WE all love a good Black Friday deal, but is it always the best, cheapest time to book a holiday?
I work in travel, so I know how much effort goes into getting good Black Friday offers together, and some of them are brilliant. But if you want to bag a real bargain it turns out there are other key times in the year you should have on your radar, too.
But is it the cheapest week to book absolutely everywhere? Well… apparently not.
I’ve been digging through the booking data to work out when ten popular holiday destinations could be cheapest to book between now and May 2027.
While there are some great savings to be had on Black Friday, certain destinations have better sales at other points in the year.
I’ve found the weeks worth watching before Christmas, after Christmas and even into spring, with the biggest potential saving at almost 13 per cent compared with Black Friday – saving you over £300.
And just to be clear, these are the weeks to make your booking, rather than when to travel.
Here’s when I’d be looking, the hotel I’d recommend and a deal available now to give you an idea of what your money could buy.
Lanzarote: Book w/c 16 November 2026
Lanzarote gets things going before Black Friday has even arrived.
The numbers suggest booking this week could work out around six per cent cheaper than Black Friday week.
A package at last year’s Black Friday average of £1,797 would come down to about £1,689 with that 6% reduction.
That would leave an extra £108 in your pocket if the pattern repeated.
So if Lanzarote is on your list, I’d already be having a look – there’s no rule saying you have to wait until the big day to find something worth booking.
The hotel I’d look at is Barcelo Lanzarote Active Resort in Costa Teguise.
This is where I’d send a group with very different ideas about how much exercise belongs on holiday.
It has several outdoor pools and sports facilities, including an Olympic-size pool available at an extra charge.
Someone can get their lengths in while the rest of you get horizontal in the sunshine. Everyone gets the holiday they came for. You can probably guess which group I’d spend more time with.
The five-night deal I found includes bed & breakfast from £450pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick for a family of four on 31 August 2027.
Fuerteventura: Book w/c 23 November 2026
Let’s give Black Friday its credit – Fuerteventura is the one destination here where Black Friday week comes out on top.
At £1,512 per package on average last year, Black Friday week was already the cheapest in the data. No extra saving from holding out on this one.
If I fancied Fuerteventura, I’d have a few hotels priced up beforehand so I could spot an offer worth booking when it appeared.
The hotel I’d love here is Barcelo Fuerteventura Mar in Caleta de Fuste.
It sits on Caleta de Fuste beach. For a five-night break, I’d happily put that location high on the list: less time getting everyone ready to go somewhere, more time actually being there.
This is one I’d choose for a proper family break – settle in, enjoy the beach and let the days fill themselves.
I’ve found a five night half board deal from £498pp, including direct return flights from London Luton on 29 August 2027.
And half board would be my choice for this trip. You can head out after breakfast and know dinner is already paid for when you come back.
Beach nearby, two meals sorted and five nights to enjoy it. Love it.
Book a five-night half board stay for a family of four at Barcelo Fuerteventura Mar from 29 August 2027, with direct return flights from London Luton, from £498pp.
Costa del Sol: Book w/c 14 December 2026
For the Costa del Sol, I’d keep looking into December.
The data suggests booking this week could be around 7.7 per cent cheaper than Black Friday week.
Put that 7.7% against last year’s £1,382 Black Friday average and you’re looking at roughly £106 less to pay.
If I hadn’t settled on a holiday by Black Friday, that would be a good reason to check again before Christmas.
For this one, I’d price up Sandos Griego in Torremolinos.
I’d pick it for people who want to get out into Torremolinos most days – the central location helps with that, and there’s family entertainment back at the hotel.
B&B makes sense to me here, because if you’re planning to try different restaurants, you can put your food budget towards the places you fancy.
The deal I found for a family of four is five nights, bed & breakfast, from £400pp, including direct return flights from Glasgow Prestwick on 23 August 2027.
Costa Blanca: Book w/c 14 December 2026
The Costa Blanca points to the same week, with a slightly bigger potential saving.
Booking in mid-December could work out around 8.5 per cent cheaper than Black Friday week, if the pattern repeats.
For context, people booking during Black Friday week paid an average of £1,393 per package last year.
Take 8.5% off a holiday at that price and it comes to about £1,275. That’s a possible £118 saving if this December follows the same pattern.
I’d start with Benidorm – beach during the day, a show or a bar in the evening, and plenty of places to eat whenever hunger interrupts the schedule.
And Rosamar Hotel would definitely be on my shortlist.
It’s around 400 metres from Levante Beach, close to a lively area – and for a family trip, I like having those options nearby.
You can head to the beach or go out for the evening without making a big expedition of it.
The deal I found is five nights all-inclusive from £493pp, including direct return flights from London Luton on 31 August 2027.
The waterslide area is the bit I’d show the kids first, I suspect the hotel search would be over quite quickly after that.
I’d choose all inclusive here if we planned to spend a few days enjoying those slides – lunch, drinks and another go would be a fairly easy routine to get into.
Book a five-night all inclusive stay for a family of four at Rosamar Hotel from 31 August 2027, with direct return flights from London Luton, from £493pp.
Antalya: Book w/c 14 December 2026
Antalya joins both Spanish costas in pointing towards mid-December.
The potential difference here is around 3.6 per cent cheaper than Black Friday week.
The average Black Friday package cost £2,844 last year and on a holiday at that price, even a 3.6% drop would knock around £102 off the bill.
And for a holiday to Antalya, my first priority would be getting the hotel and travel dates I wanted.
For a hotel-focused trip, I’d put Dosinia Luxury Resort in the Kemer area on the list.
The beach and pool areas are where I’d expect to spend most of this holiday – I’d choose it with that in mind and give myself permission to stay put.
With all inclusive, I’d check the dining and drinks included, then work out what we’d realistically spend on top, and that’s how I judge the overall value.
I can enjoy planning a trip, but once I arrive I’m very happy for the biggest decision to be where we’re sitting.
The deal I found is five nights all inclusive for a family of four from £598pp, including direct return flights from London Stansted on 29 August 2027.
At £598pp, I’d want a hotel I could happily spend most of the holiday in, which is exactly the sort of trip I’d price up Dosinia for.
Dalaman: Book w/c 21 December 2026
Dalaman gives you another reason to have a holiday search open during Christmas week.
The numbers suggest it could be around 6.1 per cent cheaper to book then than during Black Friday week.
Last year, the average package booked over Black Friday came to £1,995.
A repeat of that 6.1% difference on a holiday at this price would mean paying about £1,873 instead – that’s roughly £122 you could put towards enjoying the trip.
For Dalaman, I’ve gone for the Fethiye area.
The leafy setting around this hotel caught my eye, particularly for an August trip when I’d want plenty of time around the pool, and my hotel pick here is Lykia Botanika Beach.
This is where I’d choose all inclusive and plan a few proper hotel days – get everyone fed, find a spot by the pool and see how active or lazy we’re feeling after that.
The deal I found is five nights all inclusive for a family of four from £435pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on 31 August 2027.
At £435pp, it’s the lowest-priced all inclusive example I found for this article which puts it high on my list for a family holiday.
Finding your next holiday while everyone else is doing the final Christmas supermarket dash sounds like a much better use of the afternoon.
Rhodes: Book w/c 28 December 2026
Rhodes is the one that really caught my attention.
The data points to booking after Christmas for a holiday that could be around 12.6% cheaper than during Black Friday week.
Here’s where the pounds get interesting: last year’s Black Friday average was £3,006 per package.
Apply a 12.6% reduction to a holiday at that price and you’d pay around £2,627, keeping roughly £379 – the biggest potential saving on this list.
If a Greek island holiday is on your wish list, I’d have a look while you’re enjoying the final days of the Christmas break.
The hotel I’d book here is one of my favourites in Greece: The Ixian Grand & All Suites.
It’s an adults-only, all inclusive hotel directly on Ixia Beach and this would definitely be my couples’ pick from the list.
I’d book it with the intention of enjoying the hotel, spending time together and making very few plans beyond that.
The deal I found is five nights for two adults, all inclusive, from £980pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on 31 August 2027.
If I were booking a special break for two, I’d want exactly this sort of beachfront setting.
Majorca: Book w/c 28 December 2026
Apparently, the week between Christmas and New Year can be useful for something other than eating leftovers and forgetting what day it is.
For Majorca, it’s also the week I’d be watching for a holiday.
The numbers suggest booking then could work out around 10.5 per cent cheaper than Black Friday week, the second-biggest potential saving here.
For Majorca, the Black Friday average last year was £2,106 per package.
If that 10.5% gap returned, a holiday costing the same could fall to around £1,885.
A possible £221 difference makes the post-Christmas search look way more worthwhile.
I’d price up Sol Guadalupe in Magaluf. The substantial outdoor pool area is what sells it to me, I’d be happy spending a few afternoons there, especially with five nights to play with.
I’d also leave a couple of evenings free to get out into Magaluf and see where you fancy eating.
For someone who wants to use the hotel and still get involved in the resort, this is the one I’d compare first.
The deal I found is a five night, bed & breakfast offering for a family of four from £363pp, including direct return flights from Birmingham on 29 August 2027.
This is the cheapest deal I found with breakfast included too.
For an August departure, £363pp is the price I’d be sending to anyone asking me for an affordable Majorca break.
Gran Canaria: Book w/c 11 January 2027
If January rolls around and you still haven’t booked a holiday, Gran Canaria gives you something to investigate.
The predicted cheapest week starts on 11 January, with a potential saving of around 5.3 per cent compared with Black Friday week.
With last year’s Black Friday average at £1,931 per package, the 5.3% difference would be worth about £102 on a holiday at that price – enough to make another search in January worth considering.
Servatur Puerto Azul in Puerto Rico would be my pick and the sea views are the biggest attraction here for me.
If I’m going to spend an afternoon by the pool, I’d be very happy with that in front of me.
I’d compare the room options here as well as the board basis, especially if a particular view matters to you – check which room you’re booking before you get carried away with the photographs.
The deal I found is five nights for a family of four with bed & breakfast from £525pp, including direct return flights from Manchester on 29 August 2027.
At £525pp with breakfast, I’d put this on the shortlist for someone who wants to spend proper time at the hotel.
Tenerife: Book w/c 19 April 2027
Tenerife’s predicted cheapest booking week arrives in spring.
The potential saving is around 3.5 per cent compared with Black Friday week.
Last year’s Black Friday bookings averaged £1,864 per package, and a 3.5% dip on that amount means you could save about £65.
So, if that gap returned on a holiday at the same price, you’d be looking at roughly £1,799.
At 3.5%, I wouldn’t plan my life around this one, but if April is when you’re ready to book, it’s a useful week to check. Plus it’s useful money to keep for spending when you get there.
For Costa Adeje, I’d start with GF Fanabe.
I like the choice of the hotel pool, Fanabe Beach and El Duque Beach nearby, and for a five-night trip, I’d happily divide my time between the three.
I’d go B&B if I wanted to try different restaurants in Costa Adeje.
You can have breakfast at the hotel, then head out without needing to be back for lunch or dinner.
The deal I found is five nights for a family of four with bed & breakfast from £415pp, including direct return flights from London Stansted on 31 August 2027.
Prices correct at the time of publication.