Column: Travel with Katie Butler of Total Travel. If you’ve got your sights set on a trip to the United States anytime soon, whether for a city break, a family holiday, or even a cheeky shopping spree—you may want to consider applying for your ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) sooner rather than later. From 30 September 2025, the cost of an ESTA will rise from US $21 to US $40.

For many travellers, this won’t make or break the holiday, but it is worth noting that the authorisation lasts for two years and covers multiple entries. So even if you don’t have a specific trip in mind just yet, securing one now could save you nearly half the cost if you’re planning a visit within the next 24 months. The current US $21 fee includes a US $4 administrative fee and a US $17 travel promotion fee. However, from the end of September, this will increase to include a US $10 operational fee, US $13 Treasury General Fund fee, while still retaining the US $17 travel promotion fee—totalling US $40. If your application is rejected, you’ll still be charged a US $10 processing fee, so it's important to double-check eligibility criteria before applying. So, if the US is on your travel radar, applying early could be a smart move.

Planning ahead isn’t just wise for the US. TUI made headlines last week with news that they will be launching their Summer 2027 programme next month. Yes, you read that correctly, 2027. (I wish I was that organised). While it might feel a little early to be thinking that far ahead, early booking offers a great way to budget, secure preferred accommodation, and lock in those key dates before prices rise. And where one tour operator leads, others often follow. With this announcement from TUI, we wouldn’t be surprised to hear news soon from Jet2holidays, the UK’s largest tour operator. Watch this space.

Planning ahead once more, for those who may have left it too late to book a festive escape this year, there’s still good news. Jet2.com and Jet2CityBreaks have now released their Winter 26/27 city breaks programme, including their ever-popular Christmas Market getaways. There is a huge selection on offer, with 36 destinations included in their programme. Classic festive cities like Berlin, Budapest, Cologne, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Krakow, Prague, Tallinn and Vienna are all featured. These trips depart from 12 UK airports and run from November 2026 to January 2027, giving plenty of flexibility in terms of dates, durations, and budgets

Customers enjoying Budapest Xmas Markets last year

placeholder image — Customers enjoying Budapest Xmas Markets last year

Looking back as always at last week’s booking trends, October was the most popular month for new holiday bookings, claiming a 10% share. September followed closely behind with 9%. Once again, late bookings—those made just weeks or even days before departure—accounted for a significant 28% of total bookings, highlighting that spontaneous travel remains popular among West Yorkshire holidaymakers. Top destinations were Tenerife, Greece and Majorca.

Whether you're planning far ahead for summer 2027, jumping on a last-minute city break, or sorting out your paperwork for a future US trip, it is a good reminder that a bit of forward planning can go a long way.