Looking for great summer travel deals?
The trick to finding holiday season savings is to know where the summer travel deals are – think Europe and Thailand. Also, you need to know when to shop for tickets and book hotels. Remember, flying is cheaper during the middle of the week.
With no end in sight for high oil prices, travel experts say now is the time to start searching for the best summer travel deals on flights and destinations for the holiday months.
According to Dubai Chronicle’s team, Turkey tops the list for summer travel deals. Best offers? The beaches of Antalya and the old district of Istanbul – Sultanahmet, full with historical sightseeings.
Emirates Airline has daily flights from Dubai to Istanbul and offers special rate of AED 1920 for return tickets until the 14th of June. Qatar Airways offers start from approximately AED 1500 for return ticket from Dubai. Increased capacity has pushed fares lower, many cheap flights from Dubai to Istanbul or to Antalya can be found at Flight Network .
Resorts in Antalya, the Turkish Riviera city, currently offer early birds deals to make family travel more affordable this summer. Booking.com is the best website for hotel bookings, because it does not require booking fees.
Lowest fares for a European holiday during the peak summer season of July to mid-August will be to Turkey. As the country stretches across the border between Asia and Europe, you can continue into the oldest continent by train, bus or plane for relatively cheap fares. From Istanbul to Bulgaria, for example, the bus fare is $40, while budget airline Pegasus tickets start from approximately 50 euro.
Other European destinations with good fares include Italy, Greece and Spain. Return tickets with Emirates Airline start from around AED 3000.
The rest of Europe is facing AED 5000 airfares for July and August travel. If you have your heart set on other European countries, you could save several hundred dollars if you travel across the continent using European budget airlines. Return ticket from Sofia to Paris, for example, can come to around 100 euro in August.
Once the Summer Olympics are over in London, there will be also good deals in the U.K..
The best time to buy tickets for peak summer travel is until the middle of April, when the airlines are most likely to offer the best fares for travel in July and August.
While travelers might find better summer travel deals by waiting a few weeks, they might also find more competition for the seats on the flights that best fit their schedule.
Summer holiday goers should now begin searching and book early for the best availability. The key to securing a great travel value is knowing when to buy and for summer travel deals the best time is now.
Vacationers who can get away before or after the peak season may find the best summer travel deals. For fun in the sun outside Europe, look to Thailand. Qatar Airways offers the best deals on return tickets to Bangkok, starting from approximately AED 1900. The carrier also offers special summer travel deals through a dedicated Holidays Page.
Here are a few suggestions for travelers seeking the best summer travel deals:
Know when to book! Both Emirates and Qatar Airways host frequently 3 days sales. During such events, you can book tickets with up to 30% discount, if you are quick.
Know when to fly! The best days to fly on are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays can be double the cost, if you are flying from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Before buying travel insurance, check with your credit card provider insurance policies to see what coverage they offer for overseas travel.
