Best day to book a last-minute October half-term holiday, according to experts

Experts have crunched the numbers to find the best time to book a last-minute October half-term holiday for you and the kids - and you don't have long to wait

The summer holidays may seem like a distant memory, but the October half-term is fast approaching, providing a great excuse for an autumn break.

With most school children off from October 26th to November 3rd, travel experts at AttractionTickets.com have identified a window of opportunity to snag affordable flights for a family getaway.

Using a formula based on historical data, the company has pinpointed the best time to book a last-minute half-term break for maximum savings. According to their experts, October 13th is the optimal day to find and book a late deal.

Oliver Brendon, CEO of Attraction Tickets, explains: "Contrary to what many travellers believe, industry data suggests that booking flights within a window of 8 to 23 days before departure can offer some of the most competitive prices for international travel, especially when it comes to places like Florida."

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"We also know through historical external data that travellers can sometimes save up to 24% on flights if they book them on a Sunday, particularly within this 8 to 23-day window."

Attraction Tickets advises that October 13th falls "perfectly within that range", making it the best date to secure a late, more affordable deal for the family. Not only are there key days to secure a booking, but there are also particular days that are typically cheaper for flying.

According to research by the ticketing company, families who fly out on a Friday could save as much as 26%. With this in mind, the company's specialists advise booking flights on 13th October and jetting off on 25th October, once school's out.

Looking ahead to the festive season, meanwhile, the same expert shared insights on the optimal timing for bagging a last-minute Christmas getaway.

Brendon commented: "Following the same 8 - 23-days prior to travel formula, and honing in on the Sunday bookings and Friday flights rule, we can already identify that the best dates to book a last-minute Christmas holiday are the 8th and 15th of December, and flying on either the 13th or 20th December."

He added: "In my experience, prices at Christmas almost always tend to spike the week before, so you can avoid this by making sure you book ahead of 17th December. Remember, it's a risk to book things last-minute, so opt for using ticketing sites with fixed pricing models like ours and always do your research to get the best deals."