A Mediterranean coastline at golden hour, with turquoise water, pale limestone cliffs and small boats moored in a sheltered bay.

Everything for a Hot Holiday

Q: Can I claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight?

Yes. Under UK and EU rules you may be owed up to 520 pounds for long delays and cancellations, and claims can usually be made for flights in the past several years. AirHelp and Compensair both handle claims on a no-win, no-fee basis.

Q: Is Compare the Heat independent?

Yes. Compare the Heat earns affiliate commission when readers book through its outbound links, at no extra cost to the reader. This never changes the price you pay or the order in which options are shown.

Compared in one place. Flights, eSIMs, transfers, car hire and more, so you book in minutes and spend the rest in the sun.

Compare brands How we compare

Eight things to sort before you fly

Each one has a handful of brands genuinely worth using. We compare them on what they are best for, how long your booking stays credited, and where they work.

View along an aircraft wing over a sunlit sea of clouds.

Flights

Search hundreds of airlines and agencies at once.

eSIM data

Land already online, without roaming charges.

Transfers

A fixed price and a driver waiting at arrivals.

Car hire

Local independents and global brokers.

Tours

Skip-the-line tickets and city passes.

Flight compensation

Claim for a delay or cancellation, no win no fee.

Insurance

Medical, cancellation and baggage cover.

Luggage storage

Drop your bags on the last day.

Book it in this order

Sequence matters more than people think. Flights and insurance move on price and eligibility, the rest you can leave later without paying for it.

Flights

Fares climb as seats sell. Nothing else is worth booking until these are fixed.

3 to 6 months out

Somewhere to stay

Prices move with demand, and the good value goes first in peak season.

Right after flights

Insurance

Cover starts the day you buy it, so cancellation is protected from the start.

Same day as flights

Car hire

Booked ahead it beats the airport desk rate, and most bookings stay free to cancel.

1 to 3 months out

Tours

Popular attractions sell out in peak season. Book the ones you would be sad to miss.

2 to 4 weeks out

Transfer

Fix the arrival price once your flight times are certain.

1 to 2 weeks out

eSIM

Install it at home on wifi so you land already connected.

The day before

Looking along an aircraft wing at high altitude, sunlight flaring on the wing edge above a layer of cloud.

Start with the whole market, not one airline

Booking direct with a single airline shows you a single price. Metasearch compares hundreds of airlines and agencies in one query, then hands you off to book. Virtual interlining goes further, stitching together carriers that do not sell joint tickets, which is where the bigger savings on long routes usually hide.

See the flight brands

Flight booking brands
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
AviasalesGlobal flight metasearch	Comparing every airline and agency in one search	30 days	Search
Kiwi.comVirtual interlining	Mixed-airline routes the airlines will not sell you	30 days	Search

A quiet Mediterranean hotel terrace at golden hour, with a small turquoise pool, white sun loungers under a parasol and bougainvillea against a whitewashed wall.

Then find somewhere to stay

The same room is rarely the same price twice. Big inventory sites cover almost everything, price-comparison sites undercut them on the exact same room, and villas or apartments usually beat hotels once there are more than three of you. Check at least two before booking.

Hotels, villas and apartments
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
Booking.comHotels and apartments	The widest choice, and free cancellation on most rooms	One session	Visit
Vio.comHotel price comparison	Undercutting the big sites on the same room	30 days	Visit
VrboVillas and whole homes	Families and groups, where a hotel gets expensive	7 days	Visit
AgodaHotels	Often cheapest on long-haul and Asia	1 day	Visit
HostelworldHostels and social stays	Solo trips and tight budgets	30 days	Visit

Stay connected

Land with data already working

An eSIM installs before you leave and activates on arrival. Coverage and price vary a lot by region, so match the provider to where you are actually going.

eSIM and travel data providers
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
AiraloeSIM marketplace	The widest country coverage	30 days	Visit
SailyeSIM by Nord	Simple flat regional plans	30 days	Visit
YesimeSIM and data	Multi-country trips	90 days	Visit
GigSkyGlobal eSIM	Cruises and remote regions	30 days	Visit
DrimsimUniversal SIM and eSIM	Long trips across many borders	90 days	Visit

A narrow coastal road curving along a sunlit hillside above deep blue sea, with pines and cypress trees.

Sort the ground before you land

The airport is the worst place to negotiate a price in 35 degree heat. A transfer booked in advance is a fixed fare and a name board at arrivals. If you want the freedom to explore, a hire car booked before you fly is almost always cheaper than the desk rate at the terminal.

Airport transfers and private taxis
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
KiwitaxiPrivate airport transfers	Fixed-price door to door	30 days	Visit
Welcome PickupsTransfers and local help	English-speaking local drivers	45 days	Visit
GetTransferTransfer marketplace	Drivers bidding for your ride	30 days	Visit
intui.travelAirport transfers	Wide global airport coverage	35 days	Visit

Car and bike hire
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
DiscoverCarsCar-hire comparison	Comparing local and global suppliers in one search	365 days	Visit
LocalrentLocal car rental	Trusted local suppliers, low deposits	30 days	Visit
GetRentacarRental aggregator	The longest booking window here	90 days	Visit
QEEQCar-hire comparison	Price-drop tracking after you book	30 days	Visit
AutoEuropeCar hire, UK and Europe	An established European operator	30 days	Visit
EconomyBookingsGlobal car broker	Worldwide choice in one place	30 days	Visit
BikesBookingScooter and bike hire	Two wheels at the destination	30 days	Visit

Book the queue away

Attraction tickets, guided walks and city passes are usually cheaper and faster booked online than at the gate, especially in peak season.

Tours, tickets and attractions
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
TiqetsAttraction tickets	Instant museum and attraction entry	30 days	Visit
Go CityCity attraction passes	Several attractions on one pass	90 days	Visit
WeGoTripAudio and self-guided tours	Exploring at your own pace	30 days	Visit
KlookActivities and transport	Asia-Pacific experiences	7 to 30 days	Visit
KKdayTours and activities	Local experiences across Asia	30 days	Visit
TicketNetworkEvent tickets	Concerts and live events	45 days	Visit

£520

is what a long delay can be worth.

Under UK and EU rules, a long delay, a cancellation at short notice or a denied boarding can entitle you to compensation, and you can usually still claim on flights from the past several years. Airlines rarely volunteer this. Both services below work on a no-win, no-fee basis, so a rejected claim costs you nothing.

Flight-delay compensation services
Brand	Best for	Booking window	Visit
AirHelpFlight compensation	The largest claims service	45 days	Visit
CompensairFlight compensation	A simple claim submission	30 days	Visit

Three more worth ten minutes

Small bookings that prevent the expensive problems.

Travel insurance

A package holiday protects your booking if the operator fails. It does not cover a hospital bill, a cancellation for personal reasons, or lost baggage. EKTA writes online medical and travel cover, with a 30 day booking window.

Get cover

Luggage storage

Late flight home, midday check-out. Radical Storage has drop-off points across thousands of cities, with a 30 day booking window.

Find storage

Sailing and cruises

SEARADAR compares yacht charters and checks the boat and operator before you commit, with a 30 day booking window.

Compare boats

Our method

How we compare, and how we are paid

We list travel brands from the Travelpayouts partnership network and compare them on what each is genuinely best for, how long your booking stays credited to us (the booking window), and where each one works. We earn a commission when you book through our outbound links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the price you pay, and it does not change the order brands appear in. Terms can change, so confirm the price and conditions on the provider's own site before booking.

What is the best eSIM for a holiday abroad?

Airalo offers the widest country coverage and suits most travellers. Saily and Yesim are strong for multi-country trips, GigSky covers cruises and remote regions, and Drimsim suits long trips across many borders. Match the plan to your destination before you fly.

How do I compare flights for a hot-weather holiday?

Start with Aviasales, a metasearch engine that compares fares across hundreds of airlines and agencies in one search. Then check Kiwi.com, which uses virtual interlining to combine airlines that do not normally sell tickets together, often cheaper on longer routes.

Can I claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight?

Yes. Under UK and EU rules you may be owed up to £520 for long delays and cancellations, and claims can usually be made for flights in the past several years. AirHelp and Compensair both handle claims on a no-win, no-fee basis, so a rejected claim costs you nothing.

Do I need travel insurance for a package holiday?

A package holiday protects your booking if the operator fails, but it does not cover medical treatment, cancellation for personal reasons, or lost baggage. Separate travel insurance covers those, and it is usually cheapest bought as soon as you book.

Is Compare the Heat independent?

Yes. We earn affiliate commission when readers book through our outbound links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes your price or the order options are shown in.