The Best Websites For Long-Haul Holiday Deals

Finding a great long-haul holiday deal isn’t simply about finding the cheapest price.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Thailand, Mexico, Dubai, Bali, the USA or the Caribbean, it’s worth checking a few different websites before booking. Prices, flight options, hotels and what’s included can vary considerably between providers.

There isn’t one website that’s always cheapest, so these are some of the platforms I recommend checking when searching for a long-haul holiday.

Expedia

Expedia is a useful all-round option for long-haul travel, allowing you to search flights, hotels and holiday options across destinations worldwide.

It’s particularly useful when you want to compare different hotels or see how flight and accommodation options work together.

Best for: Worldwide hotels, flights and flexible holiday planning.

On the Beach

On the Beach is worth checking when you’re looking for a long-haul beach or sunshine holiday and would prefer to arrange your flights and accommodation together.

When comparing deals, look beyond the headline price and check the flight times, baggage, hotel and what’s included.

Best for: Beach holidays, sunshine destinations and flight-and-hotel packages.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is one of my favourite tools when flights are a major part of the decision.

You can compare airlines, routes, dates and departure airports, which is particularly useful for long-haul travel where flight prices can vary significantly.

If you’re flexible about the destination, the Everywhere search can also help you discover where you could travel within your budget.

Best for: Comparing long-haul flights and flexible travel dates.

Trip.com

Trip.com is particularly useful for international travel and destinations across Asia.

You can search flights and hotels alongside other travel services, making it handy for longer or multi-destination trips.

Best for: Asia, international flights, hotels and multi-stop holidays.

lastminute.com

Despite the name, lastminute.com isn’t only for holidays booked at short notice.

It’s another useful place to compare flights, hotels and holiday combinations, particularly if you’re flexible about your destination or travel dates.

Best for: Flight-and-hotel deals, spontaneous trips and flexible travellers.

Icelolly

Icelolly allows you to explore holiday deals from different travel companies, making it useful when you know your approximate budget but haven’t decided on a particular hotel or destination.

It’s a good place to browse when you’re looking for inspiration as well as price.

Best for: Comparing holiday deals, beach escapes and budget-led searches.

HolidayPirates

HolidayPirates is another useful option when you’re flexible and looking for travel inspiration.

It highlights deals across flights, accommodation and holidays, which can sometimes introduce you to destinations you hadn’t originally considered.

Best for: Travel deals, inspiration and flexible destinations.

Before You Book

Once you’ve found a long-haul deal you like, take a few minutes to check exactly what you’re getting.

Compare:

• Final price
• Flight times and connections
• Checked baggage
• Hotel and room type
• Meal plan
• Airport transfers
• Cancellation conditions

A holiday that appears cheaper at first can quickly become more expensive once you add baggage, transfers or other extras.

It’s also worth comparing the package price with the cost of arranging the flight and hotel separately. You don’t need to spend hours doing it — a quick comparison can tell you whether the deal you’re considering represents good value.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t one website that’s always going to offer the best long-haul holiday deal.

Expedia, On the Beach, Skyscanner, Trip.com, lastminute.com, Icelolly and HolidayPirates all offer different ways to search for and compare long-haul travel.

Check a few options, look at what’s actually included and choose the deal that gives you the best combination of price, flights, accommodation and convenience.

The cheapest holiday isn’t always the best deal — the goal is getting the best trip for your budget.

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