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Holiday deals you should book in May
We’ve sifted through 1.4 million package holiday prices to find which destinations (and departure dates) are cheapest if you book this month.
The insight shows that every destination is different. Some destinations favour the early bird whereas others are best booked at the last minute.
You’ll find the average package prices below. The best bargain we found was a winter-sun break to Dubai in November - it was more than £1,000 cheaper, on average, to book in May than if you booked it at the last minute.
We haven’t included any summer holidays in June or July, because that close to the departure date the best deals are gone. If you do still want to get away this summer, book as soon as possible.
How we found the holiday deals
The booking data was provided by TravelSupermarket and prices include accommodation and flights, for all hotel star ratings and all board types, for May to December 2023. We looked at 16 popular destinations.
TravelSupermarket is a comparison site, and includes some excellent holiday providers and some you should avoid. See our reviews of EasyJet Holidays, Expedia, Lastminute.com, Love Holidays, On the Beach and Tui.
Jet2 Holidays is the only Which? Recommended Provider on TravelSupermarket
All the prices listed here are for seven-night holidays.
Fuerteventura in August £849
Most of us think of the Canaries for winter sun, but Fuerteventura’s consistent year-round temperatures also offer a refuge from the scorching summer sun of the Spanish mainland.
Temperatures do sometimes top 30°C, but it’s rarely stifling thanks to the island’s cool breeze.
You’ll find beach bliss at Which? Travel readers’ favourite resort – Costa Caleta with its arc of fine sand and shallow waters. But don’t miss the Peninsula de Jandia, a protected natural park known for its turtle conservation, wild castaway beaches and fresh seafood.
The data tells us that prices will only go up from May, and you’ll save £65, on average, on the last-minute price if you book now.
See Fuerteventura holiday deals on TravelSupermarket
Mallorca in September £658
Those not shackled to the school holidays will know Mallorca in September means summer sun without the crowds.
You’ll always get a seat at your favourite beach bar, you can snorkel in solitude in the island’s clear-water coves, and you’ll pay £160 less for your holiday than if you’d travelled in August.
Better still, if you book your shoulder-season break now, rather than in July when September prices reach their peak, you’ll save £65.
See Mallorca holiday deals on TravelSupermarket
New York in October £1,189
Your NYC trip will benefit from a bit of forward planning. It’s not just Broadway shows that get booked up months in advance. Ever since the de facto ban on Airbnb accommodation late last year, hotel rooms are in high demand, and prices are expected to surge.
Our figures show that if you book your October break now, you’ll save an average of £455 on the last-minute price of a holiday.
Find out which City break holiday providers we recommend.
See New York city break deals on TravelSupermarket
Dubai in November £1,220
Dubai doesn’t do ‘modest’: the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, stands at 828 metres high; the Dubai Miracle Garden is an incongruous kaleidoscope of petals in the desert, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest floral arrangement created; and the glitzy Dubai Mall is equivalent in size to 50 football pitches.
November is when the temperature drops to a beach-friendly 31°C. Book now, and you’ll pay a staggering £1,166 less than the last-minute price, which surges in the weeks before travel – that’s enough of a saving to indulge in at least a few of the emirate’s excesses.
