Can I book a package holiday and stay elsewhere-in other words just use the package holidays for the flights?

Question

Some friends and I want to go to a particular part of an island but the only flights we can find on the particular date we plan to fly are part of a package holiday to another side of the island where we do not want to go to. I have checked and we can get cheap accomodation and transfers to the part where we want to go to so our plan is to book the package holiday and then just go to the area where we want to stay , therefore not using the package accomodation. The money is not too much of a problem as all elements are quite cheap. I just need to know that there are no "rules" stopping people from doing this and that we won't have any problems when we want to return home due to not staying at our allocated apartment. Any advice would be most appreciated. Many Thanks.

Answer 1

I have actually done exactly what you're asking.

Me and my family went on holiday to Salou in Spain.  We got our transfer to the hotel with everyone and then the next day we hired a car and drove to Southern France, where we stayed for most of our holiday.  We returned to Spain a couple of days before we were due to leave and instead of returning to our hotel that was part of our package we decided to book ourselves into a nicer hotel closer to the beach.  Then the morning we were due to leave we headed to our allocated hotel and just got our transfer bus to the airport with everyone else.  We had no problems at all with it.  We didn't tell anyone and weren't asked about it when we returned to catch our transfer.

Answer 2

A package holiday by definition is one where you have a flight, transfer and accommodation all together in a 'package'.

What you want is a flight only.

Last month I went on honeymoon with my new wife Caz, as we live near Luton I just looked on the web for flights only from Luton to Majorca and booked the cheapest one, you can even specify which day you want to go out and which day you want to come back, Sundays are usually the best.

We booked our apartment separately but still on line, but it sounds as though you already have that part arranged.

As far as transfers are concerned, we hired a car which was waiting for us at the airport, with a bit of planning you can find out which is the most economical way to get to your apartment from the airport, depending on how many friends you have going and obviously where, you might consider hiring a car or people carrier, it usually does not work out much more expensive than the transfers and gives you much more freedom for holiday travel.

Answer 3

With those "packages" there are usually rules that you stay with your group.

I'd check with whomever you booked with & get all the facts first.

Good luck.

Answer 4

You can do this, but make sure you tell the rep at the airport on arrival that you will not be using the accomodation. They need to know as you will be on their lists for transfers etc. They also need to inform the accomodation owners that it will not be occupied.

Answer 5

why cant you book the flights seperately?  have you called travel agents (i dont mean a package company) i mean like trailfinders / sta that tailormake travel for you.