Travel with Katie Butler: January is busiest month for holiday bookings
Welcome to ‘Peaks’. Peak season for holidaymakers – is known as the busiest time of year to travel to a certain destination. However, in the travel industry – Peaks is what is known as peak selling season – and that of course is January.
January can be a miserable month for many, not just the grey, cold and rainy weather but also marking the end of the Christmas festivities and the return back to work for many.
As long as I have worked in this industry (which is a long time), January has remained the busiest time of the year for new bookings and we are extremely excited to see what Peaks 2025 looks like for us.
Almost as soon as Christmas is over, TV and radio advertisements start with holiday temptations and big discounts to be had. And there are definitely some great deals around.
Jet2holidays are offering discounts of up to £100 per person. TUI are offering up to £300 off per booking and easyJet are also offering discounts of up to £100 per person.
Jet2holidays actually launched their sale on Christmas Eve and Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “Boxing Day is traditionally when the peak holiday booking period has started, but we saw the bookings rush start earlier this year – with Christmas Eve onwards proving to be extremely popular. Customers are obviously turning to a well deserved holiday to give themselves something to look forward to, and our huge sales has motivated them into getting that holiday booked in.”
He added: “We expect strong booking levels to continue into the New Year as customers look to get their holiday locked in.”
Depending on the time of year you wish to travel, you usually stand a good chance of grabbing a late deal, but not necessarily at a discounted price, as last year’s trend mirrored the previous year.
Booking now gives you access to the great deals available in January in addition to free child places. So, if you are happy with the price for your holiday, my advice would be to lock in your price and put down a deposit.
All the discounts and deals that you see with the major tour operators can be used at most independent travel agencies, including ourselves, meaning that you don’t have to book online.
If your holiday includes flights then it is important that your holiday is ATOL protected. This means that you are covered if your holiday provider or airline ceases trading. You are not protected if you book your flights and accommodation separately.
Look for the ATOL logo on travel company websites, brochures and advertisements. If you are not sure, ask your travel company or travel agent for clarification. Also, ensure that you are given an ATOL certificate.
If your travel company cannot provide an ATOL certificate, ask them why. It is worth knowing that every UK company must provide one if they are claiming that your holiday is indeed ATOL protected.
At the time of writing we are expecting travel disruption as weather warnings are in place for most of the UK. If your flight is delayed or cancelled due to weather, this is not covered under the EU compensation scheme.