Easter 2026 runs 2 to 6 April, and prices are high but not summer-high. Malaga from £58 one-way on easyJet from Manchester is about as good as it gets for that week, and temperatures are already hitting the low 20s. Book now if you haven't, because the gaps are closing fast.
May half term, 25 to 29 May, is genuinely one of the best-value school holiday windows of the year. Majorca from £89 return on Jet2 from Manchester is the standout right now, and that price includes hold luggage which Ryanair and easyJet won't. Late May in Majorca means 25 degrees, quieter beaches, and hotels that haven't jacked their rates to August levels yet.
Faro from £61 one-way on Ryanair from Bristol is another May half term winner. The Algarve in late May is warm, the crowds are manageable, and you're not paying the July premium. A family of four can genuinely do five nights there for under £1,400 all-in if you sort a decent villa early.
The honest caveat on Easter: if you're flexible by even two or three days either side of the school break, you'll save money. Flying back on 7 April instead of 6 April on that Malaga easyJet route drops the return leg by around £35 per person. On a family of four that's £140 back in your pocket for one extra day of term.
Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Stansted, Gatwick
School Holiday Flights from the UK: Real Prices, Real Talk
Majorca from £89 return in May half term. Yes, really.
About these prices: All price ranges shown are indicative, based on typical fares seen on Aviasales for each route. Actual prices change daily depending on date, availability and how far ahead you book. Always search for live prices using the tool below — it pulls real-time data directly from Aviasales.
Easter and May Half Term: The Underrated Windows
Summer Holidays: Yes, It Costs More. Here's How Much More.
Mid-July to the start of September is the most expensive flying window of the year, full stop. Lanzarote from £97 return on Ryanair from Bristol sounds reasonable until you check the same route in May and see it at £63. Summer adds roughly £30 to £50 per person per return flight on most popular Canaries and Balearics routes.
That said, £97 return to Lanzarote in summer is still a decent price. Ryanair's Bristol to Lanzarote route is one of the more consistent ones for keeping summer fares below £120 return. Tenerife from £109 return on Jet2 from Birmingham is another that stays relatively sane if you book four to five months out. The further out you book for summer, the better, this is not a last-minute game.
The date trick that actually works: flying on the last Saturday of term rather than the first Saturday of the holidays saves real money. On a Manchester to Palma easyJet route in July 2025, the Saturday before schools broke was £78 one-way per adult. The Saturday after schools broke was £131. That's £53 per person, £212 for a family of four, just for shifting one day. Most schools won't fine you for a single Friday absence at the end of term, though that call is yours.
If you want to avoid paying summer prices altogether, mid-September is the sweet spot. Ibiza from £49 one-way on Ryanair from Stansted in the second week of September is half what it costs six weeks earlier. The weather is still 27 or 28 degrees. The clubs are winding down but the beaches are not. For couples or families with flexible school arrangements, it's the obvious move.
That said, £97 return to Lanzarote in summer is still a decent price. Ryanair's Bristol to Lanzarote route is one of the more consistent ones for keeping summer fares below £120 return. Tenerife from £109 return on Jet2 from Birmingham is another that stays relatively sane if you book four to five months out. The further out you book for summer, the better, this is not a last-minute game.
The date trick that actually works: flying on the last Saturday of term rather than the first Saturday of the holidays saves real money. On a Manchester to Palma easyJet route in July 2025, the Saturday before schools broke was £78 one-way per adult. The Saturday after schools broke was £131. That's £53 per person, £212 for a family of four, just for shifting one day. Most schools won't fine you for a single Friday absence at the end of term, though that call is yours.
If you want to avoid paying summer prices altogether, mid-September is the sweet spot. Ibiza from £49 one-way on Ryanair from Stansted in the second week of September is half what it costs six weeks earlier. The weather is still 27 or 28 degrees. The clubs are winding down but the beaches are not. For couples or families with flexible school arrangements, it's the obvious move.
October Half Term and Christmas: Cold Destinations, Hot Prices
October half term tends to fall in the last week of October, and it's a funny window. Canaries prices go up, city break prices stay low, and a lot of families haven't cottoned on to just how good the short-haul city options are. Krakow from £39 one-way on Ryanair from Stansted is the one worth shouting about. Yes, it'll be 8 or 9 degrees. No, that's not a problem. Krakow in October is all mulled wine, medieval squares, and pierogi for under a fiver. Kids either love it or learn to.
Lanzarote from £119 return on Ryanair from Bristol in October half term is still worth paying. It's £22 more per person than summer, which feels counterintuitive, but the Canaries peak hits late October as everyone chases the last warm sun. Temperatures sit at 24 to 26 degrees in late October in Lanzarote, the island is quieter than August, and £119 return is still a reasonable number. Book it.
Christmas and New Year is the one window where frugality mostly goes out the window. Flights to New York from £380 return on Norwegian from Gatwick are about the cheapest transatlantic options you'll find in late December, and even those are picked over quickly. For European city breaks over Christmas, Prague from £89 return on Ryanair from Stansted is one of the few routes that stays under £100 return even in peak festive weeks. The Christmas markets justify the trip on their own.
New Year flights are brutal. The 27 to 30 December window sees prices spike hard on almost every leisure route. If you're travelling as a family, a self-catered ski chalet in France via Geneva from £71 one-way on easyJet from Bristol often works out cheaper than a beach hotel once you factor in eating in. Not glamorous advice, but it's true.
Lanzarote from £119 return on Ryanair from Bristol in October half term is still worth paying. It's £22 more per person than summer, which feels counterintuitive, but the Canaries peak hits late October as everyone chases the last warm sun. Temperatures sit at 24 to 26 degrees in late October in Lanzarote, the island is quieter than August, and £119 return is still a reasonable number. Book it.
Christmas and New Year is the one window where frugality mostly goes out the window. Flights to New York from £380 return on Norwegian from Gatwick are about the cheapest transatlantic options you'll find in late December, and even those are picked over quickly. For European city breaks over Christmas, Prague from £89 return on Ryanair from Stansted is one of the few routes that stays under £100 return even in peak festive weeks. The Christmas markets justify the trip on their own.
New Year flights are brutal. The 27 to 30 December window sees prices spike hard on almost every leisure route. If you're travelling as a family, a self-catered ski chalet in France via Geneva from £71 one-way on easyJet from Bristol often works out cheaper than a beach hotel once you factor in eating in. Not glamorous advice, but it's true.
Best UK Airports for School Holiday Travel: Skip the Heathrow Chaos
Manchester is the best family airport in the UK for school holiday travel, and it's not particularly close. Terminal 2 has Ryanair, easyJet, and Jet2 all operating short-haul routes, which means genuine competition on popular routes like Palma, Alicante, and Malaga. Drop-off is easier than Heathrow, the check-in queues move faster in school holiday periods, and you're not paying £6 for a 20-minute Tube ride on top of everything else.
Bristol is the one that surprises people who haven't used it. Ryanair's Bristol base is one of their busiest UK operations, which keeps prices competitive on Canaries and Balearics routes. Families from the South West and South Wales save significantly compared to routing through Heathrow or Gatwick, and the airport itself handles peak periods without completely falling apart. Faro from £58 one-way on Ryanair from Bristol in summer is a consistent find.
Birmingham gets overlooked, mainly because people in the Midlands assume they need to go to London for good flight options. They don't. Jet2 fly Majorca, Tenerife, and Lanzarote from Birmingham with included hold luggage, which is a genuinely meaningful saving for families. A family of four checking two bags on Ryanair from Stansted adds £60 to £80 to the total. Jet2's included bags often make Birmingham the cheaper option even if the headline fare is £15 more.
Heathrow is fine for long-haul, and for some routes there's no alternative. For short-haul school holiday travel with kids though, the stress-to-saving ratio rarely works in your favour. Expensive car parking, complex terminals, and Tube logistics with buggies and car seats. Use it when you need it. The rest of the time, Manchester, Bristol, or Birmingham will do the job better.
Bristol is the one that surprises people who haven't used it. Ryanair's Bristol base is one of their busiest UK operations, which keeps prices competitive on Canaries and Balearics routes. Families from the South West and South Wales save significantly compared to routing through Heathrow or Gatwick, and the airport itself handles peak periods without completely falling apart. Faro from £58 one-way on Ryanair from Bristol in summer is a consistent find.
Birmingham gets overlooked, mainly because people in the Midlands assume they need to go to London for good flight options. They don't. Jet2 fly Majorca, Tenerife, and Lanzarote from Birmingham with included hold luggage, which is a genuinely meaningful saving for families. A family of four checking two bags on Ryanair from Stansted adds £60 to £80 to the total. Jet2's included bags often make Birmingham the cheaper option even if the headline fare is £15 more.
Heathrow is fine for long-haul, and for some routes there's no alternative. For short-haul school holiday travel with kids though, the stress-to-saving ratio rarely works in your favour. Expensive car parking, complex terminals, and Tube logistics with buggies and car seats. Use it when you need it. The rest of the time, Manchester, Bristol, or Birmingham will do the job better.
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