BARGAIN HOLS: Travelling around 100 miles to get to an airport has saved Brits almost £200 on flight costs, new data reveals

• If the latest data is anything to go by, that means around 19 million(1) people could be travelling further to save on their next holiday.
• To see whether the travel hack really works, Confused.com investigated the cost of flights vs other airport costs from 6 major airports across the UK(2).
• But that’s not the only travel hack which could save you money before going on holiday. Things like sharing luggage allowance, pre-booking in advance and even buying travel insurance as soon as your holiday is booked could all contribute to extra savings.
• Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com shares why going cheap might not be the best option and how you can save money this summer.

Travelling around 100 miles to get to an airport has saved Brits almost £200 on flight costs, new data reveals.

That’s as 1 in 5 (22%) Brits say they’ve previously done so to save money on their holiday. That’s from new research by Confused.com, who asked 2,000 UK adults about arguably one of their favourite topics - holidays. But some people are even more committed to the cause. The research also found that around 2 in 5 (41%) of those have travelled 101 miles or more to get to an airport. And 1 in 10 (10%) have travelled 200 miles or more. So it’s clear that the determination to make savings is serious business.

And when you put these figures into perspective, the latest ONS figures show how 86.2 million Brits went abroad last year. So that means as many as 19 million people could be putting the miles in to fly from various UK airports in a bid to save some cash¹.

So with the summer season almost in full swing, millions of people could be planning their next holiday with the intention of making long commutes. Just to save some extra cash. Confused.com did some investigating to see if this travel hack really works. Looking at a range of factors across 6 major UK airports to see if people can actually save money by travelling further from home². As part of the research, the prices from the following airports were looked at;

• Edinburgh Airport
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport
• Birmingham International Airport
• London Gatwick (South)
• Bristol Airport
• Cardiff Airport

Using the cities in which each airport was based, fuel costs, airport charges and flight costs were collected. This gave a total expenditure amount. All prices collected were based on a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children), flying to Palma for 1 week in July.

According to the research, your location plays a very big role in whether you’ll benefit from savings. For example, if you’re from Liverpool, you could enjoy some savings. That’s as the majority of other locations from John Lennon Airport offered cheaper alternatives. Families could be £449 better off flying from Birmingham and £271 better off from Bristol, on average.

But the cheapest deals were for those living in Birmingham. That’s as research showed that for this particular trip, the further you travel, the more likely you’ll spend. Looking at airport locations around 100 miles from home, similar to what the survey results found, holidaymakers could actually be paying more. Looking at Bristol and Liverpool, for example, it could cost around £179 and £476, respectively, more than flying from Birmingham. That’s when you factor in things like parking or hotel stays, for example, which is likely needed when travelling further from home.

And not everyone had the same deal. The research found that Cardiff Airport was the most expensive overall out of the 6, meaning that customers were most likely able to find better savings when going to other airports. In some cases, they could save thousands on a holiday. But Cardiff Airport is a smaller operating airport than the others investigated, which could play a vital part in why prices are a lot higher. But as the only airport in Wales, this could be the only option for many who live in more rural parts of South- or Mid-Wales. Meaning that they could end up spending a lot more than they bargained for.

The expenses don’t finish there though. Many airlines charge for additional add-ons when you travel, including extra legroom, seat reservation, and luggage. So when you factor these in, you could be spending extra on top. And for some airlines, these don’t always come cheap. In some cases, the cost to add an extra suitcase to a booking was almost a third of the original ticket cost. That’s as hold luggage (usually between 20kg to 23kg allowance) came in at £59.99 per case, per person, each way. So if you’re a family of 4, this could amount to an extra £479 on top, just for choosing a cheaper holiday option in the first instance.

And although those who travelled further afield claim they’ve saved money on flights, this most likely isn’t the case when you look at the bigger picture. That’s as other amenities which are usually factored in might prove otherwise. The research found that as much as £1,068 was spent, on average, on either getting to the airport or at the airport itself. And although not everyone spent on each element, average prices for each were:

So it does all mount up. Some may argue that it’s still cheaper than choosing an airport close to home, which may be more expensive. But the research conducted by Confused.com begs to differ in this case.

To help, there are also travel hacks out there that could help save money - no matter whether you’re travelling further afield or staying close to home:

• Secret stashes - If the airline offers free add-ons and you’re travelling with a buggy or car seat, you could pack some of your items in these. That way you won’t have to pay for additional luggage costs.
• Sharing is caring - if you’re travelling with others, especially younger children who might not use all their baggage and luggage allowance, sharing cases could be beneficial. You can maximise your current allowance without having to pay for any more.
• Book in advance - whether you need to pay for parking costs or book your train tickets to the airport, booking in advance will likely save you money.
• Buy travel insurance asap - if you’re looking to buy travel insurance, leaving it to the last minute will not only cost you more, but means you won’t benefit from protection from the get-go. So if your hotel reservation gets cancelled or your plans change at the last minute, you might have to foot the bill yourself.
• Do your research - Don’t just choose your holiday based on the cheapest option. Factor in everything you might need to pay for, from fuel costs, airport parking charges, and airline extras. It can all add up.

Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com comments:

“Most people like to take advantage of money-saving tips and tricks, especially when it comes to their holiday. But our latest research found that opting for a cheaper flight might not always be the best option overall.

“That’s as other factors, such as commuting, parking, and even airline extras could mount up. So it’s best to do thorough research beforehand. That way you don’t end up paying over the odds for a holiday which may have been cheaper a bit closer to home. But of course, in some cases it can depend on where in the UK you live, as not everyone has the luxury of an airport on their doorstep. And not all airports offer the same in terms of frequency of flights or choice of destination.

“If you’re going away this summer and want to save some money, research is definitely key. In addition to booking your holiday and choosing the right airport, knowing the finer details of the airline you’re travelling could also help. Knowing your luggage allowances and other extra charges will help you pack accordingly, without having to spend more than you need to. And the same goes for hidden airport fees too. If you can save in these areas, that means you could put your hard-earned money towards your holiday itself. Whether dining out somewhere nice one evening or using it to explore.”

ENDS

Notes to editors