Package holidays: Your ultimate guide to a stress-free getaway

Package holidays are a great stress-free way to get away from it all and spend some well-earned time in the sun.

The package holiday industry is booming with companies including TUI and Thomas Cook offering packages to hundreds of destinations around the world. But what exactly should you expect from a package holiday? We’ve pulled together this ultimate guide to package holidays to answer all your questions.

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What is a package holiday?

A package holiday is a holiday bundle that usually includes return flights, hotel accommodation and often your food and drinks all for one price. Package holidays are usually booked through a travel company or with a travel agent and are designed to make travelling as stress free as possible.

By taking all the difficulty out of browsing for the best hotel deal, tracking changing flight prices and budgeting for food and drinks while abroad, you can sit back and relax on your holiday knowing everything is taken care of.

What is included in a package holiday?

Are all package holidays all inclusive?

Not necessarily. A standard package holiday will probably only include return flights and hotel accommodation. An all-inclusive package holiday will also include all your food (three meals a day) and drinks for the duration of your holiday. When browsing for your holiday, you can usually refine your search by board type depending on what you are looking for.

Half-board vs. full-board

Half-board and full-board describe the amount of food and drink that comes included in your package price. Half-board generally includes breakfast and sometimes extras such as tea, coffee and snacks. Full-board usually includes three meals a day at on-site restaurants and buffets, drinks (although not always alcoholic) and often snacks as well.

Where can I book a package holiday?

TUI Package Holidays

TUI

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Love Holidays Package Holidays

Love Holidays

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How much do package holidays cost?

This will depend on the type of package you want to book. Package holidays range from 5-star all-inclusive resorts in tropical destinations to 3-star self-catered packages in European destinations and prices vary accordingly. A week in a 5-star all-inclusive resort could set you back around £1,500 per person for a week in peak season. A week in a 3-star self-catered hotel could set you back approximately £600 per person.

Top package holiday destinations

Gran Canaria

TUI

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Frequently asked questions

• Can I book a package holiday just for the flight?

  Technically, you could, but booking a hotel and flight package and not using the hotel would almost definitely not be the cheapest thing to do! You can book flight-only packages from most package holiday companies, so we recommend you do this.

• Can I cancel a package holiday?

  Yes. Although the amount of money you get back will depend on the package you booked, the company you booked with and the amount of time before you were due to leave. Finder highly recommends buying travel insurance before you book anything, so if you do need to cancel your trip for any reason, you have extra protection. You can get a travel insurance quote using Finder’s insurance quote generator here.

• Can I extend a package holiday?

  Again, this depends on the package you have booked. Some companies will allow an extension, but you will need to pay for a new flight as well as your hotel’s going nightly rate for the number of days you want to extend by.

• When are package holidays cheapest?

  You can take a package holiday year round, so there’s not really a best time to book. If you can book several months in advance, you are more likely to get a good deal. It’s also worth considering booking during popular sales such as Boxing Day sales or using travel discount codes or vouchers.

• Can I book a package holiday when I'm 17 years old?

  Unfortunately no, you must be 18 years of age or older to book a package holiday.

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