A: Ok - there’s a lot to this answer here so we’ll try and keep it as short as possible - TLDR: theres no true secret hack to this - anyone that tells you there is, is probably part of a commission or travel scheme of some sort! We use all tools and aggregator websites we can; like Booking.com, Airbnb.com, Google Hotels, Agoda.com and others.

Using a primary platform does help as each have their own reward scheme which is usually volume based meaning the more you spend on a single platform - the better the benefits. Levelling up a tier can open up bigger discounts and other perks (free breakfasts, upgrades and resort credit). We approach each destination with a target nightly rate in mind, as well as things we’re happy to compromise on - think, saving money for being a 10 minute further walk from the metro stop, or opting out of the breakfast if we think its overpriced, or in some cases staying in two separate rooms as a family of four if it makes sense.

When looking for Airbnb’s we often look at the weekly rate even if we hadn’t planned to stay a week in a particular location - longer stay discounts can be as much as 50% off the nightly rate which certainly adds up!

A: Some say theres a sweet spot around 6–8 weeks before, but we’ve found it varies by destination. Some of our best deals have been when we’ve booked ahead - months in advance, and equally we’ve had great deals on only 48 hours notice!

We tend to track trends using Google Flights and Skyscanner.com alerts for long haul destinations. Similarly with the accommodation, we do our base research across the price comparison sites - to establish the range of cost and set a level of expectation, then look out for price drops or take advantage of sales and promotions. In terms of long haul - direct flights will typically be the most expensive, so looking for connecting options (yet being reasonable with it) is also something we consider.

On our recent trip to Japan we managed to save around 60% off the cheapest direct flight by connecting via Beijing, flying with Air China. This is incredibly significant when travelling as a family of 4!

A: First off: our kids are genuinely really good at travelling, we don’t know if its that they know no different at this point or what - we don’t really need any tricks or tactics. One important thing we always try to do is make it clear to them how long our travel days are going to take - so if its 12hours, we tell them the clock will be ‘the same time but at night’ by the time we get there, if its a shorter flight we tell them its the length of a film or two films they’ve watched. We ensure they have offline movies if theres no inflight entertainment and plenty of drinks and snacks!

A: We’ve had many memorable trips with the kids, our favourite destinations are: Greece (we love the islands of Corfu and Santorini, as well as the capital Athens), Norway (our week long road trip was not long enough!), UAE (a week split between Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and Japan (we spent 5 weeks travelling between Tokyo and Fukuoka). Read about our trips to these destinations elsewhere on our blog!