How to compare group travel quotes
- Last reviewed
- 5 min read
- For universities, schools, sports teams, production crews, event organisers, corporate groups
The short answer
To compare group travel quotes, first put every quote on the same basis: the same dates, the same number of paying travellers, the same inclusions and the same currency. Then add the costs each quote leaves out, such as baggage, taxes, transfers and local charges, and compare the payment and cancellation terms as well as the price. The lowest headline price is often not the lowest cost.
Key takeaways
- Ask every supplier to quote on identical assumptions: dates, minimum paying numbers, room types, board basis and what counts as a free or staff place.
- Build a single comparison sheet with one row per cost line and mark each exclusion, then price the gaps.
- Check what each quote assumes about taxes, baggage, city taxes, transfers and exchange rates.
- Compare validity dates, deposits, name and payment deadlines and the cancellation scale, because they decide how much risk you carry.
- Weigh quality and support as well as price, and record the reason for your final choice.
Why do group travel quotes look so different?
Two quotes for the same trip can differ by hundreds of pounds per person without either being wrong, because they rest on different assumptions. One may price 30 paying travellers and another 40. One may include checked baggage and the other may not. One may quote in sterling and another in euros. Until those differences are removed, the totals are not comparable.
The group travel budget guide explains how to split costs into fixed, per-head and variable lines. Use the same structure when you compare quotes, so that each supplier's figures drop into the same lines.
What should you fix before asking for quotes?
- Dates and flexibility: fixed dates or a window, and whether a shift of a day changes the price.
- Numbers: the minimum paying travellers, the expected number and how staff or free places are counted.
- Standards: room type and sharing, board basis, transfer type and any activities.
- Currency: the currency you want each quote expressed in, and the exchange rate date it assumes.
- Format: a template with the same cost lines, so every supplier fills in the same rows.
Airline thresholds also vary. Ryanair's group service, for example, starts at 15 passengers according to its help centre, so a 12-person group may need a different route from a 20-person one. See how group flight bookings work for how thresholds, deposits and name deadlines usually operate.
What is often missing from a headline price?
| Cost line | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes and charges | Are they inside the fare shown? | Some quotes show base fares and add taxes later |
| Baggage | How many bags, what weights, sports or equipment extras? | Kit, instruments and production equipment often exceed standard allowances |
| Local taxes | Are city or tourist taxes included or paid at the hotel? | They are often paid on arrival and missed in totals |
| Transfers | Are airport and excursion transfers included? | A cheap hotel rate can hide high transport costs |
| Staff places | Are leaders costed in full, and who pays? | Their cost is spread across the paying group |
| Name changes | What is the fee and cut-off date? | Airline rules vary and fees can apply per change |
| Currency | Which currency and what rate is assumed? | A cautious rate protects you from movement before payment |
| Meals and extras | Which meals, drinks and activities are in? | Board basis changes the real per-person cost |
For flights, remember that children under 16 travelling in the lowest class are exempt from Air Passenger Duty, according to HMRC guidance on GOV.UK. Ask for fares by passenger type so that a school group's pupil fares are not overstated.
How do you build a fair comparison sheet?
- Put each supplier in a column and each cost line in a row, using the lines from your own budget.
- Enter the quoted figure for each line, in one currency, and mark blanks as 'not included' rather than leaving them empty.
- Estimate the missing lines using the other quotes or your own research, and add them to produce an adjusted total.
- Convert the adjusted total to a per-person price at your minimum paying numbers, using the group travel calculator if you want to test different group sizes.
- Add a separate section for terms: validity, deposit, balance dates, cancellation scale and amendment rules.
- Score quality factors such as experience with similar groups, emergency support and clarity, with the weighting agreed before you read the prices.
Where a free or complimentary place is offered, treat it as a saving only when the written conditions are clear. How free places work in group travel covers the usual ratios and exclusions.
Which terms matter as much as the price?
A cheaper quote with weaker terms may cost more in the end. Check how long the price is held, because group quotes usually expire, and whether the price is guaranteed or subject to review. Compare the deposit and the dates on which balances fall due with your own ability to collect money from travellers. Compare cancellation scales, attrition limits on room blocks and who carries the risk of currency or fuel changes.
A short list of clauses to fix before you sign is in group travel contract terms to check. Public sector buyers should also read how public sector organisations procure group travel, as published award criteria affect how quotes must be scored.
How Roamly can help
Roamly can quote group flights and ground logistics on the basis you specify, with an itemised breakdown so that figures drop straight into your comparison. Our group flights and logistics services are described on the site, and the free group travel calculator lets you test per-person prices at different numbers. To request a quote, contact us.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Exemptions from Air Passenger Duty
- Ryanair Help Centre: How do I book for a group? (15+ passengers)
- GOV.UK: Procurement Act 2023, a short guide for suppliers
General guidance only, checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. Entry rules, airline policies and official advice change, so confirm the current position with the linked source before you travel.