A weekend away is usually priced in two numbers — the flight and the room — and then overruns by a margin that feels mysterious afterwards. It is not mysterious. The missing costs are consistent, documented and mostly published in advance by the destination itself.
The six lines
- Transport to and from the destination, including seat, baggage and any change fees you might realistically incur.
- Accommodation, including the local tourist or city tax, which is often charged separately at check-in and not shown in the booking total.
- Airport and local transit — the transfer at each end is frequently the single most underestimated line.
- Food, budgeted at a realistic daily figure for the city rather than a national average.
- Entry and booking costs for the specific things you intend to do, several of which may require timed tickets bought in advance.
- Currency and card fees: conversion margins, cash withdrawal charges and dynamic currency conversion offered at the terminal.
The one habit that saves the most
Always decline the option to be charged in your home currency when a card terminal offers it. The conversion rate applied at the point of sale is set by the merchant's provider, and it is rarely in your favour.
The cheapest fare is rarely the cheapest trip. Add the bag, the seat and the transfer before you compare anything.
Where official sources beat aggregators
City transport authorities publish fare tables and visitor pass terms directly. National tourism bodies publish tourist-tax rates. Airlines publish baggage dimensions and fees in their conditions of carriage. Each of these is authoritative, free and more current than a third-party summary — including this one.
Rights you have already paid for
In many jurisdictions, air passengers have statutory rights to assistance or compensation when a flight is cancelled or heavily delayed, and package travel booked as a package carries additional protections. These rules are set out by regulators and are worth reading once, before a trip goes wrong rather than after.
No prices, hotels or operators are recommended in this guide. THRYV does not accept hosted travel, and destination shortlists will publish only when reporting has been completed and paid for by us.
