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Planning your holiday

What should you consider when planning your holiday?

It’s important to know your consumer rights before you travel. As you plan your holiday, there are a few key things to keep in mind to help your trip go smoothly.

Read the terms and conditions when booking flights, accommodation, car hire or excursions. If you book through a third party service, you should also familiarise yourself with their terms and conditions.

Consider getting travel insurance, and shop around for the best deal. You do not have to buy an insurance package offered to you by a flight, car hire or accommodation company.

What are your rights when you book a hotel or other travel accommodation?

You have consumer rights when you book a hotel or travel accommodation. Accommodation is a service and your rights when buying services apply. You can find out more on our buying services page. More detailed information on travel accommodation and consumer rights can be found on our accommodation page. 

When you book and pay for accommodation, the business must ensure that the accommodation provided matches what you agreed verbally or in writing with them. It should also match any advertisement about the service when booking. This could be on a hotel website or booking platform. 

You can check the terms and conditions of the service to see what was agreed. These are set by the business and both you and the business may be bound by them.   

The business must also supply the service with reasonable care during your stay. 

If this is not the case, and there is an issue with the accommodation, the business must resolve it for you. If they can’t resolve the issue, you can look for a reduction in the price of the accommodation or seek to cancel the accommodation booking for a refund depending on the circumstances. 

What should you know about booking flights and ferries?

If you book your flights or ferry separately, it’s important to check the terms and conditions before you pay. If you have a problem with your booking, such as a delay, cancellation or lost luggage, you have rights. Learn more about your rights if something goes wrong with your flights or ferry.

What are your rights when booking a package holiday?

If you book a package holiday, your travel agent or tour operator is responsible for making sure your holiday goes to plan. They must give you specific information about your holiday before you travel. If something goes wrong, it is their responsibility to sort it out.

Why is travel insurance important?

You should consider taking out travel insurance before you go on holidays. Travel insurance can cover you for things like:

  • Delayed or missed flights
  • Lost luggage
  • A stolen or lost passport or money
  • Injury or illness on holiday

Take out travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday so you are covered if something happens and you’re unable to travel. You can shop around to find the best value travel insurance to suit your needs. If the organiser offers to sell you travel insurance, you do not have to buy it from them. They may require you to have travel insurance, but you are free to purchase it elsewhere and may find a better price by shopping around.

Should you take copies of important documents on holidays with you?

Yes, as well as bringing the originals of important documents it’s a good idea to take photos and/or bring a photocopy with you when you are travelling. You should also send any photos or leave any copies at home with someone you trust. Important travel documents include:

  • Passport
  • Driver’s licence
  • Bank and credit cards
  • Travel insurance policy

Do you need to tell your bank and mobile operator before you travel?

Before you go on holiday, let your bank know so they don’t freeze your cards while you are away. If they see unusual transactions, they may think it is fraud and put a freeze on your account. You can use your debit and credit cards abroad, but be aware of any extra charges. The CCPC also offer advice on accessing your money abroad.

Check with your mobile phone provider to make sure roaming is set up for the country you are travelling to if you plan to use your phone while you’re away. eSIMs are great for travel because they offer instant, affordable, and flexible connectivity without needing physical SIMs, letting you buy data plans online before you land, avoiding expensive roaming.

How should you manage foreign currency when travelling?

If you are travelling outside the eurozone, you may want to buy some local currency before you go. You will usually pay a commission for buying foreign currency. Commission and exchange rates can vary between banks, post offices and bureau de change outlets, so it’s worth shopping around. Another option is to buy a prepaid foreign exchange card. This works like a debit card, but you preload the local currency before you travel. The benefits include having the protections offered by a debit card and being able to choose when to lodge money to the card to get the best exchange rate.

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