WITH the UK in the middle of another national lockdown, many have dreams of getting back on track with their travel bucket list in 2021.

Some airlines and travel companies, including Jet2 and Jet2Holidays, have launched flights and packages for the 2021 summer holiday season. However, with the United Kingdom currently in a national lockdown, will it be safe to travel abroad by the summer?

Airports and airlines are hoping that, with the advancement of the vaccination programme in the UK, there will be an increase flying abroad for holidays later in the year.

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Here, Nicky Kelvin, director of content at The Points Guys UK travel website and blog gives the lowdown on what travellers should bear in mind about booking holidays going forward.

Should people go on holiday right now?

“Government advice right now is definitely against holidays. The new national lockdown advises against leisure travel, and you can only travel with specific exemptions,” says Kelvin.

“These exemptions are available to view on the Government website.

“Travelling away for a pure holiday is a no.There is also no exact date as to when that guidance will change.”

At present, travel is only allowed for essential reasons. These can include work, education, medical appointments, or caring obligations.

Should I book a holiday for summer 2021?

“Looking ahead to the summer and beyond that, to the end of the year, if there is a really good deal that you want to take advantage of, there is no reason why you can’t book it,” comments Kelvin.

However, there are a number of things you should be careful about when booking a summer holiday deal:

Ensure the ticket is protected and flexible

You should ensure your money is fully protected and that your ticket is flexible.

Kelvin recommends that you should aim for a booking that is fully cancellable and flexible, that will allow you to change the date of travel, or get a refund.

Have adequate insurance

You should ensure you have full and adequate insurance that is going to cover you for as many eventualities as possible.

Book ATOL protected and with credit card

You should ensure that the company is ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) protected. If you are booking directly with an airline, Kelvin recommends paying with a credit card so you will be protected by legislation.

This will give you extra protection in case the airline goes under, and you will probably be able to get your money back.

Is it better to book early with holiday deals in 2021?

“If there isn’t a risk and the deal is great, it's worth going for it,” says Kelvin.

“We are not going to see an end to great deals and great prices as the year carries on. I think we will see lots of deals, lots of sales as travel begins to pick back up again. A deal now is not going to disappear and you will never see it again.

“However, the one thing that might change - and this is very difficult to predict, as destinations become popular, or as travel corridors pop up - is prices rising. This was seen with Dubai in 2020.

“So people should bear in mind that prices for locations could potentially go up in price if travel is allowed.”