Is January actually the cheapest time to book a holiday?

Whether it’s discounted flights or money off hotels, bagging a holiday bargain is one of the greatest things in life. And while we’ve all heard the rumours about January being the cheapest time to get your travel plans in order for the rest of the year, is that actually the case?

Lots of conflicting advice exists. Some travel experts claim that while the discounts appear the biggest at the beginning of the year because of the January sales – this might not actually convert to being the cheapest.

A former Going Places Travel Advisor told travel money specialist Equals that prices are actually bumped up post-Christmas, but then heavily discounted to make you think you’re getting a good deal.

“Normally January is the month that everyone books because many operators launch January sales but it’s not necessarily the cheapest time to book a holiday,” they explain.

“I’ve noticed that the prices generally go up in January, but you get a better discount off them which makes people think it’s a better time to book and get a deal, but that’s not always the case.” It’s a clever – and shady – tactic; make holidays more expensive and then give them a bigger discount.

Interestingly, though, Skyscanner disagrees. After analysing travel travels throughout 2018, their data revealed the months of January, February and September are likely the cheapest months to fly, because “airlines want to entice travellers to take trips even before the crazy holiday season!”

Elsewhere, a TripAdvisor study says bagging a cheap holiday doesn’t necessarily come down to the month you book – but rather where you’re going. Their report revealed with some places such as Paris and Sydney, you can get the best deal by booking two to three months in advance, where as the likes of Rio De Janeiro, Singapore and even Rome? You need to book six months ahead to guarantee a bargain.

Essentially, it can be a bit confusing. But the overarching advice would be to not be sucked up by a holiday deal just because it looks like you’ve got a huge discount.

If you’re happy with the price and feel like you’ve bagged a bargain, go for it. But if you’ve been sucked into a big percentage off, regardless of the month of the year? Give it a miss.