Low holiday deposits for 2026/2027

Jennifer Tate

Dreaming of the perfect getaway in 2026/2027 but struggling to pay for it all upfront? Don't worry, there's a way around it. With a low deposit holiday, you can secure your next adventure without having to pay for everything all at once.

The magical holiday island of Corfu, Greece © Balate Dorin - Adobe Stock Image

As your full holiday balance isn't due until a few weeks before your holiday begins (payment deadlines vary by provider), low deposit holidays provide a great way to plan ahead and manage your budget. Simply pay the reduced upfront fee and spread the rest of your balance into manageable monthly payments. The sooner in advance you book, the more payment options and flexibility you'll have.

With the low deposit holiday option, your next adventure abroad is within easier reach.

What is a low deposit?
No deposit holidays - pay £0
Compare low deposit options
Top booking tips
Cruises
Hotels
UK holidays
Popular destinations
ATOL & ABTA protected
FAQs

Beautiful beach on the east coast of Barbados © Richard Semik - Fotolia.com

What is a low deposit & how does it work?

A low-deposit holiday is a holiday booking you can secure with a reduced upfront fee. The remaining balance is then due by a specified date before your holiday begins, with different travel companies offering different payment plans.

Payment schedules on low deposit holidays are usually very manageable, allowing you to spread the cost of your holiday over a period of time rather than paying all the upfront costs at once.

Hotel beach lagoon, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt © OlegD - Fotolia.com

The final instalment due date differs depending on the holiday company, with some providers allowing you to wait as long as four weeks before your departure date before settling your final balance. Some companies also allow you to pay chunks off your balance in as many payments as you like, helping you to stay in better control of your budget.

It's worth noting that some companies may charge fees for cancellations and late payments, so always read the small print when it comes to low-deposit holidays. But as long as you stay on top of your payment plan, low deposit holidays are a great way to spread the cost and minimise any financial stress.

No deposit holidays: pay zero now with Direct Debit

Some holiday companies, like TUI^*, for example, are going beyond low deposits by offering no-deposit holidays. This means you can plan and secure your next amazing break without paying a penny upfront. Offers like this are available on select holidays only, and typically need to be booked at least a few months in advance.

Alcudia Beach, the largest in Majorca © Lunamarina - Adobe Stock Image

In order to secure your no-deposit holiday, you may need to set up a Direct Debit first. Depending on the holiday provider, you may also need to split your payments into a minimum number of instalments.

Some providers also state that no-deposit holidays cannot be used on accommodation-only or flight-only bookings. Always check the small print when browsing no deposit holidays to see if any exclusions apply.

Compare low & no-deposit holiday options

Many leading travel companies now offer low and no-deposit holiday options to make paying for your next holiday more manageable. Discover and compare some of the many different holiday providers offering low or no-deposit holidays below:

Travel company	Deposit	Payments	Final installment
TUI^*	£0 (or £25-£175 if paying a low deposit)	At least three instalments	98 days before for no-deposit holidays. Payment deadlines vary for low-deposit holidays, with accommodation-only bookings due 28 days before
Jet2holidays^*	£60	At least three instalments	70 days before
Love Holidays^*	£25	At least two instalments (admin fees apply)	14 days before
easyJet holidays^*	£60	As many as you like	28 days before
On the Beach^*	£30	Variable (based on the total cost and how far in advance you book)	28 days before
Hays Travel^*	£25	Variable (based on the type of holiday and how far in advance you book)	84 days before (112 days for cruises)
Thomas Cook^*	£39	Variable (based on how far in advance you book)	25 days before
Virgin Atlantic Holidays^*	£175	As many as you like	84 days before
British Airways^*	from £120	As many as you like	Short haul: 28 days before, European ski holidays: 35 days before, All other holiday bookings: 49 days before
First Choice^*	£0 (or £30 if paying a low deposit)	At least three instalments	30 days before
Crystal Ski^*	£100	Variable (based on how far in advance you book and the airline you book with)	84 days before
Neilson^*	15% on Beach Club & sailing, £100pp on skiing	Variable (based on how far in advance you book)	28 days before
Sandals^*	£175	Deposit + one final payment	71 days before
Travel Republic^*	£20 for hotel-only, £99 for package holidays	Three instalments	28 days before

TUI

As one of the UK's leading tour operators, TUI^* is known for its £0 and low-deposit holidays with both short and long-haul destinations available, including Spain, Greece and Florida.

Florida's best beach resorts for summer 2025/2026 © Espiegle - Adobe Stock Image

If you're looking to book a no-deposit package holiday with TUI, you'll need to make your booking at least six months in advance and set up a direct debit to be eligible. TUI will then spread your holiday into a minimum of three payments, with the final payment due no later than 98 days before your departure date.

Alternatively, you can choose to book your holiday with a low deposit, with minimum deposits ranging from £25 to £175 per person depending on the type of holiday you're booking and when you plan to travel. Your final balance is due at least 12 weeks before your departure date.

About TUI >>

Jet2holidays

Jet2holidays is the largest tour operator in the UK, offering a wide range of affordable holidays to over 65 sun and city destinations across Europe and beyond.

One of the many perks of booking through Jet2holidays^* is its low deposit and flexible payment options, which allow you to secure your holiday for just £60 per person with the rest of your balance due at least 10 weeks before you jet off.

Calm blue sea in southern Turkey © Roxana - Fotolia.com

Before your balance is due, you can choose to set up a payment plan where you either pay the rest of your balance in monthly installments or as and when you like. You can also choose to spread the cost over three payments with PayPal or pay the full balance off whenever you're ready. Jet2holidays' low deposit holidays are interest free with zero fees.

About Jet2holidays >>

easyJet holidays

Offering affordable holidays to over 100 destinations across Europe including Croatia, Cyprus and Italy, easyJet holidays^* is a British package holiday company owned by the low-cost airline group easyJet.

With its Ultimate Flexibility option, customers can choose to spread the cost of their holiday by securing their booking with an initial payment of £60 per person and paying the rest of the balance off 28 days before departure.

Il Fornillo Beach on the Amalfi Coast, Italy © Mihael Grmek - Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0

In addition to not having to pay interest, other benefits of easyJet holidays' flexible payment plans include a best price guarantee and flexible cancellations. If your plans change and you can't travel, you can receive your full deposit back as easyJet holidays credit as long as you cancel up to 60 days before travelling. Alternatively, you can make changes to your holiday for a one-off fee if it's at least 28 days before you're due to depart.

About easyJet holidays >>

Love Holidays

With the independent online travel agent, Love Holidays^*, you can secure your next holiday for just £25 per person as long as it's at least four weeks in advance.

If you choose the low deposit option on a flight and hotel package, you can pay a deposit top-up amount and the rest of your balance in installments – although admin fees of at least £4.95 apply for each payment you make. Booking a hotel only? You can secure your booking with a low deposit of just £10 per person as long as it's six or more weeks before you're due to check in. Your final balance is then due 14 days before you're due to arrive.

Praia da Marinha, Algarve, Portugal © Christopher Elwell - Dreamstime.com

Some of the many destinations you can book low deposit holidays with Love Holidays include France, Madeira, Turkey, Dubai and the USA.

About Love Holidays >>

Top tips on booking holidays with low deposits

Booking a low deposit holiday is a great way to make paying for it more manageable. However, there are ways you can maximise the benefits of booking low deposit holidays. Here are our top tops on booking holidays with low deposits:

Book as far in advance as possible – the sooner you book your holiday, the further away your final payment deadline will be and the more you'll feel the benefit of being able to secure your holiday with a low deposit. Plus, your desired accommodation and travel dates are more likely to be available.
Browse our promo codes – many holiday providers allow you to use discount codes in conjunction with the low deposit payment option so always keep an eye out for offer codes. Not only will you benefit from payment flexibility, but you can also bring your total holiday cost down.
Compare multiple providers – holiday prices and low deposit options vary by company so always shop around and compare different deals. You may find that another travel provider asks for more upfront, but the total holiday price is lower.
Set up a direct debit – help yourself stay on track of payments by setting up direct debit payments. This way, you won't miss a payment deadline and you'll avoid any unwanted charges.
Keep an eye out for the sales – sometimes holiday companies reduce the deposit requirement during seasonal promotions. Keep an eye out for deals during popular sale periods such as Boxing Day, January/New Year and late November (Black Friday).
Check the terms and conditions – always read the small print and understand your chosen payment plan. This way, you won't miss any payment deadlines and you'll avoid any additional charges.

Cruises with low deposits

Cruise holidays are becoming increasingly popular with many cruise lines luring in passengers with their low deposit cruise deals.

The amount of deposit required and the final payment date depend on the cruise line, with some cruise operators offering low deposit deals all year round (as long as you book far enough in advance) and other cruise companies choosing to offer low deposit options during specific sales or on selected packages only.

Discover some of the cruise companies offering low deposit sailings from the list below:

AmaWaterways
Carnival Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises^*
Cunard Line
Disney Cruise Line
Emerald Cruises
Explora Journeys
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines^*
Holland America Line^*
Hurtigruten Expeditions^*
Hurtigruten Norway^*
Marella Cruises^*
Norwegian Cruise Line
Oceania Cruises
P&O Cruises
Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean
TUI River Cruises^*

Hotels with low deposits

Booking accommodation only? You can secure your stay at selected hotels with a low deposit. This way, you won't need to pay the nightly rates upfront and you can manage the cost of your getaway more easily.

Iberostar Bellevue in Budva, Montenegro © Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

Discover some of the hotel chains and hotel booking companies you can book overnight accommodation with a low deposit from the list below:

UK holidays with low deposits

Low deposit options aren't just available for holidays abroad; you can also take advantage of flexible payment deals from many UK holiday providers, meaning you can plan an unforgettable staycation without having to fork out for everything all at once.

Summer skies over beach in Cornwall, UK © Albert Pegor - Adobe Stock Image

Discover some of the UK holiday providers offering low deposit holidays from the list below:

Popular destinations for low deposits

Now that low deposit holidays are becoming increasingly popular, the list of holiday destinations that you can visit on a low deposit holiday continues to grow.

Jumeirah Beach, Dubai © Guilhem Vellut - Flickr CC BY 2.0

Discover some of the most popular destinations that travellers are ticking off their bucket lists thanks to low deposit options from the list below:

ATOL and ABTA protected holidays

If you're thinking of booking a low deposit holiday, rest assured that there are schemes in place that provide you with financial protection in the event of your travel company going out of business either before or during your holiday.

ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) offers financial protection on flight-inclusive package holidays. If the travel company you booked with fails, you'll either be given full compensation if your holiday hasn't started yet or you'll be flown home if you're already there. All registered travel businesses are required to be ATOL licensed in the countries in which they operate. The ATOL protected logo will be displayed on their website.

Meanwhile, ABTA (the Association of British Travel Agents) provides a similar level of protection but on package holidays purchased in the UK that don't include flights – self-drive holidays and cruises, for example. If the travel company you book with closes down, you'll be financially compensated for the land or sea-based parts of your trip. Please note that it is not compulsory for UK travel companies to be members of ABTA.

If you've purchased your flights separately, please also note that your flight-only booking will not be protected by ABTA or ATOL. Another important reminder is to always take out travel insurance, even if your holiday is ATOL or ABTA protected. Not only will it provide protection for the flight element of your trip, but it will insure you for other essential things such as medical expenses and lost or stolen personal belongings.

FAQs

Is it possible to choose how much deposit I pay?

The amount of deposit required to secure a holiday depends on the travel company you're booking with, with some companies charging a set amount per person or a percentage of your total holiday cost as the minimum deposit amount. Payment plans from there then vary.

In most cases, you will be able to increase the amount you pay at the time of booking to reduce the remaining balance of your holiday. However, you won't be able to pay a smaller deposit upfront unless the travel company is offering a 'no deposit holiday' option for your destination and travel times.

Remember, if you're booking a 'last-minute holiday' that starts within a stated timeframe, you may be required to pay your full holiday balance when you book – in other words, the low deposit route might not be an option.

Can I delay the date my balance is due?

This all depends on the travel company you've booked with and how soon in advance you wish to make changes.

Some companies allow you to push your balance back as long as it's within a certain timeframe – for example, Jet2holidays^* allows you to extend your balance due date as long as the final balance is paid 12 weeks before departure. Other companies, like easyJet holidays^*, don't let you extend your balance due date as its standard 28-day deadline is already very close to departure. Always check the terms and conditions of your holiday company to see whether it's possible to push your balance due date back.

If I cancel my holiday, will I lose my deposit?

If you need to cancel your holiday, it's very likely that you'll lose your deposit. Some companies also charge a cancellation fee, which may be a percentage of your total booking price. The closer you are to your departure date, the higher the cancellation charge.

Should you need to cancel your holiday long before your final balance due date, please note that some companies who charge initial low deposits, like TUI^* for example, also require you to pay the remaining full deposit as stated on your confirmation invoice upon cancellation. On the other hand, companies like Jet2holidays^* don't require top-up deposit amounts so you don't need to pay anything extra if you cancel (you simply lose the amount you paid as long as you cancel far enough in advance).

Always read the small print to understand the cancellation policy of the holiday company you're booking with and to avoid unwanted charges in the event of needing to cancel or change your holiday (but fingers crossed you won't need to).

All set to maximise your budget with a low deposit holiday in 2026/2027? Secure your dream escape with a reduced upfront fee by heading to the website of your chosen travel company, or browse our latest travel deals and discount codes first for even more savings!