What’s the true cost of a “cheap” holiday?: Extras that can add hundreds to your booking

You spot a seven night holiday, the hotel looks inviting, the destination looks sunny and the price feels almost too good to miss.

But is the headline price what you’ll actually pay? Once you add luggage, seats, transfers, local charges and other essentials, your bargain break can cost twice the advertised price. That doesn’t necessarily make it a bad deal, but you need to know the real total before you book.

Here are seven costs to check, the protection you could receive by booking a package and the steps you can take if your holiday doesn’t match what you were promised.

How a cheap holiday can quickly double in price

Imagine your seven night holiday advertised at £399 per person, when you add on the extras your final cost might look more like this:

These figures are just one example. Your real costs will depend on your destination, airline, airport, hotel and travel dates. But the calculation shows why you should never compare holidays using the headline price alone.

1. Luggage

Your “bargain” may include only a small bag that fits under the seat in front of you. If you want a larger cabin bag or a checked suitcase, you could pay substantially more. You may also pay separately for each leg of your journey, so make sure the luggage price covers both your outbound and return flights.

Before you book, check:

• The size and weight of the bag included
• Whether you can take a cabin case
• How much checked luggage costs in both directions
• Whether everyone in your booking needs their own suitcase
• What you’ll pay if your bag exceeds the limit

You can sometimes save by sharing checked luggage, but don’t assume two people can combine their separate allowances into one heavier suitcase. Always check the specific airline’s rules first. You should also compare the cost of adding a bag when you book with the price you’ll pay if you’re caught out with excess weight at the check-in desk. Luggage usually becomes much more expensive at the airport.

2. Reserved seats

If you don’t pay to reserve seats, the airline may assign them automatically. That can work perfectly well when you travel alone, but it may be less appealing when you want to sit with your partner, children or friends. Seat selection charges often apply for each journey and may vary according to where you sit. Extra-legroom seats will usually cost more.

Ask yourself whether you genuinely need to choose your seat. If you do, add the cost to your comparison before you decide which holiday offers the best value. If you’re travelling with children, check the airline’s seating policy rather than assuming you must pay for every seat. The policy should explain how the airline seats children with an accompanying adult.

3. Airport transfers

What’s listed as a flight and hotel deal may not include transport between the airport and your accommodation. A hotel that appears close to the airport on a map could still require an expensive taxi, lengthy bus journey or private transfer. A late arrival can make your available options even more limited.

Before you book, find out:

• How far your accommodation is from the airport
• Whether transfers are included
• How long a shared coach transfer normally takes
• Whether you’ll have access to public transport when you arrive
• How much a taxi or private transfer will cost
• If you’re travelling with children, whether you’ll need child seats or accessible transport

A more expensive package with transfers included could cost you less overall than a cheaper deal that leaves you to arrange everything yourself.

4. Resort and accommodation fees

Your hotel may charge a compulsory resort, facility or service fee when you arrive.The hotel might say the charge covers Wi-Fi, the swimming pool, gym access, towels or other facilities, even if you don’t use them. If you stay for several nights, a daily fee can quickly become a significant extra cost.

Look carefully at the booking page and confirmation. Search for phrases such as “payable locally,” “mandatory charge,” “facility fee” and “excluded from the total.” If the booking company presents a compulsory fee only after you’ve committed to the purchase, you can challenge it. You should receive clear information about unavoidable charges before you book. Keep screenshots of the price, accommodation description and included facilities. You may need them if the hotel later asks you to pay a charge you weren’t told about.

5. Local tourist taxes

Many destinations charge visitors a local tourist, or city tax. You’ll often pay it directly to your hotel upon arrival rather than through the travel company.

The amount varies depending on:

• The destination
• Your hotel’s rating
• The number of nights you stay
• The season

A small nightly charge may not look significant, but it can add up over a week, especially when you travel as a family.

Check whether your quoted price includes the tax and whether you’ll need to pay in cash. If the charge is legitimate and was clearly disclosed, you’ll usually need to pay it and it’s your responsibility to check before travelling.

6. Travel insurance

You might treat travel insurance as an optional extra, but travelling without suitable cover could turn a small saving into a large unexpected bill should anything happen.

Buy your insurance as soon as you book. That way, you may receive cancellation protection before you travel, subject to your policy’s terms and exclusions.

Don’t choose a policy using price alone. Check that it covers:

• Your destination
• Your medical conditions
• Cancellation and cutting your trip short
• Emergency medical treatment
• Your luggage and valuables
• Your planned activities
• Airline or travel-provider failure, where available
• The full value of your booking

You should also check the excess. A very cheap policy may offer little practical value if the excess is close to the amount you’re likely to claim.

7. Getting to the airport

Your holiday spending often starts before you reach the departure gate. Airport parking, trains, coaches, taxis, fuel, tolls and overnight hotels all add up. An early departure from a distant airport may require a hotel stay, while a cheaper flight from another part of the country can cost more once you include transport. Compare the door-to-door cost, not just the flight price. A slightly more expensive departure from your nearest airport may save you money, time and stress.

Is your booking a package holiday?

You’ll usually have stronger protection when you book a package than when you arrange each part of your trip separately. Your trip may count as a package if you buy at least two different types of travel service, such as your flight and hotel, together for the same trip under a single contract or as part of an inclusive booking process.

When you book a package, the organiser generally takes responsibility for providing the holiday described. You shouldn’t have to chase the airline, hotel and transfer company separately when the organiser has failed to deliver part of the package.

If your package is ATOL-protected, you should receive an ATOL Certificate. Check the details as soon as you receive it and keep a copy somewhere you can access while travelling. ATOL protection mainly helps protect your money and repatriation arrangements if the travel business fails; it doesn’t guarantee that every complaint about your holiday will succeed.

You should read your booking documents carefully rather than relying on a logo or assumption. Check who your contract is with, what the package includes and which financial protection applies.

What can you do when something is not as it should be?

If your transfer doesn’t arrive, your room bears little resemblance to its description or the hotel has closed an advertised facility, you’re better to act while you’re still away. Start by reporting the problem to the travel company’s representative, emergency contact or organiser. Give the company a reasonable opportunity to put things right, depending on the problem, you could ask for a replacement transfer, another room, an alternative hotel or another suitable remedy.

Collect evidence as you go:

• Take photographs and videos
• Save the original advert and booking description
• Keep emails, messages and confirmation documents
• Write down the times and dates of conversations
• Record the names of the people you speak to
• Keep receipts for reasonable replacement costs
• Ask for any incident reports in writing

Don’t wait until you get home if the company could solve the problem during your holiday. If you stay silent, the organiser may later argue that it didn’t have an opportunity to help you and a resolution could mean that you can still enjoy the remainder of your holiday.

If you have to arrange a replacement yourself, keep your spending reasonable. For example, don’t book a luxury private transfer when an ordinary taxi would have solved the problem safely, any insurance cover may question this.

How should you complain when you return?

Write to the package organiser as soon as possible. Set out what you booked, what went wrong, when you reported it and how the failure affected your holiday.

Say clearly what outcome you want, you might request reimbursement for a missing service, repayment of reasonable expenses, a price reduction or compensation for a significant loss of enjoyment.

Include copies of your evidence, but keep the originals. Give the company a reasonable deadline to reply and keep all correspondence together. If the company rejects your complaint or fails to resolve it, check whether you can use an alternative dispute resolution scheme. You may also have protection through your card provider, insurer or booking platform, depending on how you paid and what went wrong.

Look past the headline price

A cheap holiday can still offer excellent value. You just need to compare it with other holidays using the amount you’ll actually pay.

Before you press “book,” make a list of every unavoidable cost. Add the luggage you need, the transfers you’ll use and the charges you’ll pay at your destination. Then check the cancellation terms, financial protection and exactly what the organiser has promised.

The cheapest headline price isn’t always the cheapest holiday. When you calculate the real total before you commit, you can spend better, avoid nasty surprises and give yourself stronger grounds to complain if your bargain doesn’t live up to the booking.

If your holiday company has let you down, use Resolver to raise your complaint for free and keep track of your case from start to finish. You can also sign up for the Resolver newsletter to keep up to date with your consumer rights, practical money-saving advice and the latest issues affecting you.