As the dark, chilly days of January settle in, many Brits are turning their thoughts to sunnier times and considering booking their summer escape. With numerous travel sales bombarding consumers, it feels like the perfect moment to secure a deal. However, new analysis from consumer champion Which? suggests that rushing to book this month could be a costly mistake for your wallet.
The January Booking Trap: Data Reveals Higher Prices
Travel expert Guy Hobbs from Which? has delivered a stark warning to holidaymakers eager to snap up "early bird" offers. The organisation tracked over 43,510 prices for seven-night package holidays from major providers like Jet2holidays and easyJet holidays. The data, collected from October 2024 to July 2025 for travel in August 2025, revealed a surprising trend.
On average, travellers paid £112 more per person by booking in January compared to leaving it until just one month before departure. For a typical family of four, that potential overspend adds up to a staggering nearly £450 of holiday money wasted.
"We can’t be sure that 2026 prices will follow the same pattern," Guy Hobbs cautioned, "but it’s enough to make me sceptical of the so-called early bird discounts." This marks a significant shift from post-pandemic advice, where demand drove prices steadily upward from January onwards.
When to Book: The Cheapest Months Revealed by Destination
So, if not January, when is the optimal time to book a summer package holiday? The research pinpointed the cheapest booking months for popular European destinations for travel in August.
For many key spots, July was the cheapest month to book a holiday for August travel. After July, the ideal booking window varied by country:
- April was best for Bulgaria and the Balearic Islands.
- May offered the lowest prices for Morocco, the Canary Islands, Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, and Italy (though January was also competitive for Italy).
- June proved the prime booking month for France, Turkey, and Portugal.
Guy Hobbs explained the change in pattern: "After the pandemic, there was such demand for summer sun that prices started high and, aside from a dip during the January sales, went up and up as we got closer to summer. But in 2025 it all changed."
Navigating the 2026 Holiday Market: Flexibility is Key
The driving force behind this shift appears to be financial caution among consumers. With ongoing economic pressures, many are delaying their holiday commitments. Companies like Jet2 reported bookings were made much closer to departure in 2025, a trend that likely forced providers to offer last-minute discounts to fill capacity.
Unfortunately, predicting the perfect booking moment for 2026 remains uncertain. "Prices go up and down according to demand," Hobbs noted, "but the same economic pressures that caused people to delay booking until later in the year still apply."
This creates a dilemma for travellers. If you can be flexible with your dates and are open to various destinations, holding out for potential July bargains might pay off—though it is a gamble. For those with fixed requirements, Hobbs suggests a middle ground: "The data from last year shows a booking window between April and June, where prices were lower, on average, than in January, but availability remained high. That’s when I’ll be scouring the offers."
The key takeaway for UK holidaymakers planning their 2026 summer break is to resist the January sales panic. By understanding the new pricing trends and assessing your own flexibility, you can make a more informed decision and potentially save hundreds of pounds for your family.
