Are Vacation Packages Cheaper than Airfares?

Are Vacation Packages Cheaper than Airfares?

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Looking to fly from Europe/US to Mexico? You might be better off booking yourself on a vacation package!

When we were searching for 1-way tickets to fly back to Europe from Central America, the cheapest airfare we found on edreams from Mexico to Spain was 800euros (US$1,000), while an all-inclusive vacation package on Muchoviaje kicked us back at only 560euros (US$800).

While shoestring backpackers (including me) are cringing at the idea of sharing their peace with a bunch of rowdy holidaymakers, this option really might just be the best way to save you from burning a big hole in your pocket. Besides, it’s always up to you to make your own trip adventurous and exciting!

Here are some online vacation package websites offering excellent deals:

CheapHolidays.com

A one-stop site to search for the best vacation packages from all UK destinations. CheapHolidays allow you to search among the various tour operators – Thomson Holidays, Teletext Holidays, Thomas Cook Holidays, Virgin Holidays. Choose from all-inclusive holidays to Portugal (Algarve Holidays), Egypt (Sharm El Sheikh Holidays) or Spain (Benidorm Holidays), a simple click and you will be quoted the full price (inc. taxes etc.)

An all-inclusive holiday package includes flights, hotels, all food and drinks (think alcohol). So in other words, you are saving tons of money on expenses. Cheap car hire and transfers can be booked along with the package. Information on the specific destinations they cater to are also available on the website, as well as the weather conditions there.

To glance through the cheapest deals for a specific destination, you can easily click on the ‘Destinations’ tab, find the holiday spot you want, and all the best deals will be displayed on one single page.

Lastminute.com

One of the most popular sites for vacation packages, you can grab real deals by pouncing on any last-minute deals. A word of advice – don’t wait or hesitate ‘cos the offers get snatched up fast! The fastest and easiest way to find out the best deals are on the Last-Second Deals page. Cheap all-inclusive vacation packages are also available.

In addition to the usual add-ons, Lastminute also offers theater tickets, spa packages and festival/theme park entrances.

SmarterTravel.com

Based in the US, this all-rounded holiday operator offers cheap vacation packages around the world – around the Caribbean, Europe and USA. Cruise vacation packages are also available. The best feature of this online operator is its ability to compare prices among the various travel operators like Priceline, CheapOair and Expedia.

As a travel writer, I personally like the travel advice column, as well as the travel guides that sheds some light to the destination you’re visiting.

Other excellent worldwide vacation package operators worth checking out are:

Kayak – one of the most comprehensive website to book worldwide airfare/vacation package
itravel2000 – an advanced vacation search engine based in Canada
Muchoviaje – cheapest Caribbean deals from Spain
Zuji – best operator to book trips in Asia
I want that flight! – compares various budget airlines based in Australia

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September 26, 2009 · Recommendations, Travel News, Travel Tips

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7 Responses to “Are Vacation Packages Cheaper than Airfares?”

Jen Laceda on September 26th, 2009 1:50 pm

Nellie, I agree with you. Sometimes, it's also cheaper to book those build-your-own package (hotel + flight) with companies like Expedia.
Lucy Brown on September 26th, 2009 4:19 pm

Thanks Nell, I'll look into this when I leave Guatemala and also for my trip to Mongolia!
Toby on October 7th, 2009 6:50 pm

Yeah, it is pretty amazing how cheap travel packages are. I guess it is because they do bulk/consolidation. Definitely a great way to save money if you are willing to sacrifice just a bit of freedom.
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Lifecruiser Travel Blog on March 5th, 2010 6:30 pm

Great tips! The only one we’ve used earlier is Kayak, even though I knew of most of them before. Some are new for us though, so always great to know!

Vacation packages really can be so cheap sometimes! It’s so true like you’ve said: it’s up to ourselves to make the trip exciting! We often rent a car if we end up in boring places, making up for it that way.
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