UK travellers lose almost £4.5m every summer by booking last-minute travel, research finds

Waiting on the weather forecast is cited as the main factor in our reluctance to plan ahead

Wondering where your money's gone? It might be time to plan ahead... (istock)

UK travellers who wait until the last minute to book their travel are losing out to the tune of £4.5m every summer.

This equates to more than 7,000 holidays, one million ice-creams and 1.2 million pints of beer.

Research commissioned by the Trainline app reveals that a quarter of the nation book their travel for UK breaks less than a week before they leave, with 10 per cent leaving it to the day of departure.

The survey of 2,000 British adults shows that a third missed out on important events, such as job interviews, weddings – and even the birth of a child – due to their failure to plan ahead.

Weather concerns were the quintessentially British reason given for not arranging travel in advance, with 54 per cent of respondents citing this as an explanation.

Sporting events and TV finales, such as Love Island, were also factors affecting 26 per cent of respondents, while 26 per cent said “trying to be spontaneous” prevented them from planning ahead.

But, it’s not just a financial hit affecting UK travellers who struggle to stay organised. 33 per cent admitted to missing out on something important, with 26 per cent missing a friend’s wedding, 18 per cent being unable to attend a job interview and 38 per cent abandoning their trip entirely.

Fear of missing out (FOMO) was also a contributing factor, with 15 per cent stating their reluctance to plan ahead was down to their anxiety around missing out on a better offer.

Regional differences were also identified. Londoners alone are missing out on £1.5m by failing to book travel in advance. The south lose out on £2.3m to surging price increases, while those in the north are slightly better organised, missing out on savings of £1.1m.

The research also revealed that 58 per cent of UK residents are taking a UK-based break this year.

Using the Trainline app’s new price prediction tool, which tells customers how long they have left to buy tickets at the cheapest rate, northerners and southerners alike could all stand to have a little extra in their pocket.