By Natalie Bowen
With airport strikes, ash clouds and failing travel companies to contend with, thousands of holidaymakers have opted for a little extra security by paying for their trips with credit cards.
As journeys paid for with credit are easier to claim back through travel insurance if things go wrong, travellers put about £5.46 billion on plastic - which is about £424.50 per traveller, according to a poll.
Yet paying for expensive trips with credit cards can cost more in the long run, as just 58% of people will pay off the balance within a month, the Sainsbury's Credit Cards survey showed.
On average it takes two and half months to clear holiday debt, but 5% of people with poor financial planning will not have paid it back more than year later.
Booking last minute jaunts is less popular than planning ahead, as only 5% of people book a trip two weeks before they set off.
The survey of 2,035 adults revealed that 11% booked their summer break four weeks before departure, with 19.4% booking one to two months before leaving and 29.5% making arrangements three to five months earlier.
A total of 26% booked six to 12 months before departure, while 5% booked a year or more in advance.
