Guide
Saving at Hays Travel
How UK Shoppers Cut Costs at Hays Travel
Hays Travel sells a wide range of travel products for UK customers, including package holidays, all-inclusive breaks, city breaks, cruises, tailor-made trips, last-minute holidays and family escapes. It also offers travel extras such as travel insurance, airport hotels, parking, lounges, travel money, prepaid currency cards and Hays Travel gift cards. This means the total cost of a trip can include several separate choices, from the main holiday to spending money and airport arrangements.
This guide explains how to compare the full booking cost, identify relevant Hays Travel UK deals and check any available saving before payment. The focus is on practical steps: choosing flexible dates, reviewing included extras, understanding deposits and payment deadlines, and checking the final booking summary rather than relying on a headline price alone.
Start with the right type of holiday
The cheapest-looking option is not always the lowest-cost trip overall. Begin by deciding whether a package holiday, city break, cruise or accommodation-only booking best matches your plans. A package may combine key travel arrangements, while an accommodation-only option could require you to arrange flights, transfers and luggage separately.
Use the filters on the Hays Travel website to compare destinations, departure airports, dates, board basis and holiday style. If you can travel outside school holidays or avoid popular departure days, search several date combinations. Even a one-day change may alter the total price, so compare the complete booking rather than focusing on the cost per person shown at the start.
Compare the total price, not just the headline
Before selecting a holiday, check what is included in the displayed price. Look for flight arrangements, baggage, transfers, meals, local taxes and the room type. Some properties may show local taxes separately, while other arrangements may include them in the quoted total. The booking summary should show the charges that apply to your chosen dates and passengers.
- Check the departure airport: a cheaper flight from a distant airport may cost more once rail fares, parking or fuel are included.
- Review board basis: compare room-only, bed-and-breakfast, half-board and all-inclusive options against your likely food and drink spending.
- Check passenger details: children’s ages, room occupancy and the number of bags can affect the final price.
- Compare dates: search nearby departure and return dates before committing to one itinerary.
Use official offers carefully
Hays Travel’s official offers pages feature different holiday categories, including family holidays, beach breaks, city breaks, all-inclusive trips and late deals. Selected bookings may also show features such as low deposits, flexible monthly payments, no-deposit events or free child places. Availability depends on the holiday, destination, dates and supplier, so read the individual terms before treating an advertised feature as part of your booking.
Some offers are limited to selected holidays or particular travel periods. If you find a suitable deal, record the exact holiday details and compare the final total with similar dates and properties. This helps you distinguish a genuine saving from a lower starting price caused by different room arrangements, board basis or departure airport.
Plan deposits and payments
Hays Travel states that customers must pay either a deposit or the full amount when booking, depending on the arrangement. Where a deposit is used, the remaining balance must be paid by the date shown on the booking confirmation. Missing the balance deadline can put the booking at risk and may lead to supplier cancellation charges.
Selected bookings may offer monthly payment options or direct debit arrangements. These can make budgeting easier, but spreading the cost does not necessarily reduce the overall price. Check the payment schedule, deposit requirement and balance date before booking, then set a reminder well in advance of the deadline.
Check extras separately
Travel extras can improve convenience but may also increase the amount you pay. Hays Travel offers options such as travel insurance, airport hotels, parking, fast-track security and airport lounges. Add only the services you need, and compare the cost of including them during booking with arranging them separately where appropriate.
For travel money, consider how much cash you are likely to use and whether a prepaid currency card suits your trip. Hays Travel says travel money can be bought online, in branch or delivered to your home. Check the applicable rate, fees and delivery terms before ordering, as these can affect the value of a small purchase.
Before you pay
Do not assume that Hays Travel voucher codes can be applied to every holiday or travel product. The official booking journey should show whether a promotional-code field is available for your selected arrangement. If a code box appears, enter the code exactly as provided and confirm that the total changes before paying. If no code field is shown, check the offer terms, booking summary or contact a Hays Travel adviser before completing the purchase instead.
Never rely on a saving until it is visible in the final price. Check the passenger names, dates, airport, room type, baggage, transfers, insurance and payment deadline. Hays Travel’s booking conditions state that discounts applied to a booking may be adjusted if the booking is amended and may no longer apply if the booking is cancelled, so read the relevant supplier and booking terms before confirming.
Quick checklist
- Search flexible dates and more than one UK departure airport.
- Compare package, accommodation-only and alternative board-basis options.
- Check whether baggage, transfers, meals and local taxes are included.
- Review selected-offer conditions, including travel dates and availability.
- Confirm the deposit, balance deadline and any payment-plan terms.
- Add insurance, parking, lounges or travel money only when useful.
- Look for a promotional-code field and verify any saving in the final total.
- Check every name, date, timing and travel document detail before paying.
For a final check before booking, review the latest listings on the Hays Travel discount codes page, then confirm any offer against the terms and final checkout total shown for your specific trip.
