The DIY holiday option is generally better for families as the flight times can be better and overall it gives more flexibility and independence. You have the option of a self catering, camping, on occasion staying in upmarket hotels or alternatively renting a villa or a farmhouse. Other options could include renting a big house with family or friends save costs on babysitting services.

The DIY option will involve a bit more planning and will usually (but not always) save you a good bit of money which you can use on your holiday.

For city breaks have a look at serviced apartments from the Apartment Service which are great for self catering as an alternative for families to city hotels. For villa holidays look at the villas offered by James Villa  and holidayhomesdirect.ie who have lots of family friendly villas in great locations.

If you want to book independently you can book hotels with booking.com and flights, ferries and car hire with us to avail of special offers and online discounts through our carefully selected family travel partners.

The Internet is a great place for special online deals for families which can range from upgrades to free child places and significant discounts on the brochure price which can in some cases be up to 10%.

You will nearly always find that it is cheaper to book directly online than over the phone or through a travel agent so do a bit of surfing. Most tour operators give a discount (up to 5% for booking online). For example Italy specialists Citalia one of the leaders in the upmarket package market for Italy have a 5% discount for online bookings. Sunway offer €30 off and canvas holidays offer €45 extra off when you book online.

There are lots of sites on the Internet now that help you compare the prices offered by various different booking engines. Some of our partners provide good price comparison sites.  They include our partner Cartrawler which trawls over 450 car-rental providers and aferryto which allows you to compare prices on ferry operators. Look also at Travelsupermarket.com, Kayak.co.uk, Traveljungle.co.uk, and Skyscanner.net.

If you are travelling with children, check carefully whether or not they qualify for reduced prices. The age limit on child prices varies depending on your choice of flight, hotel accommodation and package holiday, and you may be charged a full adult fare for children as young as 12. Check each travel operator’s policy before making your booking.

Have a look at Tripkick.com to get the inside story on the best rooms to pick within the hotel. Not all hotel rooms are created equal so whether you prefer something quiet, oversized, or with a view they give you a series of specific room numbers to request.  It is US based so far but looks like it is expanding.

Budget airlines can get to  pretty much anywhere in Europe these days. Go low on the flight and upgrade your hotel star. Charters often offer good value too as well as better seat space sometimes. Check out seat selection on seatguru.com.

Sign yourself up to a frequent flyer scheme to earn discount point every time you go abroad. These schemes are free to join so are worth signing up for even if you travel only once or twice a year, though those who travel regularly will see the benefits sooner. The kids can get cards too on BA and they might as well if you are paying for a seat. It all adds up when you are flying long haul.

Scandinavian Airlines have decided to to scrap the age limit for EuroBonus membership. More than a million children fly with SAS every year, and now they too can earn frequent flyer points.

If you know of any other airlines that have good policies for frequent flying children do let us and other parents know on the forum.