Bargain of the 21st century? Why I booked a holiday to Egypt – and you should, too

For under £100, travel expert Simon Calder discovers an Egypt he’s never seen so quiet before – and meets those who believe now is the time to book

Space available: A beach bar in Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh (Simon Calder )

What can £90 buy you in travel? A night in a budget hotel; a couple of days rental of a basic car; or a one-way Anytime ticket from Watford Junction to Coventry.

I was seeking something more exotic, so I chose a flight to Egypt and back, where, right now, £90 can buy you over 4,500 miles of air travel. Next Saturday, 25 November, on Wizz Air from Luton, returning after three, five or seven nights away.

It feels wrong. Considering Air Passenger Duty on the outbound leg is £87, that does not leave much of a margin for the airline. People who believe aviation is already too cheap will be outraged. I have sympathy for that view.