Travel question of the day: Simon Calder on last-minute holidays

Have a travel question that needs answering? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Q Can you recommend a legitimate site to book quick, cheap holidays with, as my mate is very cautious about who to use?

“MamaJ”

A Your mate is sensible. The internet is bursting with companies who will sell you a holiday, but when seeking a short-notice break I tend to look for volume, reliability and a business model that rewards last-minute bookings - at least during the school terms. The two companies I mainly use are Thomson and Thomas Cook, who between them sell far more holidays than all operators put together. They also have plenty of High Street shops, if you like to book face-to-face, and (after some stumbles) good, searchable websites.

Both companies sell proper package holidays, i.e. flights and accommodation sold together, which means they are legally obliged to look after you from the outbound flight to touchdown at home. They can also offer outstanding value. Unlike the airlines, on which fares tend to increase close to departure, tour operators often cut prices for last-minute trips.

An example from Thomson, departing 14 July: £204 for a week in Turkey, including flights from Gatwick to Bodrum, staying at a three-star hotel, including breakfast each morning and transfers to and from the airport. That is absurdly cheap for mid-July. Prices will soar once the main school summer holidays begin, so I urge you and your friend to start booking now.

Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder