How I Saved £150 on a Family Vacation by Changing Airports

Planning a family holiday can be super fun but also a little tricky—especially when you’re trying to save money. Plane tickets, hotels, food, and activities all add up. When I started planning our recent family trip, I was ready to spend a lot. But guess what? I found a smart way to save £150 just by changing the airport we flew from!

Let me tell you exactly what I did, how I found out about this trick, and how you can try it too. It’s super easy, and if I can do it, anyone can.

Why I Started Looking at Other Airports

So, we live about 40 minutes from our nearest big airport. Naturally, I always checked for flights from there. But one day, a friend said, “Hey, have you looked at flights from that other airport an hour away?” I hadn’t. I thought it would be too far or too annoying.

But then I thought—why not try? I opened my laptop and searched for the same flight from two different airports: one close to me and one about an hour further.

And guess what? The flight from the further airport was £150 cheaper for our family of four. That’s a big saving! Enough for a fancy dinner, souvenirs, or even an extra night at the hotel.

How I Did My Search (It’s Really Easy)

I used a flight search tool that lets you compare prices from different airports. Some websites even let you choose “nearby airports” so you don’t have to type them all in yourself.

Here’s how I did it step-by-step:

1. I searched for flights from our regular airport to our holiday destination.
2. Then I clicked a button that said “Include nearby airports.”
3. The list showed flights from other airports too—and that’s where I saw the cheaper one.
4. I checked the drive time, and it was only 25 minutes longer. Not a big deal!

What About Parking or Travel to the Other Airport?

I did worry a little about extra travel costs. If I saved £150 but spent £100 on extra petrol or parking, it wouldn’t be worth it, right?

But after checking, I found that the parking at the further airport was cheaper too. Even with the petrol, we still saved more than £120.

So yes, check those details too. Sometimes smaller airports or ones a bit further away have lower parking fees and less traffic, which is a bonus!

It Also Helped with Stress!

This might sound silly, but the further airport was less busy. Fewer people, faster check-in, and no long lines. It made traveling with two kids much easier.

Less stress, fewer crowds, and saving money? That’s a win-win-win.

What I Learned

Here’s the big thing I learned: don’t just search for flights from one airport. Check a few others around you. Even if it feels like a bit more effort, it could save you a lot.

I even found a great tool through a Travel Agency that helped me compare flights easily. It’s called EasyFares.uk. They let you search for flights from different airports and even tell you which days are cheapest to fly. That’s how I found the deal that saved us money.

Tips for You to Save on Flights Too

Let me give you some super simple tips so you can try the same thing:

• Use websites that show nearby airports: This saves time and gives you more choices.
• Check different dates: Some days are cheaper to fly than others.
• Look at travel time: Make sure the further airport isn’t too far or too costly to reach.
• Think about airport parking: Sometimes smaller airports have cheaper parking.
• Don’t forget travel time after you land: Will your holiday spot be closer or further from your new airport?

Real Example: The Money We Saved

We were flying to Spain for our family holiday. Four people, round trip. The tickets from our usual airport were about £125 each. That’s £500 total.

But from the other airport? Tickets were £87 each—only £348 total. That’s a saving of £152.

And everything else was smooth. Same airline, same flight time, even better service. And that extra £150? We spent it on a fun day trip during the holiday and still had cash left for ice cream!

Final Thoughts

I used to always book flights from the same airport without thinking. Now I know better. Looking at different airports gave us more options, saved us money, and made our travel day easier.

Next time you’re booking a holiday, take a few extra minutes to search from a different airport. It might seem small, but the savings can be big—especially for families.

And if you’re not sure where to start, try checking out a Travel Agency like EasyFares.uk. They make it super simple, even for people who don’t book flights often. Trust me, it’s worth a look.