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| Holiday rip-offs to avoid … before you even set off | Holiday rip-offs to avoid … before you even set off |
| (3 days later) | |
| It's easy to bag a bargain holiday – and then be ripped off before you fly by the money changers, airport car parks, trains, phone companies and airline add-ons. So what are the biggest no-nos to avoid before you start your relaxing break? | It's easy to bag a bargain holiday – and then be ripped off before you fly by the money changers, airport car parks, trains, phone companies and airline add-ons. So what are the biggest no-nos to avoid before you start your relaxing break? |
| Don't pay full fare on the train to catch the plane | Don't pay full fare on the train to catch the plane |
| Holidaymakers hunt around the net for the best flight deal – and then pay through the nose to get to the airport. For the London airports in particular, it makes sense to "split" your fare. | Holidaymakers hunt around the net for the best flight deal – and then pay through the nose to get to the airport. For the London airports in particular, it makes sense to "split" your fare. |
| For example, an adult return ticket from London Liverpool Street on the Stansted Express is £32.80; for a family of two adults and two children it is £98.40. The first trick is to book a "Group Save 4" ticket, which brings the family price down to £64. Then split the ticket, buying one return London to Bishop's Stortford and then Bishop's Stortford to Stansted airport on the Greater Anglia website. This brings the price down to £57.20. For a single adult, the return price would drop from £32.80 to £28.60. You stay on the train but just have two tickets each way. | For example, an adult return ticket from London Liverpool Street on the Stansted Express is £32.80; for a family of two adults and two children it is £98.40. The first trick is to book a "Group Save 4" ticket, which brings the family price down to £64. Then split the ticket, buying one return London to Bishop's Stortford and then Bishop's Stortford to Stansted airport on the Greater Anglia website. This brings the price down to £57.20. For a single adult, the return price would drop from £32.80 to £28.60. You stay on the train but just have two tickets each way. |
| The savings are even bigger for holidaymakers going to Gatwick airport if they split their journey from London at East Croydon. For travellers from further afield, split-ticketing also works on cross-country networks, with even higher savings. Book direct at the train's websites to avoid fees at booking websites such as thetrainline.com | The savings are even bigger for holidaymakers going to Gatwick airport if they split their journey from London at East Croydon. For travellers from further afield, split-ticketing also works on cross-country networks, with even higher savings. Book direct at the train's websites to avoid fees at booking websites such as thetrainline.com |
| Don't just arrive at the airport car park | Don't just arrive at the airport car park |
| Park in the short-stay car park next to Gatwick airport this August and the bill on your return from a fortnight's break will be a painful £315. Even the drive-up rate in the long-stay car park is £195. However, if you pre-book on the airport's official site the prices come down to £233.30 and £152.66 respectively, or you could try one of the "meet and greet" services, at around £95 for a fortnight. | Park in the short-stay car park next to Gatwick airport this August and the bill on your return from a fortnight's break will be a painful £315. Even the drive-up rate in the long-stay car park is £195. However, if you pre-book on the airport's official site the prices come down to £233.30 and £152.66 respectively, or you could try one of the "meet and greet" services, at around £95 for a fortnight. |
| If you have an early flight, Premier Inn's Sleep/Park/Fly deal is worth considering. At Gatwick, its hotel is next to the airport terminal, and if you pre-book for August it costs £109 for a room, with up to eight nights' parking thrown in, or £139 for two weeks. It has deals at Manchester, Heathrow and Stansted too. Ibis, Holiday Inn and the Sheraton offer similar deals, and are especially good value at Heathrow, where airport parking is among the most expensive in the world. | If you have an early flight, Premier Inn's Sleep/Park/Fly deal is worth considering. At Gatwick, its hotel is next to the airport terminal, and if you pre-book for August it costs £109 for a room, with up to eight nights' parking thrown in, or £139 for two weeks. It has deals at Manchester, Heathrow and Stansted too. Ibis, Holiday Inn and the Sheraton offer similar deals, and are especially good value at Heathrow, where airport parking is among the most expensive in the world. |
| Don't change money at the airport | Don't change money at the airport |
| If you leave it to the last minute to grab your holiday cash at their airport you will lose around 8%-10% of your money because the exchange rate is so poor. Travelex bureaux at London Heathrow were this week offering walk-up rates of just €1.047 for each £1. However, pre-order at the Travelex website for collection at the airport (euros are available up to four hours before departure) and you would obtain a highly competitive rate of €1.136 – a huge differential for essentially the same service. | If you leave it to the last minute to grab your holiday cash at their airport you will lose around 8%-10% of your money because the exchange rate is so poor. Travelex bureaux at London Heathrow were this week offering walk-up rates of just €1.047 for each £1. However, pre-order at the Travelex website for collection at the airport (euros are available up to four hours before departure) and you would obtain a highly competitive rate of €1.136 – a huge differential for essentially the same service. |
| The same is true at another holiday cash favourite, the Post Office. Buy online and you get a better rate than if you just walk into your local branch. | The same is true at another holiday cash favourite, the Post Office. Buy online and you get a better rate than if you just walk into your local branch. |
| Generally, you get a better rate if you swap more than £500. The Travelmoneymax.com website will tell you who's doing the best rates at any one time. | Generally, you get a better rate if you swap more than £500. The Travelmoneymax.com website will tell you who's doing the best rates at any one time. |
| Avoid standard credit cards | Avoid standard credit cards |
| Apply for one of the specialist credit cards that offer the cheapest way to spend while you're away. The Halifax Clarity card is the daddy – you pay nothing on purchases and get the best possible exchange rate anywhere in the world, with no ATM charges. While you pay interest immediately on cash withdrawals at 12.9% APR, this is still the best way to access cash abroad, assuming you pay off your bill in full each month. | Apply for one of the specialist credit cards that offer the cheapest way to spend while you're away. The Halifax Clarity card is the daddy – you pay nothing on purchases and get the best possible exchange rate anywhere in the world, with no ATM charges. While you pay interest immediately on cash withdrawals at 12.9% APR, this is still the best way to access cash abroad, assuming you pay off your bill in full each month. |
| The Capital One Aspire World and Post Office Mastercard also offer unloaded, or "perfect", exchange rates – but charge to make cash withdrawals. Users of other credit cards will typically pay a hidden commission on every purchase. | The Capital One Aspire World and Post Office Mastercard also offer unloaded, or "perfect", exchange rates – but charge to make cash withdrawals. Users of other credit cards will typically pay a hidden commission on every purchase. |
| Lastly, don't fall for the "dynamic currency conversion" trap while you are away. If a restaurant of hotel offers you a bill in pounds sterling, rather than the local currency, insist you pay in the latter. | Lastly, don't fall for the "dynamic currency conversion" trap while you are away. If a restaurant of hotel offers you a bill in pounds sterling, rather than the local currency, insist you pay in the latter. |
| Sort out your mobile deal before flying off | Sort out your mobile deal before flying off |
| Although roaming charges have come down in the EU, they can still be a killer, and in some cases can cost more than the holiday. The key to using a mobile abroad – particularly a smartphone – is to take advantage of the various deals the operators offer. Generally you need to opt in before you travel. | Although roaming charges have come down in the EU, they can still be a killer, and in some cases can cost more than the holiday. The key to using a mobile abroad – particularly a smartphone – is to take advantage of the various deals the operators offer. Generally you need to opt in before you travel. |
| For example, Vodafone offers its Passport service, which gives discounted call costs in 40 countries. It's free but you have to opt in by calling 5555. | For example, Vodafone offers its Passport service, which gives discounted call costs in 40 countries. It's free but you have to opt in by calling 5555. |
| O2 Travel offers those opting in 15MB of data per day in Europe for £1.99 a day. Users are charged 50p to make or receive calls between countries in Europe, then it's free to talk for up to 60 minutes. | |
| Note that while charges inside the EU have come down they are still sky high in other countries, such as in Turkey. Consider getting a local Sim card for longer stays, and don't forget to turn data roaming off in your settings if you are not using it. | Note that while charges inside the EU have come down they are still sky high in other countries, such as in Turkey. Consider getting a local Sim card for longer stays, and don't forget to turn data roaming off in your settings if you are not using it. |
| Don't bring a suitcase | Don't bring a suitcase |
| Once the sole preserve of Ryanair, now it's getting harder and harder to avoid paying to put a bag in the hold, as almost all bar the scheduled airlines now charge for bags. However, it's amazing what you can cram into a 10kg piece of hand luggage, and a family of four doing so will save about £200. | Once the sole preserve of Ryanair, now it's getting harder and harder to avoid paying to put a bag in the hold, as almost all bar the scheduled airlines now charge for bags. However, it's amazing what you can cram into a 10kg piece of hand luggage, and a family of four doing so will save about £200. |
| If you've got to take a suitcase, make sure you pre-book it in. Ryanair charges £25-£30 for a 15kg pre-booked bag in high season; if you don't pre-book, you'll pay £100-£140 per bag depending on the weight and season. Monarch charges £9.99-£22.99 each way, depending on the route; or £25 at the airport. | If you've got to take a suitcase, make sure you pre-book it in. Ryanair charges £25-£30 for a 15kg pre-booked bag in high season; if you don't pre-book, you'll pay £100-£140 per bag depending on the weight and season. Monarch charges £9.99-£22.99 each way, depending on the route; or £25 at the airport. |
| • This article was amended on 15 July 2013. An earlier version said O2 Travel should be cancelled at the end of a trip. O2 has advised us that it is better not to cancel, which could result in extra charges. |