Why your holiday costs more than you think

Our research reveals that the UK’s holidaymakers have burned £2.4bn over the summer on extra costs

Minicabit’s users save loads on airport transfers, which are some of the most popular journeys taken via our service. This got us thinking, what are the other costs of holidays that the public don’t usually factor in?

So, we decided to ask. We surveyed 2,000 members of the public to find out what popular extras we buy, and how much we pay for them.

Once you’ve booked your hotel, flights and currency you may think you’re all set. But in reality, there are always additional costs to consider.

Why your holiday costs more than you think infographic by Minicabit

The hidden extras

According to the Asda Money Report, the average UK spend per holiday clocks in at just over £1,300. The majority is spent on accommodation and transport, with the rest on spending money.

However, our survey, which was run by YouGov in conjunction with Minicabit, shows this total quickly increases once you factor in the mean spend on the most popular holiday extras:

  • Mobile/smartphone roaming: £5.42
  • Extra baggage costs: £5.54
  • Last minute airport purchases: £19.77
  • Airport transfers: £21.22
  • Car hire: £35.94
  • Holiday insurance: £40.20
  • That’s a potential additional cost of £128.14 on average

This bumps the total average UK holiday spend to £1,428.14, an increase of almost 10%. While that may not sound like much, it could be the equivalent of an extra meal out or invested into that essential ice-cream and beer budget.

Perhaps even more shocking is the fact that 1/3 of those questioned simply didn’t know how much they spend on holiday extras. This highlights the savings potential of pre-planning your travel arrangements.

So, who spends the most?

Delving into your answers, one of the most interesting conclusions is that how much extra you’ll spend depends on how old you are.

18-24-year olds spend the most overall, which as anyone who’s ever been on a ‘lads’ holiday can attest, could be put down to a lack of planning (something we can help with!) This is further underlined by their high spending on excess baggage and last minute airport purchases (such as drinks & forgotten toothbrushes).

Young travellers also rack up the most on mobile/smartphone roaming, indicative of social media use (hot-dog legs anyone?), and higher insurance costs are in line with the often lively nature of holidays in this age group.

25-34-year-olds spend the least overall, making considerable savings around car hire and holiday insurance.

The 35 to 55+ bracket highlights noticeable decreases across the board, particularly around mobile/smartphone roaming and airport transfers. However as you might expect, the older you get, the higher cost of holiday insurance. Despite the fact that older travellers are wiser and more experienced, insurers believe they are more likely to fall ill or are more prone to certain accidents, and often have to stay in hospital longer.

Does where you live make a difference?

It may come as no surprise that, like with most things, Londoners spend the most on extras across the board, dishing out a mean cost of £177.62.

They spend considerably more on mobile/smartphone roaming, which is potentially down to workaholics who struggle to unplug while away from home. But costs across the board rise for Londoners, with 19% spending over £300 on extras, and 8% managing to spend over £500.

The second-biggest splugers? The Welsh, who have the highest mean spend on excess baggage and 12% of those surveyed spend over £100 on airport transfers.

Those in the North spend the least on extras, with an average of £112.66 overall, 36% less than their capital-dwelling compatriots. Only 5% of Notherners and 9% of Scots and those in the East spend over £300 extra on their trips.

In summary

With holiday season nearing an end, it’s clear that many of us have forked out on extras that we likely didn’t account for when planning our journey.

Holiday insurance, car hire, transfers and stocking up on duty-free or things we’ve forgotten to pack are all regular budget-blowers. So, be sure to factor these in when budgeting for your next trip, and pack carefully!