Congratulations, that may be close to a record in percentage savings! Did the Thomson price include transfers - obviously that won't cost over £900 but you'll have to get there somehow!

Your next big thing to look at is insurance and many policies haven't caught up with the trend to DIY. Are you covered for pre-paid accomodation if the outward flight is cancelled? The airline's only liability is the cost of the flights (and possibly some food if they don't make a quick decision) and Thomson won't be liable if you can't get there.

i was feeling really good about going diy until i now realize how many things can go wrong!!!
we have got our own insurance but i haven't sorted transfers yet, it took about 1 1/2 hours on the coach last year so it will be about an hour in a taxi. Do you diy ers book one in advance (how??) or jump in a taxi at the airport or are they expensive?

Don't worry, there's nothing more to go wrong than before. And if you think ahead and get organised you'll be in a better position than those who rely on reps who turn out not to know what's happening!

With regards the transfer, ask the question in the Majorca thread and see who's most up to date. Resorthoppa were mentioned but that was a while ago.

Well done Cypruschick, we have done DIY for a few years now to Majorca.

We always use http://www.janerbus.com for our transfers, excellent service & always reliable. There are others so best to get quotes & decide yourselves.

Well done & good luck, have a great time

Deb.

book diy every time all you do is the same fone calls as the agents the same on messing with the computer you will always come up cheaper garenteed

Great deal! I also use janerbus for transfers. Enjoy your holiday! CBG

Another convert for d.i.y. Not only does it nearly always work out cheaper but you have much more flexibility. There are plenty of companies providing transfers and it may be best to use one of them rather than getting a taxi unless someone can give you a clear idea of the price you are likely to pay. People on the Majorca forum will be the best ones to advise you but have a look at all of them to compare prices. I often use A2B in Tunisia and find them excellent.

See now I have tried this several times over the past few years and have never come up trumps with anything cheaper that booking it via of the big boys as a package.

I fly from Birmingham Airport which in my opinion doesn't have a great selection of destinations i.e. flying to the Caribbean from here is really difficult unless its with Thomsons.

I wonder if I cant get good deals due to the airport??? When I have to factor in driving (petrol) to the next airport which is usually Manchester or London - then the parking, meals & transfers - I have lost any possible savings. Just never works for me however I wish it would as I know there are so many hidden gems hotels out there that the big boys just dont offer.

Perhaps next time I book I should come on here and set someone a challenge to get it better by DIY.

Booking anything DIY from Birmingham is a real challenge due to the lack of flight options. Birmingham is my closest airport but I have been from Liverpool and Luton before to get better options, this year I am going from Bristol it may be 120 miles away but is £300 cheaper for flights alone.

If going DIY and you can travel a little further afield you should look at as many airports as possible. I wouldn't even consider going long haul from Birmingham, there are far better options from Manchester and its only 75 minutes drive up the road.

Hi

Our local airport is also Birmingham, but I've never flown from there! We have used East Midlands, Bristol (very convenient), London, Manchester and Cardiff. Bargain flights can be had and we think of the journey as part of the fun of going on holiday - my kids have been brainwashed over the years!!

Happy DIYing...

HH

We nearly always DIY and find it so flexible. We have done all sorts of holidays over the years this way. We have flown places and hired a car and then just headed off finding accommodation as we went. We have rented apartments, stayed in little pensions, all kinds of things and always enjoyed it all. I also take advantage of the very cheap flights such as Ryanair and Easyjet. We got 3 lots of return flights to Turkey this year with Easyjet for £90 for each return flight. Recently we went to Switzerland using my airmiles allowance and found a farm house in the mountains for about £20 a night each. The internet and search engines has made this way of holidaying so easy.