Holiday Planner

So your holiday is booked, it’s time to put your holiday planner away and start getting excited! Well almost...What are you going to pack? What will the weather be like? What excursions are you going to do whilst you’re away?!? ...Your holiday may be confirmed but we all know the planning doesn't stop there.

Your to-do list is the length of your arm - you need to start your search for cheap airport parking, compare airport hotels, and get travel insurance quotes, as well as finding directions and flight information. And packing… that’s a holiday check list in itself!

Fear not...Holiday Extras are the holiday planners you have been looking for. We are experts in making your holiday hassle-free.

Holiday Planning Perfection

It doesn't matter whether you are a seasoned traveller or if you have to clean a layer of dust from your suitcase, planning a holiday requires time and attention. Yet still so many of us are guilty of setting off on our journey unprepared and disorganised. The last thing you need is to arrive at the airport without your passport or having forgotten to click ‘yes’ on that insurance quote.

Holiday Extras make planning your trip easier by allowing you to find and book all of the extras you need, we offer the best products suitable for your journey all in one place, as well as providing all the useful information required to make your holiday run smoothly from start to finish.

Let’s get started:

Airport parking: Our extensive range of airport car parks across the UK will allow you to find parking to suit your exact needs. Maybe you are in a rush and want to park as close to the airport as possible, maybe you are travelling with young children or with a lot of luggage and would prefer one of our Meet and Greet where a chauffeur will meet you at the terminal and park your car for you or maybe you are able to enjoy a leisurely journey to the airport so are happy to do Park and Ride, simply park up and hop on a transfer bus. Whatever your preference our airport parking services are easy to find and have simple procedures, all at irresistibly low prices.

Airport hotels: Booking an airport hotel is something people often consider a luxury, and whilst our hotels can provide luxurious surroundings, the convenience and the time saved by waking up close to the airport tops the list for reasons to book. An overnight stay in one of our airport hotels across the UK allows you start your holiday early and with our great deals the prices are cheaper than you may expect.

Airport lounge: Why not add on an airport lounge? You can enjoy a secluded part of the airport away from the hustle and bustle. All our lounges have free wifi so if you are travelling on business you can sit in calm, quiet surroundings and continue to work. The food and drink that’s included in the cheap price offers a delicious way to start your holiday.

Travel insurance: This is essential! Travel insurance should have a very prominent place at the the top of your holiday planner. It is however something many people only think of at the last minute, despite the fact that in the event of an accident, a missed departure or such incident it’s the first thing you need to turn to. When you can get such cheap prices with Holiday Extras, there really is no excuse not to get your holiday insurance sorted.

Let’s not forget:

Now that the important products are covered you can concentrate on the finer details. The kind of details that often get clouded by your excitement to jet off or possibly get lost in translation due to travel industry jargon. Visa this, ESTA that, immunisation this, EHIC that!? ...Sounds confusing doesn't it. Well not anymore, Holiday Extras are here to help.

Something to always remember when you are planning your holiday is to be mindful of your destination. This may seem like a very silly thing to suggest but, whereas a lot of items on your holiday planner will be generic for any destination, many countries have different rules and regulations for a range of different things, such as duty free, visa requirements and vaccinations.

Travel Visas: In its simplest form a visa is official documentation allowing you entry into a country. Visas are required for many countries; Australia, Egypt, Turkey and America to name a few.

Visas are dependant on your nationality and can be needed for different reasons, the duration of your stay, maybe the particular territory you are travelling to and whereas some visas can be gained on entry, many need to be obtained in advance, so it pays to be organised. Let’s face it - there would be nothing worse than arriving at the border of your chosen destination, excited to start your holiday and having paperwork issues!

Visit VisaHQ to do a quick and easy search to find out if a visa is required for your holiday.

Vaccinations: Vaccinations are something we’re sure a lot of people would like to forget when it comes to planning your holiday. However, if you’re off to a tropical country, we’re afraid vaccinations come part and parcel so you may need to put your brave face on.

Most of the vaccinations needed to travel to tropical places are free, such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A. There are of course exceptions, malaria tablets being the most obvious. Antimalarial medications are considered vital if you are travelling anywhere Malaria exists. The trouble is these can be expensive which means many people often choose not to bother. Here at Holiday Extras we don’t believe it’s worth the risk!

Most travel vaccinations need to done within a certain time before you travel, this allows your body to build a protection against the disease before you reach the affected area. Also some countries require certification as proof of the vaccination.

Below is an indication of the most common vaccinations/medication you might need with an idea of how far in advance it is needed.

Yellow Fever: At least 10 days before you travel

Typhoid: At least 1 month before you travel but can be done closer to your travel date if necessary. You will be covered for 3 years, after which a booster can be given to make the protection effective again.

Hepatitis A: Should be given 2 weeks before you travel but can be given up to the day before you travel if necessary. It lasts for a year but if you have the booster 6 - 12 months after the first vaccination you are covered for 20 years.

Malaria: There are different medications available all at different costs. These are the three most common:

Atovaquone plus proguanil - One tablet a day. It should be started one or two days before your trip, taken every day that you are in a risk area and for seven days after you return.

Doxycycline (also known as Vibramycin-D) - One 100mg tablet a day. You should start the tablets two days before you travel, take them each day you are in a risk area and for four weeks after you return.

Mefloquine (also known as Lariam) - One tablet weekly. It should be started three weeks before you travel, taken all the time you are in a risk area and for four weeks after you get back.

There are a lot of things to consider if you are travelling to a country where a vaccination may be required. These can include: the time of year you are travelling, the length of your stay, your age, any previous medical conditions, pregnancy plus many more. National Travel Health Network and Centre is recommended for you to check exactly what vaccinations are needed for your chosen destination along with lots of other useful information.

Added Extras - Just to make your holiday plans even easier

Currency: It's fair to say there are a lot of us who ‘run out of time’ before we’re able to get our holiday money changed into the correct currency. It’s one of those jobs that we think can wait until we arrive at the airport. And so we find ourselves joining the long queue at the airport and paying over the odds on the exchange rate.

Holiday Extras believe that your airport experience is part of your holiday, so it should be enjoyable. Our online travel money allows you to pre order your currency and have it delivered straight to your door, allowing you to tick off another of those tasks from your holiday planner and therefore leaving more time to relax at the airport.

Transport: Transfers to and from your hotel always seem to bump up the price considerably, but unfortunately they are a pretty vital part of your holiday. So finding the right transfer that’s going to suit your needs whilst still being affordable is very important. After a long flight you don’t want to have to haggle with taxi drivers for the best price.

This is the same with car hire, ideally you want to arrive at your destination knowing your car is ready and waiting for you to load up and set off, you do not want to waste time negotiating prices with numerous car hire agents at the airport.

Get it sorted before you go and you will save time and more importantly money. Our transfer finder and holiday car hire is a quick and easy way for you to find transfers to and from your resort or car hire whilst you’re away. The prices are super cheap and by having all your bookings in one place it's easy to manage and saves you the time of trawling through hundreds of different sites.

Packing: Some people find packing an enjoyable part of their holiday process, however that isn't always the case; you might be a frequent traveller, or maybe you have to pack for the entire family - it's understandable why the idea of packing can often be considered a chore. With a bit or organisation and a good list, it doesn't have to be stressful and it doesn't have to take a long time.

Of course the list of what you need to pack differs depending on your destination, a skiing holiday compared to a summer holiday, an adventure holiday compared to a business trip, the differences are huge. The core items however, still remain the same - underwear, toiletries, any medications, just to name a few. Even your passport and tickets, although very obvious items, it’s surprising what you can forget when you're excited to set off.

Our holiday checklist allows you tick off all of those absolutely vital items, as well as reminding you of the things that aren't always at the forefront of your mind. The Holiday Extras checklist guarantees that once you have shut your case and fastened your padlock you will leave behind that dreaded feeling of “have I forgotten something?!”

Flight Checker

Once you feel sure you have everything in place take a look at our live flight timetable. It’s jam packed with useful information including terminal details, directions, the weather at your destination and latest news updates. Once you've checked our flight pages you will feel confident that you've covered everything.

Follow our simple guidelines and we are positive you will set off not only stress-free but with a spring in your step, after all you’re practically a holiday planning expert.

FAQS and Comments

If you have any questions regarding your holiday then check out our FAQs and helpful discussions. We are glad to be to be able to offer guidance and help you out to make sure your holiday is hassle-free.

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