We are used to some airlines trying to grab as much money as they can.  In fact last week there was a meeting in the US that considered new ways. We aren’t used to tour operators doing it as well but one has broken ranks with the others and wants your money earlier. You won’t pay any more but you will pay earlier

When you book a holiday it is usual to put a deposit down and then the balance is due 8 weeks before you leave. If you book within that 8 week period, usually the whole cost of the holiday is due. Now one of the largest and well known tour operators, Cosmos, has decided that it will change and wants the balance of its money 12 weeks before the departure date. So it wants its money 4 weeks earlier which means that it will earn more interest on your money.

It won’t happen quite like that because it has contracts with travel agents and those contracts stipulate payment terms. So some travel agents won’t have to pay the money across any earlier yet. When their contracts expire then that may alter. So if you book a Cosmos holiday via a travel agent, make sure you confirm whether the final payment is due 8 or 12 weeks before the holiday starts.

So far Tui (Thomson, First Choice, Crystal, Portland, JWT, and Falcon are the main brands it has) Thomas Cook, (Airtours, Direct Holidays, Sunquest, Neilson and Thomas Cook are their main brands) Virgin Holidays, Kuoni and the others have not announced any intention of changing their payment structure.