savingsspot.co.uk Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love the thrill of bagging a bargain? That feeling of seeing a price tumble, knowing you’ve outsmarted the system and secured an incredible deal. Now, apply that thrill to your travel dreams. Imagine sinking your toes into the warm sands of the Algarve, exploring the ancient streets of Rome, or skiing down the pristine slopes of the Alps, all for a fraction of the price you expected to pay. This isn’t just a fantasy; it’s a reality made possible by mastering the art of the easyJet sale.
For savvy UK travellers, the words “easyJet sale” are like a starting pistol for a race to the sun, city, or slopes. This iconic orange airline has democratised air travel for millions, but its sales are where the real magic happens. These are not just minor discounts; they can be game-changing price drops that turn a ‘maybe next year’ holiday into a ‘book it now’ adventure. But navigating these sales requires more than just luck. It requires strategy, preparation, and a little bit of insider knowledge. Forget endlessly refreshing your browser in hope; we’re here to give you the definitive guide to conquering the next easyJet sale and making your travel budget stretch further than ever before.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll decode the calendar to predict when the next big sale will land, equip you with a pre-flight checklist of preparations, reveal the ultimate booking strategies to secure the cheapest fares, and help you look beyond the headline price to understand the true cost. Get ready to become the travel guru of your friendship group.
Decoding the Calendar: When Do easyJet Sales Actually Happen?
One of the biggest questions travellers ask is, “When is the next easyJet sale?” While easyJet doesn’t publish a neat yearly calendar of its sale dates (that would be too easy!), their sales follow a reasonably predictable pattern. By understanding this rhythm, you can be poised and ready to strike when the prices drop.
The Big Seasonal Sales
easyJet, like most retailers, aligns its major sales with key shopping periods and travel seasons. Keep your eyes peeled during these times:
- The January Sale: After the festive season, wallets are tight and wanderlust is high. Airlines know this. The January sale is often one of the biggest of the year, offering fantastic deals for spring and early summer getaways to entice people to book.
- Spring & Payday Sales: Look out for smaller, but still significant, sales around Easter and the spring bank holidays. easyJet also frequently launches ‘payday’ sales towards the end of the month, tempting you to turn your salary into a sunny escape.
- Black Friday/Cyber Monday: This American import has become a behemoth in the UK retail calendar, and travel is no exception. In late November, expect a frenzy of deals from easyJet, covering both flights and package holidays. This is a prime time to book winter sun or even ski trips.
- Boxing Day & Post-Christmas Sales: Similar to the January sale, this is a huge period for travel booking. With Christmas over, people’s minds turn to planning their adventures for the year ahead.
The Secret Sale: Flight Release Dates
Here’s a piece of insider knowledge that can be even more valuable than a formal sale: booking on the day flights are released. easyJet releases its flights in several large tranches throughout the year. For example, flights for the period from early December to late March might be released in May or June. The key is that on release day, the prices are often at their absolute lowest before the airline’s dynamic pricing algorithm kicks in and starts adjusting them based on demand.
How do you find out about these golden release dates? The single best way is to be on the easyJet email newsletter. They almost always announce the upcoming release a week or so in advance, giving you time to prepare. For popular routes during peak times like school holidays, booking on release day can save you more than any subsequent sale.
Becoming an easyJet Sale Pro: Your Pre-Sale Preparation Checklist
The scout motto “Be Prepared” has never been more appropriate than for an easyJet sale. The best deals on the most popular routes and dates can vanish in minutes. If you’re fumbling for passport details or debating baggage options when the sale goes live, you’ve already lost. Here’s how to get match-fit.
1. Sign Up and Stay Alert
This is non-negotiable. Go to the easyJet website right now and sign up for their email newsletter. This is your primary source of intelligence. They will tell you when a sale is starting and when new flights are being released. Secondly, download the easyJet app to your smartphone and enable push notifications. Sometimes, app users get early access or app-exclusive offers.
2. Create an Account and Save Your Details
Time is your enemy during a sale. Shave precious seconds—or even minutes—off the booking process by creating an easyJet account beforehand. In your account, you can pre-fill and save the personal details for yourself and any frequent travel companions (full names as they appear on passports, dates of birth, etc.). When it’s time to book, you can auto-fill this information instead of typing it all out under pressure.
3. Master the Low Fare Finder
Flexibility is your superpower. If you’re rigid on your dates, you’ll pay a premium. Before the sale even starts, get acquainted with easyJet’s ‘Low Fare Finder’ tool. It allows you to see prices across an entire month, instantly highlighting the cheapest days to fly. Use this to identify a window of potential travel dates. If you can fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than a Friday, you’re almost guaranteed to save a significant amount.
4. Have a Destination Shortlist (and a Backup)
It’s great to have a dream destination, say, Palma, Majorca. But what if the sale deals to Palma aren’t that great? Do your research beforehand. Have a shortlist of three or four places you’d be happy to visit. Perhaps the deals to Malaga, Faro, or Ibiza are incredible. Being open to alternatives massively increases your chances of snagging a true bargain.
5. Decide on Your ‘Extras’ in Advance
Don’t get caught in the ‘add-ons’ trap during the booking frenzy. The headline price is for a seat and a small under-seat cabin bag only. Discuss with your travel companions beforehand: Do we need checked luggage? Can we share one big suitcase between two of us? Do we care about sitting together? Knowing the answers to these questions will allow you to select the right options quickly without agonising over the decision and letting the flights in your basket expire.
The Ultimate Booking Strategy: How to Win the Sale
The sale is live. Your prep is done. It’s go-time. Here’s how to navigate the booking process like a seasoned professional.
Be an Early Bird
The best deals are released the moment the sale begins. If the sale starts at 6 am, be there at 6 am. This is particularly crucial for popular dates like school half-terms or bank holiday weekends. The number of seats at the lowest price is always limited, and they will be snapped up first.
Think in One-Way Tickets
This is a classic flight-hacking tip. Don’t just search for a return flight from London to Amsterdam. Open two tabs and search for a one-way from London to Amsterdam and another one-way from Amsterdam to London. Airline pricing can be quirky, and sometimes the sum of two single fares is cheaper than a return ticket. It only takes a minute to check and could save you a tidy sum.
The Incognito Mode Myth?
Many travellers swear by using their browser’s incognito or private mode to search for flights, believing that airlines use cookies to track their searches and bump up the price. While airlines primarily use complex dynamic pricing based on overall demand, there’s no harm in being cautious. Using incognito mode or clearing your browser cookies before you search is good practice and, at the very least, gives you peace of mind that you’re seeing a fresh price.
Consider the Package Deal
Don’t just look at flights; check out easyJet Holidays. During a big sale, the discounts on flight-and-hotel packages can be even more substantial than on flights alone. You might find that a package holiday to a great hotel costs only slightly more than the flight you were about to book. Plus, you get the added bonus of ATOL protection, which provides financial security should the company run into trouble. It’s always worth a comparative search.
Check, Double-Check, and Triple-Check
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to make mistakes. A typo in a name or a wrong click on a date can be a costly error to fix later. Before you hit that final ‘pay now’ button, take a deep breath and meticulously review every single detail: passenger names, travel dates, flight times, and the airport (e.g., make sure you didn’t accidentally book a flight from Luton when you meant to fly from Gatwick).
Beyond the Bargain: Understanding the True Cost of Your Ticket
That £29.99 flight to Prague looks incredible, but it’s essential to remember that this is just the starting point. Budget airlines make a significant portion of their profit from ancillary charges. To be a true bargain hunter, you need to be aware of the full potential cost.
The Baggage Battle
This is the big one. Your standard easyJet fare includes one small cabin bag that must fit under the seat in front of you (max 45 x 36 x 20 cm). If you want to bring a larger cabin bag (trolley bag style, max 56 x 45 x 25 cm) to put in the overhead locker, you’ll need to pay extra by booking an ‘Up Front’ or ‘Extra Legroom’ seat, or by adding it as a standalone option. For checked-in hold luggage (typically 15kg or 23kg), the fees vary significantly by route and season. The golden rule is to always book your luggage online in advance; paying for it at the airport can be extortionately expensive.
The Seat Selection Saga
If you don’t pay to select a seat, easyJet will allocate one to you for free at check-in. If you’re travelling solo and don’t mind where you sit, this is a great way to save money. However, if you’re travelling as a family or couple and want to guarantee you sit together, you will need to pay. Prices range from a few quid for a standard seat in the middle of the plane to over £20 for an extra legroom seat by an emergency exit.
Admin and Other Fees
easyJet has largely scrapped its admin fees for paying by credit or debit card, which is a welcome change. However, be aware of other potential charges, such as fees for changing a name or a flight date after booking. Their ‘Flexi’ fares, while more expensive upfront, include these changes and can be cost-effective for business travellers or those with uncertain plans.
What If You Miss the Sale? All Is Not Lost!
Did you oversleep? Got stuck in a meeting? Don’t despair if you miss the initial rush. While the absolute best deals may be gone, there are still ways to find a bargain.
Firstly, sales often last for several days or even a week. The initial marketing blast is just the beginning. Keep checking back, as sometimes availability changes. Secondly, make the Low Fare Finder your best friend. Even outside of a sale period, it’s an indispensable tool for locating the cheapest dates to travel. Finally, consider a last-minute package deal on easyJet Holidays. If they have unsold hotel rooms and flight seats for a departure in the next couple of weeks, you can often find some incredible all-inclusive bargains.
Armed with this knowledge, you’re no longer a passive passenger but an active, strategic traveller. The next time that bright orange email lands in your inbox announcing a sale, you won’t feel panic; you’ll feel prepared. By combining foresight, flexibility, and fast fingers, you can turn those travel dreams into booked realities, unlocking a world of adventure for less. Happy bargain hunting!
