20th November - Best time to buy for Christmas getaway

Travel search site KAYAK has revealed that the best time to book your Christmas getaway is 20th November.

The site, which compares hundreds of travel sites at once, reveals that based on last year’s data, international flights from the UK booked on Sunday 20th November are on average eight per cent cheaper than the rest November, and nearly a fifth (19%) cheaper than booking in the first two weeks of December.

Unfortunately, for those who planned ahead and have already booked, travellers may have paid up to 28 per cent more by booking in September compared to the ‘best price’20/11/2011 date.

Annie Wilson, UK Managing Director for KAYAK says: “A few years ago it was widely believed that booking at the last minute meant you got the best deal. However, as our data shows, factors such as airlines scaling back on capacity, mean it’s no longer guaranteed that this is the case, leaving some people stung with few options and a pricey ticket close to Christmas.”

“To get the perfect price balance when planning a trip, there are a few basic tips:

1 Research – Speak to friends, experts and look at prices from the year before. Ask when would you like to book? Is this the best time to get the right deal?

2 Set up price alerts – KAYAK.co.uk has price alerts, so when you search flights, holidays or car hire, you have the option of receiving email alerts on the changing costs and best deals. This can help track the cost, so you can pounce when you think the price is right.

3 Do what works for you – Christmas can be stressful time which is why some people would rather buy in advance than be sure they have the best deal. If this is you, buy when you want and instead concentrate on enjoying the festivities!”