Britons to spend £36 billion on summer holidays this year

Despite the UK's continued austerity drive, the majority of Britons are refusing to pass up on their holidays and will collectively spend in excess of £36 billion on getaways in 2012. New research, from British Airways American Express Credit Cards, reveals that while 21 per cent of people went without a holiday in 2011, just nine per cent plan to do so this year.

Of those that will take a holiday this year, 23.6 million UK adults (49 per cent) intend to make it a ‘major' trip of a week or longer. The majority of holidaymakers say they are most likely to book their main trip three months in advance, meaning those organising their July and August summer holidays may do so within the next month - that's a potential six million people booking summer holidays in the coming weeks.

While one in four people (24 per cent) acknowledge that their holiday will be more expensive than last year, primarily due to increasing travel costs and less disposable income, UK adults pinpointed booking a holiday as the big purchase they plan to make in 2012. On average they will spend £923 per person on flights, accommodation and spending money. Much of this will be spent on funding overseas travel, with the majority of people choosing to head abroad on at least one of their trips this year (63 per cent), while 28 per cent will stay exclusively in the UK on a ‘staycation'.

However, despite many acknowledging the increased costs of holidaying abroad this year, too many fail to make the most of their money and may be missing cost-saving tricks. While almost a quarter of travellers will be paying for their holidays with credit cards (22 per cent), just three per cent will use loyalty/rewards points to pay for holidays and even fewer (2 per cent) will use rewards/loyalty points in order to enhance their trip by getting upgrades or extras.

Julie Hay, Head of British Airways American Express Credit Cards at American Express, said: "Last year saw many people exercising frugality in the face of difficult economic conditions, but it is promising to see that this year we are likely to see a turnaround in that trend. However, in order to make that holiday budget stretch further, people should be looking at rewards programmes to help mitigate costs.

"One simple way to do this is to use a travel rewards credit card for your everyday spending. This means that, come holiday booking time, you can look forward to a number of extras including companion vouchers, upgrades and discounts to make your holiday even more special and affordable.

"In addition we are seeing a rise in the number of alternative and innovative ways of saving money while on holiday. For example, our research found that 47 per cent of UK adults have or would consider a ‘house swap' holiday; exchanging properties with another person or family either in the UK or abroad, as a way to save money and have a new experience. A house swap combined with using Avios points - earned on the British Airways American Express Credit Card - to get a Companion Voucher has the potential to make a family holiday cost significantly less than the average getaway."

Key product features and benefits of the British Airways American Express Credit Card:

Representative 19.9% APR variable
3,000 Avios when you spend £1000 in your first three months of Cardmembership
Collect one Avios for virtually every £1 you spend
Spend £20,000 on your Card in a year and redeem your Avios on a

British Airways flight and you'll receive another ticket for a companion for the same flight and cabin. Taxes, fees and charges apply

Complimentary Additional Cards for your friends and family to help you boost your Avios balance even faster
Travel Accident Insurance up to £75,000
No annual fee
If your Card is lost, damaged or stolen, American Express can get a replacement to you virtually anywhere in the world
If you're not an Executive Club Member already, you will automatically be enrolled when you receive your British Airways American Express Card. That means you can collect even more Avios on British Airways flights and holidays, and through other British Airways Executive Club partners such as Tesco; Shell and Avis.

For more information or to apply for a Card visit:
americanexpress.com/uk/britishair/britishairways.cgi