momondo's Travel Saver Calendar, a Flight & Hotel Study, shows how city break prices vary during the year. January best month for city breaks while April and July are dearest.
Britons love city breaks and studies have shown we go on several a year. But having analysed hotel and flights prices for nine popular city break destinations, travel site momondo.co.uk urges travellers to first consider when it’s cheapest to visit certain destinations.
momondo studied the lowest available room rates of the most frequently booked hotels in nine worldwide cities and compared them with the lowest return flight fares from London, in each month of the year.
Lower prices in winter
For eight out of nine destinations, the analysis shows the combined price is lowest in the month of January. Only Moscow was cheaper to visit in November.
April was the most expensive time to visit Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin and Lisbon, with April being also the joint-dearest with March, to visit Paris.
And whilst the most expensive month to visit Barcelona was May, those wishing to save money on a city break to New York and Copenhagen should avoid July, when flight and hotel costs are highest.
Best summer destinations
For those who need to travel in July, due to school holidays for example, momondo recommends avoiding New York Copenhagen and Moscow, when prices are highest. Instead visit Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin or Lisbon, which are dearest in spring.
Lasse School Hansen, Danish momondo's spokesperson states: "Like so many things in life, travel is all about timing. Spring is typically peak season for city breaks and therefore also the most expensive time to travel. Prices are kept high as demand is greatest in Spring when weather is at an optimum. Some cities are quite simply too hot in the height of summer to comfortably roam around and perhaps a little chilly as autumn approaches. But, on the other hand, if travellers are prepared to brave the cold, they get more bang for their buck in January travel on the whole.”
