TRAVEL BLOG 14/12/2019

The general election may have brought doom and gloom for many, but for shoppers, the improvement in the exchange rate is a huge Christmas bonus. It’s not just the Euro either. The pound is holding firm against the US, Australian and New Zealand Dollars, which is perfect timing for sourcing unusual international gifts or treating yourself to an exotic break.

Christmas gifts from abroad

If you are looking to buy unusual gifts online, now is the time to press the button, particularly if you want something from the US. Everything from Mac &Cheese candy canes to city beehive starter kits, official NFL merchandise and mermaid leggings are available from American online merchants to English buyers. And now at bargain prices.

For presents that keeps giving throughout the year, The US offers an enormous range of subscription boxes. The latest trend across the pond at the moment, perfume, health & beauty, tea and stationery boxes are just a few of the choices available for UK customers which will impress your friends & family.

Further afield, the latest boost to the sterling exchange rate will help you treat friends & relatives to a bigger and better Christmas this year. Unique, bespoke gifts and hampers from Australia and New Zealand are suddenly more affordable to UK buyers. And thanks to an abundance of flexible e-commerce websites, personalised luxury gifts can be purchased in just about any currency and shipped to friends and loved one’s miles from their homeland.

Shopping for a holiday

If you were looking to go away in the new year, take a bit of time now to lock in a sale with the current exchange rate and get more for your money. In European or to warmer, exotic destinations, the exchange rate could make a significant impact on your budget.

If you are chasing the sun spending a bit of time to assemble a bespoke holiday from an American holiday provider will grab you the best deals. Amazing adventures. Cheap January and February deals are even more attractive at the moment thanks to the rise in the value of the pound. Five-night luxury stays in oceanfront Hawaiian paradises are now cheaper than ever. And sun-soaked escapes to Florida in boutique hotels a few miles from Miami Beach are available from as little as $799/£599 with flights!

New Year flight sales

Providing the exchange rate holds at its current level, the new year flight sales could mean more bargains for everyone. Money saved on flights inevitably means more money to spend on memories like trips to theme parks, a swim with dolphins or adrenalin-fueled airboat rides through the Florida everglades.

Favourable exchange rates between the USD and UK pound have a significant effect on aviation fuel prices. Sold in US$ per gallon, a lower cost per barrel has a knock-on effect on UK flight prices, which is excellent news for transatlantic and domestic US flight seekers. With over a hundred internal routes, generous legroom, inflight craft beer and Starbucks coffee, Alaska Airlines top the charts for hopping between the US states, offer the perfect long haul solutions with their partner UK flight providers British Airways.