Recent research has found that long-haul flights are nearly the same price as short-haul ones from the UK.
2
Conducted by analysts at On The Beach, flights to places like Greece could be costing the same if not more than destinations further away.
For example, a 3hr50 flight to Crete on June 3, returning a week later, cost £419, the study found.
A flight on those same dates to New York cost just £8 more, despite taking double the time.
And the same dates for flights to and from Dubai were just £55 more – despite being 7hr40, much further than Crete.
Other examples included £472 flights from London to Mykonos in July – but just £375 to Dubai for the same dates.
Travel on August 20 and you’ll pay just £25 extra to fly to New York rather than Tenerife (costing £561 and £536, respectively).
And On The Beach long-haul bookings are also higher in demand than short-haul.
According to the holiday company, long haul bookings for destinations such as Dubai, the USA and Mexico are up 63 per cent year-on-year.
This is compared to short haul holidays that are up 14 per cent year-on-year.
Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, said: “Brits are spreading their wings and swapping the usual sunny Spain for the skyscrapers of Dubai, luxurious Maldives and bright lights of NYC and Vegas.
“The gap between long haul prices and short haul has decreased and the pull of a new, far out destination is clearly pulling for a lot of Brits, hence why bookings are up 63 per cent year on year.”
If you’re looking for inspiration, Cape Town was named one of the best long-haul destinations last year.
The South African city not only has no jet lag – there is one hour’s time difference – but is hot all year round.
Not only that, but budget carrier Norse is launching new flights to Cape Town this winter.
Or there is Goa, which has 30C temperatures even in winters.
Along with direct UK flights, you’ll even be able to find a beer for just 70p
We’ve rounded up four other winter sun holiday destinations to add to your list this year.
2