Last-minute holidays

Not so long ago, if you fancied taking a last-minute break, the only option was to switch on the TV and check out the latest deals on Teletext, the cheapest place to book a bargain break.

This meant scrolling through pages of package deals to odd and uninteresting places to find a deal worth having. It sounded simple, but scroll on a few pages to see what else was available, and it was nigh-on impossible to flick back to the one you wanted, presuming it was still available.

Now all the deals you could want are there at the click of a mouse, and quite a few companies are prepared to beat the Teletext price benchmark.

There are thousands of holiday sites online, so how do you get the holiday you want without spending the whole day trawling through countless online offerings?

There are a few things to consider before heading off on your virtual travels. Think about travelling when others can’t – for instance, head to a family resort such as Orlando in Florida before the school holidays in July and August.

There are also usually some good deals to be had for popular places where travel companies have overbooked accommodation and flights. Be slightly flexible about departure dates and you could be on to a winner. Many package deals rely on chartered flights, which may only head out on certain days of the week, so insisting on a flight to Egypt on a Sunday, when all the flights leave on Sundays and Thursdays is likely to be a non-starter.

Most of the travel companies, such as Thomas Cook and First Choice, have a page specifically for their late deals and cancellations, so this could be a good place to start.

If you’re not fussy about who provides the holiday, the best sites to visit are comparison sites such as www.latedeals.com, www.bargainh olidays.co.uk and On The Beach, which trawl all the holiday companies, finding the best deals on the right dates. While Teletext on the TV has made the move to digital, the service’s website at www.teletext.co.uk is definitely worth visiting. With links direct to the holiday companies’ websites, it’s easy to check out resorts and accommodation.