Budget Travelshop uses Britannia Airlines which flies direct from Dublin and Shannon to Florida, Barbados and Mexico. But since March, Florida has been booked out until October.
There is good October availability in Barbados and Mexico. Cancun, a resort on the Yuachtan Peninsula in Mexico, has been marketed for the past two years as a high-amenity area suitable for families. Promoters say that it is similar to the US in terms of value for money, although the further you travel into the countryside, the cheaper it becomes.
Early promotional deals and offers are drawing families. For a fortnight, two adults and two children travel for £1,859, excluding insurance. In October that goes down to £1,759. The disadvantage for families is the 12-hour flight although the airline provides kids packs and films.
Joe Walsh Tours
Joe Walsh Tours emphasises the high-service standards in Thailand and Malaysia and the value for money offered following the Asian currency crises. The Thai bat which was worth 37 to the pound last year has fallen to about 55 to the pound. An average meal out for two people, with drinks, in Thailand costs £10, promoters say. In September, prices for Thailand start at £599 per person for one week, including night flight over and back and five nights' hotel accommodation, with American buffet breakfast. Prices for three nights in Bangkok and then flying to the Phuket seaside resort area for seven nights begin at £779 per person.
Bali has become popular again after the Department of Foreign Affairs lifted its recommendation not to travel to Indonesia following the recent turmoil in the capital and larger cities. Shopping remains an attraction. One week in September or October costs about £759, rising to £839 for two weeks.
American Holidays
American Holidays recommends booking as early as January for the cheaper September breaks to New York and Boston. In the higher price range, three nights in New York in September, staying in Fitzpatrick's costs about £750 per person. But if you booked earlier, you could have stayed at the one-star Milford Plaza for £530. Availability is much better for Chicago, which is now an Aer Lingus destination, and offers better value. It costs about £540 for a three-night stay in a two-star hotel.
A Californian 13-night coach tour - The Wonders of the Golden West - taking in Los Angeles, San Franciso, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon, with three-star accommodation costs from £1,299 in September based on two people sharing.Adventure holidays, combining camping and budget accommodation, cost from £950 in September, and "literally go everywhere in America" for the 18 to 38year-old age group.
Flyaway Tours
Among Flyaway's autumn breaks are holidays to Malaga in Spain, Portugal and "a successful programme to Egypt". Its most popular option is a £531, week-long 4-star Nile cruise.
The cruise boat has 50 cabins, with accommodation for 100 people, with onboard entertainment and parties. "People seem to drop their age and their inhibitions when they are there. If you have a good crowd on the boat you will have a good party," a spokeswoman for the company said. Alternatively, you can fly to Luxor and have a hotel for a week for £381, and book independent tours to the valleys. "The Nile cruise is better value, because the trips are included and the meals are included," a spokeswoman for Flyaway said. South Africa is increasingly being offered by tour operators and Flyaway offers a fare to Capetown for about £550 from September 15th.
Hotels can be expensive, but self-catering units with swimming pools are popular, costing about £40 to £50 per person per night. Guesthouses are also of a high standard and many people rent a car and tour, often in the Garden Route area, stopping off at the resorts of Mossell Bay, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.
Falcon Travel
For diehard sunshine aficionados Falcon offers the Canaries, Greece and Turkey for those chasing a late holiday or combining an activity holiday with bearable weather. Golfers and walkers, in particular, find the going easier in sunny climes in September and October.
A week in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, costs about £280 per person for three people sharing in September/ October. Majorca, because of lower aviation costs, is cheaper, costing two people sharing £234 each for a week after September 23rd, but offering good golf, and accessibility to other places such as Seville, Cordoba, Gibraltar and Morocco.
A flight and standard hotel in Kusadasi, Turkey, for a week in late September costs about £264, including flight, transfer and breakfast.
Twohig Travels
Twohig Travel's long-haul division takes in an impressive list of far flung destinations, including Vietnam, China and the Phillipines.
The company says that Australia has become hugely popular this year, with travellers often combining a trip to south-east Asia, which they also promote, with a stint down under.
"We do a lot of holiday packages - People going for a month or two months and travelling around," a spokeswoman said.
They quote a three-month return £699 ticket with Thai airlines to Sydney if you book before the end of June. After that it rises to £750.
If you fancy going further afield the fare to Auckland, New Zealand, in September is £699, valid for one year.
Some operators, including Twohigs, offer Caribbean cruises through Royal Caribbean International on a cruise only or a fly/cruise price basis.
