When to get cheap France and Ireland ferry tickets

Booking your ferry tickets at the right time could save you hundreds of pounds. 

When we checked the average ferry fares for a summer (August) departure, we found that January was most often the cheapest month to book - but there were exceptions.

We analysed data from comparison site, Direct Ferries, for the first eight months of 2024 and, in one case, found that a family of four, taking their car to the Netherlands in August would save £267 each way if they booked early. The average price in January was £440, whereas the same crossing booked in July would have cost £707 on average. 

But it’s not just early bookers who can potentially save money. This year’s data showed that the cheapest month varied by route and destination. Read on to find out where it could be better to hold your nerve.

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Are there last-minute ferry deals? 

January is when many peak season tickets are released, often in tandem with special offers to trigger demand. And early booking also gives you your pick of the cabins. That’s particularly important for pet owners, as pet-friendly cabins tend to sell out first.

But there's another time when you can potentially save money. June to August is the operators’ make-or-break period and they could resort to deep discounting if demand is down. Last minute discounting meant that, last year, all three routes to Ireland we looked at were cheaper in August than at any other time. Savings ranged between £32 and £37.

The best ferry firms for France, Ireland and beyond.

When to book a cheap ferry to France

This year’s data shows that the cheapest summer fares were on sale in January for Dover to Calais. However, prices remained stable and savings were small. The only route where there were big savings by booking a long time in advance was Newhaven to Dieppe - where trips were £88 cheaper in January than in August. 

For two routes - Portsmouth to Caen and Poole to Cherbourg - you needed to wait for the best deals - but not too long. They were cheapest in June, with savings of £43 and £18 compared with January. 

Verdict: Book early if you can, but look out for promotions on some routes

Average August ferry prices (one-way) to France when booked in....

When to book a cheap Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle) ticket

While the routes from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk see a lot of discounting (hence prices being fairly flat), LeShuttle rarely does. 

Demand for the Channel Tunnel car train starts high and remains high. This year, prices started at £155, on average, in January, dipped very slightly in February, then rose to £201 for late-bookers. 

Verdict: Book as soon as possible, and no later than three months before departure for the best prices.

Average August Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle) prices when booked in...

When to book a cheap ferry to Ireland

In 2023 the cheapest price for a ferry to Ireland was in April - probably because of Easter promotions. In 2024 the best deals all came in August, with last minute offers coming in at least £30 cheaper than January.

Verdict: Early bookers did not bag the best prices last year. Wait for a promotional offer before booking your summer ticket this year.

Average August ferry prices (one-way) to Ireland when booked in....

When to book a cheap ferry to Spain and the Netherlands

January was the cheapest month on average to book a ferry from Plymouth to Santander in Spain, and from other UK ports to Amsterdam, the Hook of Holland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The Plymouth to Santander route was £73 cheaper each way when booked in January rather than August. The Portsmouth to Santander route was the exception, with prices dropping in April - which was £52 cheaper than January.

For Newcastle to Amsterdam there were huge savings for booking well in advance. January bookings were £137 cheaper than April and £229 cheaper than August. The price for the route peaked in July, when it was £707.

Verdict: Book early for August departures.

Average August ferry prices (one-way) to Spain and the Netherlands when booked in....

Our research

One-way prices were supplied by Direct Ferries, based on searches made throughout the year for crossings between 1 and 31 August 2024.