When looking for this years holiday first choice actually told us that if we saw anything we liked then go back to them and they would see what they could do , we eventually booked with thomas cook as they were better value, will be first time with tc usually book thomson

Each year a 6 months booking with Travel Republic then several one week stays for friends visiting us - 6 this year. Never bettered the prices in 10 years! xx

I have booked one with Thomsons for March but prefer to DIY. Book flights with airline, accommodation with owner or hotel, and car direct with car hire company.
If you're going to do without Package regulations protection, I think you may as well sort it yourself. At least that way you know it's right.

We've used First Choice for Turkey and the Dominican Republic in the past, and for Goa this year. I've never had any problems with them and although I have shopped around - they always worked out best value for money.

For Turkey last year and this year we've DIYed as we know the area very well now. I book the villa and transfers through holidaylettings.co.uk and the flights through whoever comes up cheapest on Skyscanner - both last year and this it has been aegeanflights.com

Next year we are considering Thailand. I am not particularly tied to First Choice so will shop around again but if they can do a good deal for that detination I'd have no problem using them.

I would always go with a TO for the sake of having 'back up' if things went wrong whilst on holiday.

I have been with Thomson and twice now with Direct Holidays who were much cheaper than Thomas Cook even though its the same company. I like Direct Holidays, I like getting 20kg luggage and inflight meals included which could be an expensive extra for the four of us if we were paying.

tend to use thomsons but have found good price for a holiday in March with direct line would travel agents honor there price ????? or am i being to hopeful

I think they only price match their own web price unless you try an Independent agent.

More often than not we've used direct holidays/Thomas cook as we've always found them excellent value for money. Whilst researching my holiday for this year I noticed that TC were coming out cheaper than their supposedly cheaper sister company Direct holidays- So we've booked with them.

Occasionally we will do short destinations on a diy basis but normally don't find they work out cheaper as we have to go peak weeks. We've booked hotel and flights through Travel republic for a week in Spain over Easter as we had a bargain

well coop shop took £70.00 off the web price from direct line holidays am very happy!!!!

Our recent holiday to South East Asia
Booked international flights on KLM with ebookers.com
Further internal flights with airasia.com
Two hotels booked with sawasdee.com
Final hotel with Agoda.com
Transfers via local transfer companys, or use airport taxis.

We have used all the major ones over the years..however after the fiasco of getting shafted on our Maldives holiday we had saved for a year for with only a few days to go...we said we would never again go with 1st Choice..now owned by Thomsons. It was Thomas Cook that bailed us out on that holiday and if we go package (which is not often tbh) we now nip in to our Thomas Cook in town. (after I have spent yonks on the internet looking to see what is about).

We tend to go on a lot of dive specific holidays and Blue O2 and Regaldive are the only ones we deal with. Excellent service (most of the time!)

We also do DIY but that is only on trips to Malta. We fly with Air Malta and sort our apartment out through friends who own property in Gozo.

We are planning an expedition to New Zealand at the end of this year. I have scoured the web for flights.. but just for extra help, the girls in TC are looking for us too as we want to have a couple of days in Singapore on the way there and a couple of days in San Fran on the way back.

I can't say we would never go with Thomsons or any of the others...its just that there has not been owt that we want so far.

It depends on where we're going and what we're doing. This year we've booked:

- 11 day tour of Costa Rica via Voyages Jules Verne
- a week in Selva Val Gardena (North Italy) via Thomson Lakes
- 11 day tour of Scotland and Cumbria - one property through Hoseasons and the other booked direct with the owner

Last year we did:

- DIY to Malta for our wedding
- a week in Mayrhofen (Austria) via Thomson Lakes
- a week in Gran Canaria via Thomas Cook

I tend to have a lot of brochures at home to help me choose a destination - then I do a lot of research on the web to see what options are out there. I love holidays!

At the moment I have Cyprus booked with First Choice , booked online..........I usually go long haul to asia and like to book the flights direct with Emirates then all the hotels direct, we also go to Goa quite often and book packages through First Choice

mostly thomas cook but thats only cos for me they have been cheapest. going next week to lanzarote with direct holidays as they were cheaper than thomas cook(even though same company). going to zante in august booked with thomas cook but its a thompson holiday, and normally find a cheapie late deal in october with thomas cook/
regards tracey

Have booked Thomas Cook for the first time , usually book with Thomson. tracey there are a few of us on the board going to Zante in August

For the last few years we have booked our holidays online.
Have booked direct with the owners of the accommodation or used Owners direct for the accommodation. Booked our flights directly with the airline TC, Viking and Monarch - oh apart from when we used the airline broker Airflights.
We do our homework and get the best deal for us.
Irene

Mainly use Travel Republic and DIY also booked a Thompon hotel direct a couple of times because of price ,got caught in the ash last year and not a problem with Easyjet so we try to book with them if possible.We have been on a couple of tours and have used Archers Direct for this .You would have to drag me into a high street tour operator after rubbish service, wrong information and being plagued on the phone if you don't book

Mostly whoever comes out the cheapest although with the uncertainty of doing a dynamic package these days I am now a little wary of them going bust.
This year have booked a cheap week to Lanzarote with Monarch Holidays...10 days in May with First Choice...and a week with Thomas Cook at the end of June to Zante (first time there so will be a nice change.) Happy to say they have all increased in price Now looking for a week away in Sept/Oct. and wanted another change of scene so looking at the Algarve but still unsure if it will suit us, also the accommodations are coming in more than I usually pay, have to economise with all these flipping holidays ....Caz

hi all

I always book at a travel agent. I do my research online using thomson, thomascook and firstchoice websites to find a few holidays (check the reviews on the shortlisted hotels) then i go to the respective shops and ask if they can match or better their web prices, so far its worked for all our previous holidays and our forthcoming ones My preference is a package holiday for my peace of mind although im acutely aware that d.i.y would save us some money i still always do a package holiday. I dont really stick to a particular tour operator although because of price thomascook have bagged most of my business!!! This year ive booked with thomascook for cyprus and thomson for kos both because of price on hotels we wanted to visit. I have thought about booking online with thomson, thomascook,firstchoice or direct holidays but when it comes to the put too i chicken out and toddle off the travelshop!!!

Happy Holidays

LFF x