Sunshine Saturday - see how you can save extra on your summer holiday

January is one of the busiest months for summer holiday bookings in the UK and it’s no surprise. Christmas is over, and all we have to look forward to is gloomy weather for the foreseeable future. For many, tackling the inevitable January Blues involves putting down a deposit on a package holiday somewhere hot and sunny. In fact, Sunshine Saturday, the first Saturday after the festive period is considered the busiest time for holiday bookings.

Abta’s recent holiday report suggests that 84% of people in the UK went on holiday last year. Around 53% of holidaymakers went abroad, while 65% opted for holidays in the UK. Many households took multiple holidays choosing a mix between staycations and trips further afield. This year, experts forecast that bookings will be up 5% compared to January last year.

So, if you’re thinking of booking a holiday right about now, you’re in good company. But is January the best time to nab a cheap deal?

Should you book your summer holiday in January?

Lots of holiday operators offer discounted deals and early bird offers in January. You only have to search “summer holiday offers” to be inundated with offers from popular providers. It makes sense, people are looking to buy in droves so it’s a clever way to attract more customers.

And in fact, research by consumer group Which? suggests that booking as early as possible was the best way to save on your holiday post-pandemic...up until last year.

In 2025, booking in January would have cost you £112 more per person on average for a European holiday than if you’d booked the month before you went away.

For most holiday destinations, booking from April onwards would have yielded more savings. In fact, the only destination where January worked out cheapest to book a holiday was Italy.

That said, 2025 is just one data point. We don’t know if we’re going to see the same pattern this year. And waiting until the last minute does risk missing out on your dream holiday, particularly if you’re set on a specific destination.

So, if you’re set on booking your summer getaway this month, make sure you’re getting the best deal possible by shopping around, looking for early bird deals, and making use of PlusSave if you’re a thinkmoney customer. See how below.

PlusSave deals you can use right now

If you’re a thinkmoney SmartPlus customer, you’ll have access to PlusSave where you can use discounted gift cards to save hundreds on shopping, entertainment, and holidays. There are lots of lucrative holiday deals on PlusSave right now. Some offers include:

• Butlin’s - 6% off your spend
• Disneyland Paris – 6% off your spend
• Hoseasons – 6% off your spend
• Hotels.com - 5% off your spend
• Jet2Holidays – 6% off your spend

To give you an idea, if your summer holiday costs £1,000, 5% would give you £50 off, while 6% would give you £60 off the price. That’s enough for some nibbles and cocktails by the beach.

The best part? These can be stacked with other January holiday discounts giving you even more savings. Win-win.

How to save more with PlusSave

Wondering how to save extra cash on your summer getaway? Here’s how to get more for your money with PlusSave^:

• Upgrade to or open a thinkmoney SmartPlus account
• Go to PlusSave Rewards in the app
• Choose your provider from the list
• Add however much you want on to the gift card and tap confirm
• Pay with your gift card when you check out

We’ve got lots of retailers on PlusSave with discounts across popular shops, restaurants, and even cinemas. So, there are lots of opportunities to get cash back as you spend beyond your holiday.

^Offers are subject to change and may vary. Check the thinkmoney app for the latest offers.