Did you know that 65% of all travel bookings were made online in 2023, with 35% of online sales happening via mobile? Yet here’s the plot twist that saved me £347 on my last holiday to Portugal: the booking site that found me the “cheapest” flight actually wasn’t the best deal once I factored in hidden fees and terrible customer service when my departure got delayed by five hours.
After years of travel blogging and testing dozens of platforms (plus some costly mistakes along the way), I’ve discovered which booking sites actually deliver on their promises for UK travellers. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn exactly which platforms to trust for flights, accommodation, and package deals—plus the insider tricks that could save you hundreds on your next trip.
Why Your Choice of Booking Site Actually Matters
Before diving into our top picks, let’s address the elephant in the room: aren’t all booking sites basically the same? Not quite. While booking.com is the most visited Travel and Tourism website in the United Kingdom, attracting 33.84M monthly visits, traffic doesn’t always equal the best deals or experience.
Recent research by Which? found some eye-opening disparities. When they checked prices across booking sites, calling hotels directly secured the cheapest price on 15/30 occasions. Meanwhile, Opodo found the cheapest flights 11 times in 30 price checks, but earned just a 28% overall customer score from users.
The lesson? The cheapest upfront price isn’t everything when you’re dealing with poor customer service, hidden fees, or unreliable bookings.
The 7 Best Travel Booking Sites for UK Tourists
1. Booking.com – Best Overall for Accommodation
What makes it special: Booking.com topped Which?’s table of accommodation booking sites with a 73% customer score and gained four-star ratings for both functionality and transparency over fees.
Best for: Hotels, apartments, and guesthouses with reliable customer service Typical savings: Free cancellation on most bookings Insider tip: While Booking.com excels in user experience, remember that it found the best price just once in Which?’s 30 price checks. Always compare with direct hotel bookings for the best deals.
I’ve used Booking.com for over 50 stays across Europe, and while they’re not always the cheapest, their customer service when things go wrong is exceptional. When my Edinburgh hotel overbooked during the Festival, Booking.com’s team found me alternative accommodation within an hour—something I doubt budget competitors would match.
2. Skyscanner – Best Flight Search Engine
What makes it special: Skyscanner casts a wider net with airfare searches and some users notice it even pulls in Kayak’s deals too. The “Everywhere” search feature helps find the cheapest places to fly from your home airport.
Best for: International flights and flexible travel planning Typical savings: Up to 30% compared to airline direct bookings Insider tip: Use the price alert feature religiously. I’ve saved over £200 on flights to Japan simply by waiting for Skyscanner’s alerts.
Skyscanner offers the best overall flight booking experience with low prices and great search features, making it my go-to for any international trip planning.
3. KAYAK – Best for Advanced Flight Features
What makes it special: Kayak brings slick tech and planning tools to the table, with advanced filters by airline, alliance, layover airport, and even aircraft type. Their price forecast tool uses data to predict if fares will go up or down soon.
Best for: Business travellers and those wanting detailed flight control Typical savings: “Hacker Fares” can save 10-20% on complex routes Insider tip: The KAYAK Trips feature keeps all your bookings organised in one spot and provides flight status alerts—invaluable for multi-city trips.
4. TravelSupermarket – Best Comparison Platform
What makes it special: TravelSupermarket makes finding great travel deals fun and hassle-free, with handy filters to narrow down options by star rating or board basis.
Best for: Package holidays and comparing multiple providers Typical savings: 15-25% on package deals Insider tip: They aggregate prices but send you to the actual provider to book, so you get the best of both worlds—comparison shopping with direct booking benefits.
5. Expedia – Best for Package Deals
What makes it special: Despite Expedia failing to find the best flight fare on a single occasion in Which?’s price checks, it shines for bundled deals. Expedia’s bundled deals allow travellers to save money by booking flights and hotels together.
Best for: All-in-one holiday packages Typical savings: 10-15% when bundling flights and hotels Insider tip: Book packages during their member-only sales for maximum savings.
6. Trivago – Best for Hotel Comparison
What makes it special: Trivago focuses primarily on hotel bookings with robust hotel comparison features, aggregating prices from various booking sites.
Best for: Finding the best hotel rates across all platforms Typical savings: 5-15% by comparing rates Insider tip: Trivago frequently collaborates with hotels to offer exclusive promotions and discounts—sign up for notifications to catch these limited-time offers.
7. Google Flights – Best for Flexible Dates
What makes it special: Google Flights provides real-time insights telling you if a fare is lower or higher than usual, so you don’t have to worry about paying too much.
Best for: Flexible travellers and last-minute bookings Typical savings: Up to 40% by being flexible with dates Insider tip: Use the Date grid and Price graph options to find the cheapest days to travel—this feature alone has saved me hundreds on transatlantic flights.
Money-Saving Strategies That Actually Work
Book at the Sweet Spot
The sweet spot for finding fair flight prices is six months before travel on average, according to Skyscanner data. For hotels, the story’s different—I’ve found booking 2-6 weeks ahead often yields better rates as hotels adjust inventory.
Don’t Ignore Direct Booking
Remember that calling hotels directly secured the cheapest price on 15/30 occasions in Which?’s research. Many hotels will match or beat online rates if you call, plus you often get better customer service and room upgrades.
Use Multiple Platforms
The average cart abandonment rate for OTAs was approximately 81%, indicating how travellers frequently use online travel booking websites to find and compare options. This behaviour actually makes sense—use comparison sites for research, but don’t be afraid to book direct if it offers better value.
Red Flags to Avoid
Suspiciously Low Prices: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Budget sites sometimes add hefty fees at checkout or provide poor customer service when issues arise.
Poor Customer Reviews: Opodo is the worst-rated flight booking site with just a 28% overall customer score, despite being best at finding bargain airfares. Sometimes saving £50 isn’t worth the headache if your flight gets cancelled.
Hidden Fees: Always read the fine print. Some budget booking sites add significant payment processing fees or charge extra for basic customer service.
The Bottom Line
The best travel booking site depends on what you’re booking and what you value most. For hassle-free accommodation with excellent customer service, Booking.com leads the pack. For flights, Skyscanner’s comprehensive search wins for most travellers, while KAYAK excels for business trips requiring detailed control.
My personal strategy? I use Skyscanner or Google Flights to find my ideal flight, then check if booking direct with the airline offers any advantages. For hotels, I start with Booking.com but always call the hotel to see if they’ll match or beat the rate.
The travel booking landscape is constantly evolving, with 75% of total revenue in the tourism and travel sector forecasted to be generated through online sales by 2029. Stay flexible, compare options, and don’t be afraid to mix and match platforms for the best overall value.
Ready to book your next adventure?
Start with these trusted platforms, but remember—the best booking site is the one that gets you the right trip at the right price with reliable customer service when you need it most.