Spring Bank Holiday Flights 2026: May 23–26 Deals

The Spring bank holiday on May 25 combines with most schools' half-term break, making it the most demand-compressed holiday window outside of summer. You're not just competing with leisure travellers — the whole country with school-age children wants the same dates. That compresses demand into a narrow window and pushes prices faster than Easter, where adult travellers have more date flexibility.

The good news is that we're still 25 days out, which is early enough to find reasonable fares on most routes. The repricing accelerates from around May 10–12 — fares that are £70–90 one-way today will be £110–140 by mid-May on popular sun routes. Booking this week or next saves materially on most itineraries.

The worst mistake is waiting until the week before. Unlike Easter, where last-minute seat releases sometimes happen, the Spring bank holiday has enough guaranteed demand that airlines don't need to discount late inventory. Book now.

Menorca (MAH) from Gatwick or Manchester: easyJet and Jet2 both serve Menorca in May. Unlike Mallorca and Ibiza, Menorca doesn't attract the same peak demand — fares are currently around £65–85 one-way for May 23 departures. The island is 22–24°C, quiet, and genuinely beautiful. It's one of the most consistently underpriced Mediterranean options at bank holidays.

Faro (FAO), Algarve from Gatwick or Bristol: Ryanair from Stansted and easyJet from Gatwick showing around £60–80 one-way for May 23. The Algarve in late May is warm (22–24°C), not yet peak crowded, and accommodation is 25–35% cheaper than August. Best overall family value for the bank holiday.

Marrakech (RAK) from Gatwick or Manchester: easyJet from Gatwick around £65–85 one-way for May 23. Marrakech at 28–32°C in late May is warm but not oppressively hot. It's genuinely different from a European break — the souks, the food, day trips to the Atlas Mountains — and the flight is only 3.5 hours.

Rhodes (RHO) from Manchester or Gatwick: Jet2 from Manchester around £80–105 one-way with bags included. Rhodes in late May is 24–26°C, the sea is warm enough to swim, and the old town is excellent. Return Sunday May 31 is cheaper than Monday June 1 on most carriers.

Mallorca from any UK airport has priced in the bank holiday premium — Jet2 from Manchester is already showing £120–155 one-way for May 23, which is near its July peak. Ibiza is worse: £140–190 one-way from London. These routes fill early every year because demand is inelastic — families who've set their hearts on Mallorca will pay whatever it takes.

Barcelona is similarly gone — £130–170 one-way from Gatwick for May 23. It's a great city but not at bank-holiday-premium prices for a long weekend. The same applies to Lisbon, which has gradually repriced over the past few years as its popularity with UK travellers grew — currently £90–120 one-way.

If you're comparing Menorca to Mallorca and the price gap is £50+ per person, Menorca wins. Same sea, same climate, half the crowds, better beaches by most measures.

Book by May 8–10 at the latest. That's the window when fares start moving meaningfully upward. Setting a price alert today and checking every couple of days is the right approach — book when you find a fare you're happy with rather than waiting for a theoretical lower price that may not come.

Friday May 22 is cheaper than Saturday May 23. Many schools finish on Friday May 22 at noon. If your children's school lets out early and you can reach the airport by evening, the Friday departure is £20–45 per person cheaper than Saturday on most routes. Over a family of four, that's £80–180 saved.

Jet2 vs budget carrier total price comparison. For the bank holiday, Jet2's all-inclusive pricing (bags, seat selection) frequently beats Ryanair or easyJet total cost for families of four. Do the full comparison before defaulting to the cheapest headline fare.

Return on Tuesday June 2, not Sunday or Monday. Bank holiday Monday (May 26) and Sunday May 31 returns are the most expensive days. Tuesday June 2 is back to near-normal weekday pricing on most routes — check if your employer or children's school allows a Tuesday return.