Martin Lewis tips for booking a holiday in 2021 – advice on insurance, booking and package deals

MARTIN Lewis has given Brits fresh advice on what to check if planning a holiday abroad this summer.

With the travel advice likely to change at short notice, the money saving expert explained how families can protect themselves this summer.

Speaking on The Martin Lewis Money Show, he said one of the most important ways to make sure your holiday is protected is to check the package holiday T&Cs when booking.

He explained: "The ability to cancel or change a booking is so important right now, package holidays often from travel agents or travel firms have strong protection.

"This tends to occur when you’re booking two or more things like your flight and hotel together, or major excursions. If Covid restrictions stop the trip, you’re due a refund within 14 days."

Many airlines are now offering free flight changes or cancellations due to Covid, while package holidays are ATOL protected.

He added that bookings holidays which are both flexible and offer strong protection is advised this year.

When it comes to travel insurance, Martin Lewis said the same applies when checking their cover policy.

He explained: "Most, though not all, insurers will usually cover you for Covid cancellations if you catch Covid before you travel, or the NHS tells you to self-isolate, that means you can’t go."

However he also warned that travel insurance is unlikely to cover rule changes for travel destinations, or if you can't afford to quarantine.

Booking on a credit card is also a great way to stay protected, he urged, as it means Brits are covered by Section 75 if a holiday cannot go ahead.

He has previously warned Brits to also check both their passports and their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC), now known as the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).

The cards allow Brits access to healthcare in a foreign country for the same price as offered to locals, which can prevent costly medical bills, although travel insurance is still advised.

The government has also been warning Brits to check their passports before booking a holiday, with wait times on renewals up to 10 weeks due to demand.


Due to the holiday ban, passport renewals hit a low last year, meaning millions may now be out of date.

To travel to Europe, Brits will now need six months on their passport to be allowed to enter, and any months added on top of the ten year validity of a passport are no longer accepted.

Confusion over holidays abroad continunes to grow despite the foreign travel ban lifted this week.

MPs have warned that holidays to amber list destinations – which includes Spain, Greece and Italy – is not allowed, as only essential travel is.

Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both warned that travelling to amber list destinations should only be if "absolutely necessary," not for holidays.

Despite this, thousands of Brits flocked to the airport on Monday after the holiday ban was lifting, with the many travellers heading to green-list Portugal.

Many also headed to amber list destinations such as Spain and Greece with airlines including TUI still offering flights to the countries.

We've explained what Covid tests you may need for your holiday this year, as well as how much they might cost.

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