We’ve all heard of the bumper Black Friday weekend – but pay attention, there’s a new day in the deals arena specifically for those seeking their next travel fix.
Happy shoppers and bargain hunters often use the Thanksgiving sales to find the most sought-after deals, with a string of travel deals offering great value packages as providers, airlines and hotel chains lower their prices.
Most of this year’s deals ended yesterday, Cyber Monday, as companies halt their busiest sale period for another year.
But, for some, Black Friday is only the beginning. Across the board, several platforms save amazing deals for a day dubbed “Travel Tuesday”, this year falling on 3 December.
Today we expect to see even more discounts on flights, hotel stays and related travel deals from airlines and operators around the world.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent for The Independent, said: “In the short term, the dying days of November and the first two weeks of December comprise the lowest of seasons when the airlines cut fares to whatever level they need to fill their planes.”
If you’ve been holding off on booking that holiday, wait no longer – we’ve got all the information you need to take advantage of Travel Tuesday.
Read more: Black Friday travel deals 2024 – cheap offers on flights, holidays, hotels and cruises
What is Travel Tuesday?
Falling the day after Cyber Monday every year, Travel Tuesday is to the travel industry what Cyber Monday is for tech and online deals. It’s a day of travel-only offers and savings offered by hotel companies, airlines, travel agents and more.
Online booking platform Hopper is credited with coining the term in 2017 after finding that the Tuesday following Thanksgiving was a profitable time to book flights.
According to McKinsey & Company, travel companies have taken note, with search interest for “Travel Tuesday” up over 500 per cent from 2021 to 2023.
Data from the travel marketing platform Sojern indicates that in 2023, hotel, cruise, and airline bookings by US travellers on Travel Tuesday saw “notable increases”, compared with the two weeks before and the two weeks after.
We expect the best deals to be in the States or from US-based companies but keep an eye out as there might be some surprises from other parts of the world, including the UK, as the marketing concept gains traction.
When is Travel Tuesday 2024?
Sometimes called “Travel Deals Tuesday”, the fairly recent phenomenon – less long-running than its Friday and Monday counterparts – will fall on 3 December in 2024.
What deals are live this Travel Tuesday?
Booking.com
Avid travellers can save up to 35 per cent on selected hotel reservations and accommodation with Booking.com’s sale offerings until 4 December. The cost-saving stays can be booked for dates between now and 31 December 2025, whether a long weekend away or a week of relaxing beside the beach. Top destinations include Istanbul, Dubai and Rome, which are serving up some of the best accommodation deals.
Quark Expeditions
There are big savings on big adventures with Quark Expeditions this Travel Tuesday. Intrepid explorers can save up to 50 per cent off select Antarctic and Arctic 2025 voyages until 3 December, with savings on destinations including Antarctica, Greenland, and Svalbard departing on select dates next year.
Interrail by National Rail
Railfans keen for a summer on the tracks in 2025 are probably prepping to book their next interrailing adventure. Interrail by National Rail’s savings of 25 per cent on Interrail Global Passes and selected One Country Passes are sure to get the wheels rolling. From 26 November until 17 December seven-day adult passes, previously £324, will cost just £243 for travel up to 11 months from the purchase date.
Virgin Voyages
To sail into savings, Virgin Voyages has discounted select cruises to as little as £79 per person per night for Travel Tuesday, such as journeys around the Caribbean, Canada and Miami. In other deals, there is also 80 per cent off a second person joining you on your holiday, plus a bar tab up to £230 up for grabs until 4 December.
Contiki
Travellers between 18 and 35 can save big this cyber sale season with 25 per cent shaved off 125 Contiki escapes for 2024. Live until 5 December for travel between 1 January and 31 December 2025, the discount features a bucket list worth of European favourites, including savings on ski weeks in Austria and New Zealand.
Expedia
Members of Expedia can sign in to save 30 per cent or more on selected hotels from New York to Dubai when they book before 4 December in the holiday provider’s biggest travel sale of the year. Holidays with nights in spacious suites and elegant apartments are bookable for travel until 15 December 2025 as part of the Travel Tuesday deal.
Intrepid Travel
For a once-in-a-lifetime small group adventure at a much smaller price point, Intrepid Travel’s annual Cyber Sale is offering up to 20 per cent off selected adventures when booking before 5 December. Explorers can save hundreds on a Sri Lankan food adventure, a family holiday to Peru and a picturesque pedal through Provence when travelling between 1 December 2024 and 30 September 2025 as part of the promotion. For those who want to tick Antarctica off their bucket list, Intrepid is also discounting its expedition cruises by up to 35 per cent.
The Independent’s top picks
Overwhelmed with offers? The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder has done some digging around for the best deals so you don’t have to.
Here’s what he recommends for fantastic value flights and holidays:
Aer Lingus
Early February is a fabulous time to avoid the crowds and get a great deal. Aer Lingus from Manchester to Orlando – out on 3 February for a week, £378 return – literally half what I paid for my flight to the US. And just to make clear that’s on the Irish airline but nonstop – no need to change planes in Dublin.
Ryanair
City breaks, too: Prague is the dream destination – flying on Boxing Day for two nights, Ryanair wants just £55 return from East Midlands – that’s half what I would expect to pay for the chance of an escape to the Czech capital. For posher flights (plus loads of baggage) British Airways wants £389 per person including flights ex Heathrow and accommodation at a three-star hotel, the Cloister Inn in the old town. The great value here is that the flights alone are costing almost as much – the hotel is thrown in for free.
Tui
Excellent deal from Tui from London Gatwick to Sousse in Tunisia, departing 14 December for a week and staying at the Marhaba Royal Salem resort for just £316 all-inclusive. I’ve been on holiday in Tunisia in December and it’s a warm and beautiful location. That’s a holiday I’d normally expect to cost at least £500 per person. You’re getting an African holiday for less than £2 per hour. Amazing value.
Tips for shopping on Travel Tuesday
It’s a good idea to browse before you shop to compare prices on the sale day. As ever, set a budget and try your best to stick to it, but also try and be flexible with dates and destinations if you want to save the most money – bundled holidays often have the best savings on Travel Tuesday.
Sign up to be notified by your favourite providers, airlines or hotels, and try and book directly with them if possible, as they usually offer the best savings.
Read more: Where is hot in December? Best holiday destinations for winter sun