How to avoid blowing your holiday budget at the airport

With four in five of us happy to start splashing the cash as soon as we’ve cleared security, here’s how to keep control of your wallet.

Many people blow a big chunk of their holiday spending money before they have even left the airport (Alamy/PA)

Blowing the budget is something that’s easily done on holiday – but some people may not even have left the airport by the time a big chunk of their spending money has vanished.

Four in five (80%) UK holidaymakers can’t wait to spend their holiday money as soon as they’ve gone through security, a new survey has found.

A fifth (20%) will spend an average of £50 at their departing destination, on top of their ticket cost, according to research for Tesco Bank.

A similar (21%) proportion of people say they spend whatever amount they like as soon as they’ve left home for their holiday.

And with 45% of holidaymakers thinking the perfect time to get to the airport is three to four hours before their flight, this leaves plenty of time for pre-holiday spending once they’ve walked through security.

Duty free continues to draw in spenders from far and wide, with a quarter (24%) saying they always take advantage of the discounts available.

One in 11 (9%) people surveyed say they only travel with their hand luggage, meaning they buy the essentials they need without worrying about getting them through security or fitting in their bag.

While a fifth (20%) of people try to refrain from spending or buying anything at the airport or station – to preserve holiday budgets – and 30% try to avoid duty free completely, there are still some essentials that holidaymakers can’t go without.

Over a third (36%) will always opt for a coffee or tea and 32% will grab a bottle of water, while 19% will grab a magazine or book.

Nearly three in 10 (28%) stock up on takeaway meals or snacks for their journey, while 22% try and factor in enough time for a sit-down meal before they have to leave.

Only 3% of those surveyed say they tend to buy their currency once they’re through security. Buying currency at the airport could be costlier than planning ahead and comparing rates to get the most favourable deal.

Opinium Research surveyed 2,000 UK adults in May who go on holidays abroad.

Iain Donachie, head of money services at Tesco Bank says: “For most people, the holiday mindset kicks in as soon as they put the out of office on and step foot out the door.

“However, it can be all too easy to get swept away with spending while you’re away from home and using different currency.”

As well as comparing currency rates before you get to the airport, you could also consider specialised cards for travelling abroad.

And don’t forget to compare prices of the items you’re likely to be tempted by in the duty free before going away, so you can make sure you really are getting a bargain.

Plan transport to the airport and airport parking in advance, so when you arrive, you’ll be less flustered and firmly in holiday mode.