How to make school trips more affordable

11 Feb 2026, 11:15
by Kate Moore

Germany school group rhine and moselle web

A great school trip can fire a pupil's passion for a subject, build their skills and confidence, and even open eyes to new cultures and possibilities.

But when budgets are tight, making trips affordable for more students can be a real challenge. Our educational travel experts share their top tips on how schools can make trips more affordable for more students without compromising quality or the educational experience.

Planning an affordable school trip abroad – top tips for organisers

Be flexible on dates – travelling in Autumn or Spring can save you up to 20%
Stay outside of town - it's often more comfortable as well as affordable to avoid the city centre
Travel by coach rather than by air, and fill every seat to maximise savings
Work with another department to spread your travel costs
Plan well in advance – early bookers get better deals and parents have longer to save

1. Avoid a school trip in summer term

A lot of schools want to travel in June or July because it’s an opportunity to celebrate the student’s hard work and learning. But if you plan your school trip in the summer term, you are inevitably going to spend more says MFL trip expert, Lucy Buckley.

"Being flexible on travel dates is the best way to cut costs. If you aren’t set on specific dates, you can really save. Taking your school trip in the Autumn or Spring terms can be up to 20% cheaper and that make the difference between a trip being viable or not.

"Schools taking a five-day language immersion school trip to Château de la Baudonniere in November can make a £90 per pupil saving compared to a group visiting in June. Both groups enjoy the same activities, instruction and educational benefits, the November group just pay less for travelling at a quieter time."

Lucy warns about potential learning loss if trips are taken in the summer term. “Ideally, students should have the opportunity to reinforce what they’ve learned back in the classroom. So it’s a shame if any progress gained during the trip is undone by lack of practise over the long summer break” she explains.

James King from Aldro School, cites other benefits of travelling in the Autumn term. He leads his French language immersion trip to Voyager’s Normandy centre, La Grand’Ferme, in October, and says that taking a school trip is a great way to build a strong foundation for language learning and confidence, enthusing students early in the school year.

2. Steer clear of tourist traps

Our educational travel expert, Liza Stewart, recommends that schools on a budget stay outside of a city’s touristy areas. “One of my favourite Classics tours is to Sorrento, taking in Vesuvius, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast.”

To make it more affordable, she recommends that school groups stay a little off the beaten track centre, “Sorrento is beautiful but not in every school’s budget, so I recommend that my school groups stay at a holiday village just 4km from the centre. This one small change can cut the cost of a five-day school trip by £45 per student compared to using a youth hostel in the city centre.

"I always get great feedback about the holiday village. It has landscaped Italian gardens and students love staying in their own little bungalows or using the large outdoor pool - perfect when you’ve been exploring dusty ancient sites all day.” she added.

3. Travel to Europe by coach rather than plane

Educational Tours Manager, Lisa English, explains Europe by coach is considerably cheaper than flying, and a surprising number of EU destinations are perfectly reachable by coach.

To maximise the savings made travelling by coach she says 40 is the magic number. "Spreading the cost of transport across a larger number of students can make the difference between a trip being affordable or not. And 40 is the optimum capacity for a coach."

Big groups can save even more by booking our new 85-seater double-decker coach - the latest addition to our specialist school trip coach fleet.

4. Invite another department on your trip

To fill a coach, and reduce the price per person, Sharon Langner, Student Conference Manager, encourages teachers to buddy up.

“Organise two department trips to the same destination to share travel costs and admin. That's why our Business Studies and Travel & Tourism Student Conferences are held on the same day, so both groups can share a coach to Disneyland Paris."

"We also provide posters, parent letters and ready-made presentations to help schools generate interest in the trip, and spread costs across a larger group.”

Click here for more ideas on how to maximise the take-up of your school trip.

5. Book early to get the best deals

School's Account Manager, Flick Williams, advises schools to book early to take advantage of cheaper flights and accommodation. "Flights are more expensive the later you book. I recommend that groups plan at least 13 months, as this is typically when most airlines release flights, and prices are at their lowest."

Another advantage to booking early is that parents (and students) have more time to save for the trip. For example, St Andrew's RC High School in Glasgow organises their school trip to Disneyland Paris 18 months in advance, meaning families can use Christmas and birthday money to help fund the trip. Encouraging pupils to find ways to save for their trip is a valuable lesson in itself.

Speak to one of our educational travel experts today for more tips on planning your school trip.

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