Buy holidays and travel online safely
Don't get burnt when buying your summer holiday online.
Shopping online for holidays and travel is increasingly popular. But you have to make sure you do it safely.
Risks
Over 48% of European internet users booked travel tickets online last year, and for many people, travel and holidays represent the highest value online purchase they make in the year. Clearly it's important to make sure that you protect yourself when shopping for holidays and travel online. Besides the general risks of online shopping - fraud, misrepresentation and so on - travel has extra issues. For example, it is important to have financial protection for your holiday in case the operator goes out of business while you are away.
Shop safely
- Shop online safely. See: Shop online safely for more advice.
- Only use safe websites. Learn to spot dodgy ones and make sure you use secure sites when entering private information. See Avoid fake websites.
- Make sure your computer is protected against viruses, spyware and so on by following the advice in the Protect Your PC section of this website. See: Protect your PC (or if you are a Mac user: Protect your Mac).
Use a reputable travel firm
- Check for approval. Make sure the firm you use holds an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority for your finacial protection, or is a member of ABTA or AiTO if booking a non-air holiday. Not all holiday and travel arrangements are protected by these bonding schemes, so check with the travel firm first and consider insolvency insurance or pay with a credit card if no protection is on offer.
- All tour operators must comply also with the Package Travel Regulations, which gives you legal rights over the holidays tour operators offer and your contract. ABTA members also sign up to a strict code of conduct which governs the relationship between you and the company.
- Take your time and shop around. It’s important you take your time with entering your holiday requirements onto a travel website, just as you would when booking face to face or on the phone, and double check all details before entering your payment details. This will ensure you’re buying the holiday you want and that is "right" for you, whilst protecting yourself and your money.
- Be informed and vigilant. Check the track record of any holiday firm unfamiliar to you. Don’t reply to unsolicited bogus emails from firms you don’t recognise. Legitimate companies will never send an information request via a pop up. If you don’t recognise the sender don’t reply.
Keep track of your money and paperwork
- Keep your purchase records. Licensed and accredited holiday firms and travel agents must send you receipts for payments and confirmations of bookings setting out the details of what you have purchased. Keep receipts of all online holiday or travel orders. Print off any confirmation pages and emails and keep them in case you are charged incorrectly.
- Monitor your payment. Be sure to check your credit card and bank statements carefully once the holiday is booked, and notify the bank as soon as possible if you notice anything is wrong.
More information
- There is more information about your rights and making complaints from ABTA:
- Check out the FCO website for essential travel advice and information.
- Visit the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) website for airline passenger advice
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