: A standard-seat flight ticket, accommodation and the same board basis as the adults, 23kg of checked baggage (beach holidays only) and coach transfers. Age limits are set by hotels, but you can find free kids’ places for children up to the age of 15.

You can usually start searching for deals at least a year in advance. Right now, you can find free kids’ places from now all the way until October 2026.

For those with younger children not yet in school, consider looking for kids’ places outside the school holidays. Not only can you take your little one for free, but you can also take advantage of the already-cheaper holiday prices.It’s a win, win!

2. Book your holiday early…

Booking last-minute to score a cheap deal can pay off if you are truly flexible with your travel needs. But for families who are locked into peak season school holiday dates, it often works out better to book early.

By being one of the first to book, you’ll have hundreds of packages to choose from, with greater flexibility on duration, dates, board basis and hotel rooms. You can also take advantage of deals and discounts such as board and room upgrades, low or £0 deposits and, of course, free kids’ places. Sign up to travel and holiday company newsletters to be the first to see what’s on offer.

Right now, On the Beach is even offering its ‘Price Drop Protection’. If you book a beach holiday or city break by 3 February and your exact holiday drops in price at least 60 days before you’re set to travel, you’ll get an On the Beach voucher for the difference. If you were already poised to book anyway, it could be one to check out, but be sure to read the full terms and conditions first.

3. But travel late

We’ve found that travelling in the last week of the summer school holidays can be cheaper than in the weeks before it, so consider spending the bulk of the school break at home and enjoy a late getaway instead.

For example, when we looked at all-inclusive holidays in Majorca, a seven-night, three-star stay departing from Stansted on 9 August cost from £722pp.* Travel two weeks later, on 23 August, and the price dropped to £595pp.* That’s a saving of £508 for a family of four.

If you don’t have your heart set on sweltering temperatures, you may even want to swap your summer break for an October half term holiday. The weather may not be as reliable, but prices can be lower than in the height of the summer school holidays.

4. Depart from a different airport

Travel demand during the school holidays drives prices up, so be sure to check out deals departing from all your closest airports. With schools breaking up at different times, you could save hundreds by flying from another airport where nearby schools are still in session.

For example, families from Leeds could save more than £300 per person* on a February half term holiday to Tenerife by departing from Newcastle instead. While Newcastle is a two-hour drive away, the significant savings can make the journey worthwhile. The price difference occurs because Leeds schools break up earlier in February than Newcastle schools, creating a sweet spot for better deals.

With school holiday dates changing every year, this hack may not always work, but it’s worth taking the time to check.

5. Compare all your options

Whether you head to the same family-friendly resort every year or fancy trying somewhere new, one of the best ways to save big on family holidays is to compare your options side-by-side from a number of travel companies.

To find out what families could save by shopping around, we used TravelSupermarket’s holiday comparison tool, searching for 14-night family holidays at the beginning of the summer break.

On the day that we looked, we found savings of £1,655.52 on a family holiday to Majorca by booking a great value package from Jet2holidays, including a free child place and a £400 discount as part of a special offer. The package we found included flights from London Stansted on 25 July, returning on 8 August, with a 10kg hand luggage allowance and 22kg hold allowance per passenger, a 14-night stay at THB Guya Playa in a one-bedroom apartment on a self-catering basis and coach transfers. The package price came to £4,020 for two adults and two children aged seven and nine. When we totted up all of the different elements booking separately, the price came to £5,675.52.

And, when we looked at the same package from another travel company, it came to £5,049.

That’s a healthy saving of more than £1,600 for 10 minutes of research.

6. Make your money go further in different destinations

Spain and Portugal are often top picks for families looking for a guaranteed sunny break, but if you want to bag a bargain, look a little further afield. Places where the pound is strong, such as Turkey (think Antalya and Bodrum) and Egypt (Hurghada), are good bets for a break, as are countries where the cost of living is low.

Try Agadir in Morocco, where a three-course meal for two is around £17, or Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, where the same will cost you around £21.**

7. Consider going all-inclusive

Going all-inclusive can help you stick to a budget while you’re away as you will have paid for the bulk of your trip upfront. And that’s not just your flights, accommodation and transfers, but most of your in-resort food and drinks and, in some cases, snacks and à la carte dining, too (check the details of your hotel).

It means the only money you’ll need is for the extra things you really want, such as souvenirs, a fancy bottle of wine for the adults or any sightseeing you want to do.

If you prefer to eat locally or perhaps even cook yourself, you may want to consider staying on a room-only basis or choosing self-catering accommodation – be honest with yourself about your holiday habits to keep your spending in check.

8. Choose a resort with the lot

You can fly, flop and forget all about devising clever ways to entertain the kids with a resort that’s got it all – think kids’ clubs, on-site splashparks or free access to off-site waterparks – already included in your all-inclusive price.

Hotels aren’t shy about going all-out on the entertainment, either. For example, at the Aqi Pegasos Royal in Turkey, older children can whiz down one of sixteen waterslides, while splash-happy tots can paddle under a mushroom fountain and pirate ship or stay busy at the kids’ club. In Marrakech, the Aqua Mirage Club has a wave pool as well as all the classic sides.

Of course, you’re paying for extra facilities in the upfront cost of your holiday but if you’re planning a relaxed holiday by the pool, it’s a good way to keep children entertained without having to search for activities outside your resort. For example, a day at Alanya Aquapark will set you back around 2,700 lira (£60) for just one day’s worth of entertainment – and that’s without meals included throughout the day.

9. Pre-book car hire and bring the car seat with you

Planning to hire a car for a little exploration abroad?

When you’re travelling with kids and all of their kit, you’re likely to be fussier when it comes to the make and model of car you hire on holiday. And, especially in peak holiday periods, demand can outstrip supply pushing hire costs up and leaving many car types unavailable.

So, avoid a last-minute car hire headache by booking your wheels well in advance. We used TravelSupermarket’s car hire comparison tool to look for cars from Palma Airport on 25 July for two weeks. On the day that we looked, you could hire an Alfa Romeo Junior for £355.09 for 14 days.

We compared this to Hertz’s pay at location pricefor a less swish but similarly sized Peugeot 208, which was £629.10 for the same car on the same dates.

That’s a saving of £274.01 for shopping around and being organised.

You may also be able to bring your own car seat for free on the plane instead of hiring one from your rental company.

You’ll need to check your airline’s policy, but many operators allow at least one piece of infant equipment. Some allow two, which means you can bring a car seat as well as a pushchair.

And don’t forget car hire excess insurance. Consider purchasing a standalone policy to save as much as £20 per day compared on at-the-desk prices.

10. Plan free days out

A day spent on the sand building sandcastles with the little ones and soaking up the sun is a great joy of family beach holidays. That it’s free is just a bonus. If you have room in your luggage, you skip splurging on beach paraphernalia on the day by bringing a small bucket and spade or an inflatable toy with you.

You can also look for public parks and playgrounds to keep kids entertained for a couple of hours or research any free entry days for the attractions you want to visit. For example, some museums and galleries in Europe are free on the first Sunday of the month, meaning your wallet won’t blame you for leaving early with tired or hungry little ones.

Packing snacks to fill hungry tummies throughout the day can save you money too. Seek out a local supermarket and stock up on some goodies to carry with you while you explore. Bring something for your flights, as well as an empty water bottle to refill after airport security, to avoid rip-off prices at the airport.

11. Shop around for family travel insurance

It can be tempting to leave buying your travel insurance until just before you travel but we advise taking out a travel insurance policy including cancellation cover as soon as you’ve booked a break. Why? If events out of your control cause you to cancel your holiday – such as redundancy or illness – you’ll be able to claim for the cost of your holiday.

The cheapest travel insurance deal isn’t always the best for you, though – always pay attention to the fine print to make sure you have the levels of cover that you need, from cancellation covering the price of your trip to medical expenses cover.

Once you know the levels of cover you need, shop around to find the best deal for you. We used TravelSupermarket’s travel insurance comparison tool and found single-trip family travel insurance deals from £70.95 including £20 million for medical costs and £5,000 for cancellation.

In comparison, a Red single trip family travel insurance policy with Virgin Money cost £188.65 including £10 million medical cover but only £3,000 for cancellation. To take cancellation cover up to £5,000 cost £215.25 with Virgin Money.

That’s a £144.30 saving to feel smug about, along with peace of mind that you’re protected should anything go wrong.

12. Secure your airport parking spot early

It’s often easier to drive to the airport with kids in tow than to tackle public transport or pay for a taxi. But drive-up airport parking fees can be eye-watering. At Stansted, as an example, it costs £45 per day to drive up and park in its mid-stay car park – that’s a whopping £630 for 14 days’ parking. And spaces are limited.

Instead pre-book your spot to save. We ran a quick search for airport parking options on TravelSupermarket and found deals from £127.79 for the same 14 days. That’s a £502.21 saving for a guaranteed space.

Can I take my kids on holiday during term-time to save money?

Taking children on holiday during term-time is a very sensitive subject.

The Department for Education (DfE) maintains that even one day of school missed can affect a child’s learning, while some parents argue that the dramatic hikes in the cost of going away during the holidays leave them with no other option.

According to the current law, absences during term-time will only be accepted under “exceptional circumstances”. While the definition of this is down to the individual headteacher, the term is broadly understood to mean illness, family bereavement, attending a wedding or a family matter along those lines.

An application has to be made in advance of the absence and it is extremely unlikely that permission will be granted for a holiday.

The most likely outcome is a fine of £80 which is handed out by the local council. If you don’t pay the fine within 21 days it will rise to £160. Failure to pay the fine within 28 days could see you prosecuted over the child’s absence.

These fines, combined with how significantly cheaper family holidays can be during term time, has led to some parents questioning whether skipping school is worth it financially.

*All prices based on two adults and two children sharing and are correct as of 31 January 2025.

**Meal prices taken from Numbeo and are accurate as of the time of writing.