How to book a refundable August holiday abroad.

Keen to get away? Find out how to book a refundable August holiday abroad. With no risk of losing your money.

With restrictions being lifted on 6th July we are now able to book a holiday abroad which will be covered by travel insurance. But the situation may change and you may have to cancel your holiday. Here are 5 tips you need to know before booking to make sure you don’t lose your money.

Last week we booked a huge family holiday in Cyprus, you can read why and how in this how to book a holiday abroad article.

Read this article if you are trying to get a refund for a cancelled booking.

1 Why it’s ok to book a holiday now

The Foreign Office have announced that restrictions will be easing on 6th July 2020. The blanket 14 day self-isolation requirement after entry into the UK will be scrapped and the ‘essential travel only rule’ will be lifted and replaced with a traffic light system. So Countries placed in a green or amber category will not require self-isolation on return.

Look out for the updated advice from the Foreign Office. If the Country is Green or Amber this means you are allowed to travel and your travel insurance will be valid (If you have the right cover)

2 When can I book a holiday for?

The restrictions will be easing on 6th July so in theory any time after that. However this is very short notice and many Countries will not have full facilities ie hotels open. Also Airlines, with no idea of the demand, will take a few weeks to sort out their schedules.

Booking for August would be the best bet, giving everyone plenty of time to plan and organise.

3 Where can I go on holiday?

The list of Countries will be announced next week and I will update when available. Currently ‘leaks’ say France, Spain and Greece are included.

The list will also be available on the Foreign Office website though the news seems to break sooner than is official.

It looks at the moment that wearing masks will be mandatory whilst travelling, so shorter journeys will make for a more pleasant holiday.

For a week in the sun, pick a short flight and make the most of your holiday

4 How should I book without losing money if the holiday is cancelled?

Booking flights and accommodation separately is a great idea here. You can chose refundable flights and accommodation. Check out our booking separately guide before you book. This is not the same as booking a package holiday.

Booking flights The best way to book is with Air Miles if you have any. This gives total flexibility, you can cancel for a small fee 48 hours before you fly. Don’t worry though, that’s not the only option. Flight prices are much lower than usual ( this won’t last long though). Some Airlines are offering ‘book with confidence’ fares. Usually tickets are non-refundable so this is a great time to book with them. British Airways is the best offer by far. Here are the main 3 Airlines offers.

• British Airways. For bookings made until 31st August you can change dates and destination with no fee (though you have to pay the fare difference) or cancel and receive a voucher, valid for 2 years. Technically it is not a refund but you’ll have another trip to look forward to, part paid. Found a return to Malaga for £180.
• Ryanair. They are offering no-change fees for July and August bookings. You still have to pay the fare difference and new travel must be completed by 31st December 2020. You can pick return flights to Alicante for £110 return.
• EasyJet. No book with confidence offers. But there’s some great flight prices if you want to risk it. A quick search found return flights for 4 with luggage to Palma, Majorca for £500.

Remember if your flight is cancelled by the Airline or the flight time is changed by over 3 hours then you are entitled to a full refund.

Booking accomodation There are plenty of options for booking a hotel, apartment or villa with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. There are also some where you don’t need to pay up front.

• Booking.com Go to the search, put in where you want to go and you can use the filters to show only properties with free cancellation. Most properties offer this.
• Hotels.com Same, there are plenty of hotels and properties with free cancellation. Found some excellent prices for Tenerife, much lower than normal.

Can you book a refundable package holiday? Usually this would be a great option but I have not found any risk free offers.

• Hays travel Would be my go to agent as they have been one of the few companies who have processed cancellation refunds well. They have a guarantee which allows free cancellation for some new bookings 6 weeks before departure. Not much use for August, however for future travel this is worth looking into.
• TUI Nothing offered and given the appalling response to COVID cancellations, they need a wide berth.
• Loveholidays They have this offer – book now with the complete peace of mind that even if you need to change your plans later, many of our holidays come with free Flight + Hotel amendments*. Simply look out for the label when selecting your flight and room option. However I found very few with this label and looking into the T&Cs it is also dependant on Airlines. Avoid this one. Loveholidays have been horrendous dealing with refunds, many are still waiting.

5 Be prepared

Book on a credit card, make sure your travel insurance covers you properly and plan, plan, plan. Book all your Airport parking, activities and excursions with free cancellation and order your currency in advance to get the best rates.

Have a look around our site, we have plenty of ideas to help you Spend Smarter and Travel Smarter including:

• Flight delays and cancellations need to knows
• How to get at least 5% cashback On most of your spending
• Weekend away without going anywhere Daft and fun, give it a try
• Turn £1 into £100s Start with a free share and get yourself free shares
• Compare cashback with CashbackAngel Compares Cashback rates and Airmiles
• Self catering packing guide Get organise and save money
• How much holiday spending money do you really need? You’ll be suprised
• How to have the happiest holiday. Mind tricks to boost your holiday happiness

Let me know what you are doing with your Holiday. Will you book a Summer holiday abroad? Where are you going?

Now you are here…

You’ll find lots of information on ways to Spend Smarter and Travel Smarter, from making the most of freebies from loyalty cards to essential travel guidance and moneysaving information. And some fun and #SmallJoy to like The perfect weekend break, without going anywhere? Silly, fun, cheap and AWESOME.

Now you can Visit Cyprus Smarter. Helping you plan a memorable trip, making the most of your time (and money). Enjoy the fabulous Island with confidence using our insider tips and reviews.

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