Are you in the throes of planning your big trip for the year? If so, we have just the advice for you. From not securing the best prices and falling foul of industry traps, we reveal some of the common mistakes that people make when booking vacations and how best to avoid them.

Whether you’re looking to save money on your summer vacation or just want this year’s trip to be totally different to the last one, start your planning by being flexible, easy-going and curious. If you’re searching for a deal then keep an open mind about where and how you travel – perhaps a cruise could offer both good value and a new experience? If you're using flight search engines for your initial research, browse the 'fly everywhere’ section for the cheapest airfares.

You might have turned your nose up at the idea of going for an all-inclusive holiday in the past but it could be exactly what your family wants this year. Equally, perhaps you’ve always gone for an all-inclusive resort but your partner is desperate for more of an independent adventure? Chat to your travelling companions about what they want from the big summer trip this year. Read our package vs independent holiday debate here to help you decide.

You might pride yourself on being an expert at booking trips but dismissing travel agents could be to your detriment. A good local travel agent can not only be convenient if you're busy, but they can also sniff out some great deals and have more access to bargains. They have time to check comparisons and for more complex trips can create itineraries that emit long layovers or tricky connections. Make the most of their expertise.

If you have decided to chat to a travel agent about your plans, don’t assume that their first price is the final price. As with anything, always shop around before buying. Get a cost from a few agents then go back to the one you have the best rapport with and let them know you’ve found it cheaper somewhere else. More often than not they’ll try to get more of a discount for you. Find more reasons why booking holidays with an agent is a good idea.

Booking the holiday of your dreams with an agency or booking site that popped up at the top of your internet searches but you’ve never heard of is not a wise idea. Do some research to make sure you’re dealing with an established and reputable travel agent or booking site. Get recommendations from friends who have been on similar holidays. First-person recommendations in general are gold when booking a trip, assuming you trust their judgement of course!

Savvy travellers are signed up to a raft of loyalty schemes – hotels, flights, car hire – and are reaping the rewards. Whether it’s priority check-in with an airline and access to a lounge from frequent flyer programs, or suite upgrades and VIP experiences at hotels, reward schemes are well worth looking into before booking your vacation. Even if you’re not part of one, check whether friends or family you’re travelling with are. Here are some ways to benefit from hotel rewards programs.

Even before you start looking into where and when, it pays to start following travel brands and airlines on their social media channels. This is a great place to be the first to hear about sales, upcoming promotions, new routes and properties. So if you have some favourite brands or booking sites, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find more websites that'll save you money on your holiday here.

If you're building a holiday yourself, always be sure to use a price comparison site to see if you can cut any costs. They’re a great way to avoid the lengthy process of switching from site to site in a quest to source the cheapest flights, insurance, hotels and car hire. It will do the hard graft for you. You can then go to them direct to check whether you are getting the best price.

Despite the convenience of using a large online booking site, it often pays to cut out the middle man and go direct to the hotel or B&B when booking. You may well get a better deal as many smaller, independent hotels and holiday cottages often prefer it to avoid paying commission to booking sites and may haggle. Even if the rate is the same, you might get offered a nice additional extra like a bottle of wine on arrival or free transfers.

Increasingly, savvy travellers looking for more value and flexibility are considering a holiday home or apartment rather than a hotel. Or how about looking into a homestay or house swap? They can be a wonderful way to really get under the skin of a local culture and to have all the creature comforts of home around you. You might even make life-long friends with the owners.

Looking on Airbnb is another excellent idea when planning your summer vacation, as you’re likely to be staying somewhere a while. If you’re new to Airbnb it pays to learn how to get the best from the site as it can be overwhelming. Take your time and research thoroughly. Search by neighbourhoods to narrow things down and make a shortlist. Read the reviews but, most importantly, also check the ratings as they can offer a clearer indication of any problems – avoid anything with three stars or less. Click here for more tips to find the best Airbnb properties.

If you do opt for a hotel, don’t assume that the hotel will give you the room that best suits you. Take a good look at the website and view the 360-degree virtual tour, if there is one. Contact the hotel directly if you’re not sure which one will suit you best and if you have any special requests. For example, if you don’t want to be too close to the bar, you’d like a fridge or you have a pram and want to avoid stairs. Follow our handy tips on how to get the best hotel room.

Sharing a room with your kids might seem like a good idea at the time of booking – especially if it means the difference between getting that gorgeous-looking hotel or apartment, or settling for a more mediocre one. But it’s bound to feel like a terrible idea by the time your eagerly anticipated holiday comes around. Plenty of space is always a good idea when it comes to family holidays, otherwise you'll return feeling like you need another one. Find our top family travel tips here.

Package holidays can get a bad rep. However, not only do they often offer great value, especially if you opt for one with meals and activities included, but you can also plan out your holiday budget before you’ve left. Just make sure you’ve checked exactly what’s included. Your holiday is also protected as the tour operator is responsible for your trip from start to finish. Discover why we rate packages.

Unless you have school-age children or work in education, it's always best to avoid travelling in peak summer periods. It’s more expensive and the good flights and accommodation get snapped up early. By going just out of season – at the start or in late summer – you will get slightly better rates and more importantly, you won’t face busy beaches, packed restaurants and crowded pools.

If you do need to travel on clearly defined dates, book early. Generally, costs for peak-time flights become more expensive as the departure date draws nearer so the earlier you book, the slightly better it will be. Either way, you'll be paying a premium so you may as well make sure that you’re getting the flights and accommodation that you want. Also, look to travel as late as possible in the school summer holidays, if you’re travelling to Europe especially, when the resorts will be slightly less crowded and cheaper.

You’ve found the flights you want but it could be worth holding off booking them until it's Tuesday morning. Allegedly that’s the day you’re likely to get the best deal as many airlines launch discount promotions on Monday evenings. Whatever you do, don't book on Thursdays as that’s when airlines can bump up prices as it’s typically a busy day for bookings.

If you can avoid booking a flight that leaves on Saturday or Sunday, then do it. You’ll see some serious savings. Midweek flights and hotel stays tend to be far cheaper. However, if you’re booking a villa holiday, check which days of the week lettings run from before booking your flights. Typically, European villas operate bookings from Saturday to Saturday so you don’t want to be stuck with nowhere to stay if you fly midweek.

Before booking, it always pays to clear your internet browsing history after searching for flights, holidays and accommodation as websites gather information each time you visit. There are mixed reports about whether airlines and booking sites really do push prices up as a result of what you've been looking at but either way, it won’t hurt to clean your cookies before booking, just in case. Find out more tips on how to get cheap flights.

Airport parking can be astronomical and really add to the cost of your summer break. If you have no choice but to drive to the airport, look into early bird discounts on long-term parking. You can also get some good deals by staying overnight at an airport hotel at the beginning or end of a trip. Some hotels offer stay-and-park packages where you can eliminate any pre-flight stress by simply hopping onto the hotel’s shuttle bus to the airport.

If you’re super-organised and book your vacation early, things like visas can slip your mind. Be sure to look into the visa requirements for your destination when you book. US citizens should look at the Department of State Travel Advisories and UK citizens can check with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Depending on where you’re heading, you might need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation. It's worth checking your passport is valid as soon as you book to avoid a last-minute flap.

When booking accommodation or car hire, especially on travel booking sites, there is often a choice between paying upfront or on arrival. It might be tempting to delay paying but if you’re travelling overseas and your currency is strong for your chosen destination, then opt to pay upfront. That way you can secure it at the strong currency rate and don’t have to worry that you’ll need to spend more money when you arrive. Even if the rates don't fluctuate, at least you will have one less thing to pay for.

Although credit cards can often incur a small fee, it is always much safer to book flights, hotels and packages with one as you get added legal protection in case something happens to the airline or company. If your credit card is connected to a reward scheme, it’s a good way to earn points which you could put towards your next trip.

Whether it’s a cruise, guided tour or all-inclusive beach retreat, make sure that you look carefully at exactly what’s paid for and what isn't. Are all transfers included? If not, how much and how easy are they to organise? Are all meals and drinks included or just some? How about excursions? Can you set aside additional budget if not? Are there any supplements that you haven’t been warned about? Additional extras quickly add up so don't be caught out.

One of the secrets of successful travel planning is being open to new ideas, especially if you’re looking to lower costs. It might seem a bit nonsensical to fly into a place you don't really want to visit but bear with us. You could shave significant dollars off the cost of an airfare by flying to less convenient airports. This is especially true when flying into Europe. Want to explore the back lanes of Tuscany? Don’t search for flights to Florence. Look at Pisa instead.

Sometimes adding a stopover to a long-haul flight can help save you cash but it can also be a good idea to help ease tiredness and jet-lag. If you're not a great traveller or have kids, factoring in a stopover can be a lifesaver. Some airlines, such as Icelandair, offer it for free meaning you get to explore two destinations for the price of one.

Booking in advance definitely has its advantages, one of them being you can smugly sit back and daydream about your wonderful upcoming holiday. However, avoid that panicky feeling the night before you jet off by double-checking and reconfirming your bookings a few weeks before you leave. No matter how organised you are, you may have accidentally booked the wrong date or the hotel may have double-booked.

Is it just us or do you always leave checking or renewing your travel insurance to the last minute? It's the least glamorous part of booking a holiday but definitely an important item to add to your checklist. If you venture off without it and something goes wrong, you could end up with large medical bills or be substantially out of pocket if, say, a natural disaster gets in the way of your plans. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when booking your insurance.

Read more: Secrets the travel industry doesn't want you to know

If you have set dates, don’t delay booking your trip. But if you’re flexible and prepared to be spontaneous, consider holding off booking until much closer to your departure date. Admittedly, you won’t get the pick of the crop but there will always be great discounts on unbooked villas and hotel rooms. Follow our tips on snapping up some excellent last-minute deals. 

Read more: 45 terrifically dumb travel mistakes we made so you don't have to

Your long-awaited summer trip is here at last and you're about to check-in for your flights online, only to discover your allocated seats are nowhere near your travel companion's. As soon as you book your flights, log in and select your seats if you want to be guaranteed to sit together. You may need to pay a bit extra to pre-book but at least you have peace of mind. If you're the kind of flyer who'd rather put their eye-mask on, earplugs in and ignore everyone for a few hours then happy days!

Read more: All the questions you've got about flying answered