Start with the budget, not the brochure

Most people choose a travel package the wrong way round. They fall for a destination, then discover the trip costs twice what they planned. Starting with a firm budget and asking "what's the best trip this buys?" helps you enjoy a better holiday while avoiding unexpected charges on your credit card.

The same amount of money goes a very different distance depending on where you go. In the Post Office's 2025 long-haul survey, a basket of typical tourist purchases cost £58.81 in Hoi An, Vietnam, the cheapest of the destinations surveyed, according to the Post Office Long-Haul Report. In its 2026 European city survey, two nights and a set of typical extras for two people cost £248 in Sarajevo but £734 in Oslo, as reported by Euronews.

Here's what each budget level typically buys per person, based on the real 2026 package examples in this guide.

Under $500: short breaks that punch above their price

At this level, the trick is to go short-haul and short-stay. Budget airlines and tour operators package flights and hotels cheaply for three- or four-night trips, especially outside school holidays.

What we've seen recently:

•         European city breaks from the UK: easyJet holidays runs a dedicated category of city breaks at £250 per person or less, with flights and hotel, for places like Prague, Kraków, Marrakech and Lisbon, per its deals page.

•         A week in Tunisia all-inclusive: Travelzoo listed seven nights all-inclusive in Hammamet from £369 per person in late September 2026, on its UK Top 20.

•         Reykjavík: four nights with tours from £499 per person, also on Travelzoo's UK list. That's a little over $500 at current exchange rates, but shows how far a short-haul budget can stretch.

Where the money goes furthest: the Balkans and Eastern Europe. In the Post Office's 2026 city survey, Sarajevo, Bucharest, Tirana and Belgrade all came in at about £265 or less for two people's two-night basket.

Watch out for: baggage fees, airport transfers and city tourist taxes, which aren't always in the headline price. A £250 city break can become £350 once you add a checked bag and a taxi from the airport.

500–1,000: a proper week, or a long weekend further away

This is the sweet spot for a week-long sun holiday. From the US, it can buy an all-inclusive week in Mexico or the Caribbean in low season. From the UK, it covers most Mediterranean packages.

What we've seen recently:

•         Riviera Maya adults-only all-inclusive with flights from $769, and Cabo all-inclusive for three or more nights from $999, on Travelzoo's US Top 20.

•         Spain and Portugal, nine nights with flights, from $999, also on Travelzoo's US list.

•         TUI package holidays starting at about £408 per person for the Balearics and £570 for Greece, per its deals page.

•         Guatemala: Intrepid's seven-day Heart of Guatemala tour starts at about $999, before flights, per its Guatemala page.

Where the money goes furthest: Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Central America from the US; the Algarve, Spain's islands and Bulgaria from the UK. The Post Office's 2026 Family Holiday Report found the Algarve the cheapest family destination it surveyed, per its report.

Watch out for: "from" prices. They usually assume two adults sharing, the cheapest room, midweek departures and off-peak dates. School-holiday dates can cost 50% more or even double.

1,000–2,500: long-haul trips and guided tours

This budget opens up Asia, Africa and South America. You can either pick a package with flights to a good-value destination or choose a guided tour and buy flights separately.

What we've seen recently:

•         Thailand with flights and hotels from $1,349, and Egypt, eight nights with a Nile cruise and flights, from $1,599, on Travelzoo's US list.

•         Prague, Vienna and Budapest with flights and five-star hotels from $1,449, also on Travelzoo.

•         Vietnam: Intrepid's 10-day Express trip starts at about $1,505 and its 15-day Scenic Vietnam at about $1,950, before flights, per its Vietnam page.

•         Costa Rica: G Adventures' 16-day Costa Rica Adventure was on sale for $1,574, down from $2,099, land only, per its trip page.

Where the money goes furthest: Southeast Asia. Budget Your Trip puts mid-range travel in Vietnam at about $65 per person per day, including a hotel and meals, per its Vietnam page. The Hotels.com 2026 Hotel Price Index found five-star hotels in Nha Trang averaging about $119 a night and in Phuket about $144, per Expedia.

Watch out for: visa and entry fees. Vietnam's e-visa costs $25 for a single entry, and Bali charges both a $35 visa on arrival and a separate tourist levy of about $10.

2,500–5,000: premium tours and first dream trips

At this level, you can afford smaller groups, better hotels and destinations with expensive permits or park fees.

What this buys:

•         A premium small-group tour: Intrepid's Premium Vietnam, eight days, starts at about $2,935 before flights.

•         A mid-range Tanzania safari: seven days typically costs about $3,150 to $4,200 per person, before international flights, according to Duma Explorer.

•         A Galápagos cruise: a mid-range eight-day cruise runs about $4,500 to $7,500, so the top of this budget gets you a budget or lower mid-range boat, per Galapagos Insiders.

•         A Maldives week: Kuoni's seven-night packages from London, with flights and transfers, start at about £1,677 per person full board and about £2,539 all-inclusive, per its Maldives page.

Watch out for: optional extras that aren't optional in practice, like park fees and safari tips, domestic flights in places like the Galápagos, and single supplements if you're traveling alone.

$5,000 and up: luxury escapes

Above $5,000 per person, you're paying for privacy, space, remoteness and service rather than just a destination.

•         A five-star Maldives week: Kuoni lists seven nights at the W Maldives, with flights from London and transfers, from about £5,603 per person.

•         Antarctica: a classic 10- to 11-day Antarctic Peninsula expedition cruise ranges from about $8,700 to $28,700 per person, twin share, for the 2026/27 season, according to Swoop.

•         A Botswana fly-in safari: Okavango Delta camps run from about $800 to more than $5,000 per person per night, with bush flights costing $350 to $700 per leg, per African Safari Mag.

•         Premium guided tours plus flights: Intrepid's Premium range costs about $2,935 to $4,395 before flights. Adding business-class airfare easily takes the total past $5,000.

At this price, a specialist travel advisor usually earns their fee. They can find room upgrades, flexible terms and better flight connections that aren't advertised online.

How to stretch any package budget

1.       Move your dates by a few weeks. Shoulder season can make a big difference, especially to flights. Kayak found international fares 33% lower in autumn 2025 than in peak summer, per its shoulder season analysis.

2.       Pick the second city. Porto instead of Lisbon, Kraków instead of Prague, Hoi An instead of Bangkok. You get a similar experience for less.

3.       Compare full board with all-inclusive. If you don't drink much alcohol, full board can be significantly cheaper for the same hotel, as Kuoni's Maldives prices show.

4.       Watch for sales. Package companies often run their biggest sales around Black Friday and in January.

5.       Read what "from" means. Check the exact dates, room type and number of travelers the price is based on before you get attached to it.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a good travel package for $500?

Yes, for a short trip. From the UK, three- or four-night city breaks with flights regularly come in under £250 per person. From the US, $500 usually covers a long weekend somewhere reachable by a short flight, such as Mexico or the Caribbean in low season.

What's a realistic budget for a week-long international trip?

For a week in a good-value destination such as Mexico, Portugal or Thailand, allow roughly $1,000 to $2,500 per person including flights, depending on where you fly from and the season.

Are package holidays cheaper than booking separately?

They often are for beach holidays, because tour operators buy rooms and seats in bulk. For city breaks, booking the flight and hotel separately is often just as cheap. Compare both on the same day.

What does a luxury travel package include?

Usually premium flights or connections, five-star or boutique accommodation, private transfers and often private guiding. Top-end safari and island packages also include most meals, drinks and activities.