WHEN booking a holiday there are three specific factors you must consider that can completely change the cost.
Get one of them wrong and you could pay hundreds more for an almost-identical week away… however if you get all three RIGHT you’ve found what I like to call the holiday “magic equation”.
You could save hundreds, depending on what day you flyCredit: On The Beach
The three key ‘ingredients’ to getting the best deal are where you go, when you fly and how long you stay.
I’ve been digging through thousands of On the Beach holidays to find the best-value combination of departure date, destination and duration for every remaining holiday window before November.
I didn’t just pick whichever holiday had the lowest price, though.
My analysis also compared each option against similar holidays, prices from last year, hotel ratings, customer reviews and the number of hotels still available – and what I’ve been left with is four very specific recommendations.
There’s one for families escaping before the end of the school holidays, two for couples and families with toddlers who can travel outside term time, and one for the October half-term scramble.
So here are the four magic holiday combinations I’ve uncovered – plus a deal you can book right now for each one.
Mahdia is lesser known, but has both the history and the holiday resortsCredit: On The Beach
Fly to Tunisia on… August 20
If you’re still hoping to get away with school-age children this summer, August 20 is the date I’d be circling, especially for trips to Tunisia.
The best-value August combination in our analysis was a seven-night all-inclusive holiday to Mahdia, departing on August 20 and returning on August 27.
The average price was just £698 per person – 22.6% cheaper than similar holidays and 9.2% less than people paid last year.
That’s particularly impressive because it gets you back before the end of August too, so no breaking the school holiday rules.
It’s a historic coastal town with a beautiful old medina and long stretches of pale sandy beach.
The sea here is often wonderfully clear and shallow, while hotels tend to be large, all-inclusive and built around keeping children occupied.
In other words: much of what families book Turkey for, but frequently at a lower price.
I found a particularly good deal at the four-star Mahdia Beach & Aqua Park from £623pp (and it’s all-inclusive).
It’s a huge beachfront resort with several pools, waterslides, and children’s activities, as well as a high Tripadvisor score – more than 1,900 gave it 4.2 out of five.
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
Sharm el Sheikh has some great bargains for couples and families who can travel off seasonCredit: On The Beach
Fly to Egypt on… September 23
September is where holiday prices start to calm down from the summer surge.
For couples and parents with children below school age, the best-value combination was a seven-night all-inclusive holiday to Nabq Bay in Sharm El Sheikh, departing on September 23.
The average holiday cost £709 per person, which was 12.3% below the price of a comparable break.
More importantly, it was a massive 22.2% cheaper than last year – the biggest year-on-year drop of any winning combination in the data.
Nabq Bay is one of my favourite recommendations for anybody wanting a proper fly-and-flop holiday in September.
Temperatures are normally still well above 30C, so the weather stays beautifully warm and the resort is full of enormous all-inclusive hotels with private beaches, waterparks and enough swimming pools to require a map.
Most of the holiday happens inside the resort, so you’re not repeatedly folding a buggy into taxis or attempting a cultural walking tour at precisely the moment somebody decides they need a nap.
My deal is at the Parrotel Aqua Park Resort is all-inclusive for £450pp when flying on September 23.
As the name rather usefully suggests, the main attraction is its enormous waterpark, but there are also several pools, restaurants, children’s facilities and a private beach area.
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
The three-star Supreme Hotel in Turkey is our biggest bargain on the listCredit: On The Beach
Fly to Turkey on… October 13
October delivered the strongest overall value score from all the data I sifted through, especially when flying to Turkey.
The winning combination, by far, was a seven-night all-inclusive holiday to Marmaris, flying on October 13 and returning on October 20.
This is just before the half term holidays so is suited for couples or families with little kids not yet in school.
The average price was just £537 per person – that’s 21.4% cheaper than similar holidays and 11.6% below last year’s price.
Marmaris works brilliantly in October because you get the best bits without quite so much of the summer chaos.
The resort wraps around a huge bay backed by pine-covered mountains, with a long waterfront, beaches, boat trips and a seemingly endless supply of restaurants.
Daytime temperatures are typically still warm enough for the pool and beach, although evenings are cooler and there’s a greater chance of rain than during summer.
It’s also a great month for exploring. You can walk the marina without melting, take a boat along the coast or visit Marmaris Old Town without needing to stop for emergency air conditioning every ten minutes.
The deal I found is at the three-star Supreme Hotel, a simple but well-reviewed base with a pool, restaurant and a useful location for reaching the centre of Marmaris.
The best deal I found was an all-inclusive week at the Supreme Hotel from £235pp when flying October 13. At £33.57 per person, per night – including your flights, hotel, food and drinks – that’s my standout bargain of the lot.
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
Try Kos with the kids for a bargain in the October half term holidaysCredit: On The Beach
Fly to Greece on… October 25
If you’ve got kids, you’ll know that October half-term is always difficult.
Once every family in Britain needs roughly the same handful of departure dates, the chances of finding a bargain tend to disappear faster than the good flight times.
But the data did uncover one combination that stood above the rest: seven nights all-inclusive in Kardamena, Kos, departing on October 25.
The average price for a deal here was £740 per person – 13.4% cheaper than comparable half-term holidays and 13.2% below last year.
Kardamena is one of the livelier resorts on the Greek island during summer, but by late October it becomes considerably calmer.
You still have its long beach, waterfront and marina, while Kos Airport is only around a 15-minute drive away.
That short transfer here is a serious half-term advantage too – nobody wants to follow a four-hour flight with a two-hour coach tour of every other family’s hotel.
The weather is the slight gamble, as late October brings warm sunny days, but you might see some businesses closing for the season.
So, this is one where I’d choose a hotel with plenty happening on site.
Lucky for you, the deal I found does exactly that, which is an all-inclusive seven-night stay at Canvas by Mitsis Family Village, for £558pp when travelling on October 25.
It’s built on a hillside overlooking the coast, with pools, waterslides, family entertainment and access to a beach below, and it scores a very impressive 4.4 out of five from almost 2,500 Tripadvisor reviews.
That’s £181.60pp below the average price uncovered by the half-term analysis, and proof that the school-holiday premium can still be beaten if you get the date, duration and destination exactly right.
EASYJET is launching a new international flight route from a UK airport for the first time.
The new route will begin operating flights in 2027.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
EasyJet is launching its first international flight out of a UK airportCredit: AlamyNewquay Airport in Cornwall will have a new flight route to Geneva Airport in Switzerland by the start of 2027Credit: Alamy
EasyJet will launch its first international route out of Newquay Airport in Cornwall next year.
Flying between Newquay Airport and Geneva Airport in Switzerland, the route is expected to launch on January 16, 2027.
The seasonal route will then operate once a week on Saturdays until February 27, 2027.
Currently, EasyJet only provides regional and domestic flights from the coastal airport, so the new flight path will be the first international destination for the airline.
A further 12 routes are also being launched by EasyJet over the next year, including new routes from London Luton to Kittilä in Finland, beginning on November 24, and from Strasbourg in France launching on November 29.
The airline will be operating flights to Kittilä twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and fly to Strasbourg four times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
New flights from London Southend to Edinburgh, Scotland, will launch on October 25 from £23.99 per person.
The flights will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays between the two cities.
From Birmingham, travellers will be able to fly to Copenhagen, Denmark, from November 16.
Costing from £31.99 per person, the flights will head out twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.
Those living near Manchester can head to Cairo, Egypt from November 9 – the only direct route from the city to the ‘Sphinx’ airport.
Flights will set you back from £131.99 per person and the route operates twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
Two new routes are launching from Liverpool Airport to Kittilä in Finland and Reykjavik in Iceland.
Costing from £30.99 per person, flights to Kittilä will begin on November 25 and operate out of the airport twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Flights to Reykjavik will launch even earlier, starting on November 2 and will take off twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, costing from £43.99 per person.
Newcastle is set to get several new destinations by the end of the year, including Barcelona in Spain, Berlin in Germany, Copenhagen in Denmark, Hurghada in Egypt and Rovaniemi in Finland.
First to launch will be the flights to Barcelona on October 25, costing from £28.99 per person and operating twice weekly on Fridays and Sundays.
On October 27, flights to Hurghada will launch heading out on Tuesdays and Saturdays and costing from £121.99 per person.
Copenhagen flights are set to begin on November 5, followed by Berlin on November 20 and finally Rovaniemi on November 25.
Brits heading to popular Spanish islands this summer may find themselves at the heart of anti-tourism protests, with a pressure group insisting that there will be a “historic turnout”
14:57, 09 Jun 2026Updated 16:48, 09 Jun 2026
Antitourism protests – such as those seen in 2024 and 2025 – could be bigger this summer(Image: Europa Press Canarias via Getty Images)
The news comes as sites in the Canary Islands have been daubed with anti-tourist graffiti, including reports from local news outlet Canarian Weekly of a ‘kill a tourist’ slogan being spotted in Tenerife. The graffiti was spotted by two expats hiking in Punta del Hidalgo, who then claimed they saw further disturbing graffiti during a walk to Bollullo Beach on the island’s north coast.
In a separate incident last week, five estate agents in Majorca with international names were daubed with graffiti including ‘guilty’ and ‘Guiris out!’ in an overnight attack. Guiri is a derogatory Spanish term used for tourists from Northern Europe.
Menys Turisme Més Vida announced a protest in Palma, a popular destination for Brits on the island of Majorca on July 26, which coincides with the start of the busiest school holiday season. Meanwhile there are protests planned in Menorca on June 13 with a similar anti-tourism sentiment.
In a statement on its website, the group said: “️We consider that the demands expressed during previous mobilisations have been ignored while problems such as the housing access crisis, tourist saturation, the destruction of the territory, the precariousness of living conditions and the pressure on public resources and services continue to worsen.
“Under the slogan ‘Majorca at the limit’, the call aims to once again demonstrate the strength of existing social unrest in the face of an economic model that continues to break tourism records while the living conditions of a growing part of the resident population worsen.”, it added.
The group claims that the protest has the support of 53 social , environmental, trade union, neighbourhood and cultural groups on the island, which sees nearly 13 million tourists annually, with Brits the second-largest percentage after Germany.
Majorca saw protests last June that organisers claim were attended by 30,000 people, although varying reports claim numbers from 5,000 to 8,000. This included reports of some people sitting on terraces being harassed by protestors. Another notable protest took place in Barcelona on June 15, 2025, in which smoke devices were used and tourists soaked with water pistols.
While there have been reports of a tourist slowdown in the Balearics and Canaries, anti-tourism protests do not seem to have a massive impact on visitor numbers. In April, the Canaries saw a drop in visitors of 8.3% compared to the year before, but this meant 1.2 million foreign tourists still visited the islands. It was also the first drop seen on the volcanic archipelago since the pandemic.
Over Easter, the Balearics reported a fall of nearly 20% in in-person tourist spending by card, despite an overall increase in spending across Spain as a whole, suggesting visitors were choosing to spend their money elsewhere.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
MILLIONS of families will be able to enjoy discount meals and days out this summer, the Chancellor announced today.
From June 25 to September 1 the Government is temporarily cutting the VAT on attractions and children’s meals in restaurants from 20% to just 5%.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The cut will apply to theme parks, zoos, museums, soft play, fairs and even cinema tickets.
The full list of businesses participating has not yet been announced but several major firms including Merlin Entertainments and Odeon Cinema have confirmed they will be taking part.
If a business chooses to pass on the full benefit then the total saving for a family of two adults and two children could be:
The Government said it expects qualifying businesses to pass these savings on to families by lowering the prices people pay on eligible children’s meals and tickets.
As a result, the VAT cut will be directly reflected at the till.
It added that passing on the full saving should help businesses attract more customers over the summer, which could increase footfall and support local economies.
The plans are part of a package to help households with the cost of living.
Meanwhile, throughout August all children aged between five and 15 in England will be able to travel for free on any local bus service.
Among the attractions taking part are Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, Warwick Castle and Cadbury World.
Fiona Eastwood, chief executive officer of Merlin Entertainments, said: “Merlin will be applying this VAT cut to both admission tickets and children’s meals, adding more value to days out and short breaks at our 20 UK attractions.”
Meanwhile, Mark Way, president AMC Europe & managing director at Odeon Cinema Groups, said: “We’re excited that our guests will be able to enjoy the big screen for less over this blockbuster summer.”
Which activities will be included?
The following activities and meals will benefit from the VAT cut:
Children’s meals for consumption on the premises are eligible where served from a dedicated children’s menu and marketed, presented and priced as such.
For cinemas, theatres, exhibitions, concerts and shows, the reduced rate applies to children’s and family tickets only.
The reduced rate applies to admission tickets, including adults, for:
Amusement parks and fairs, including water parks and theme parks (excluding pay-per-ride attractions)
Circuses
Adventure parks, including outdoor adventure centres
Museums and similar cultural facilities, including planetariums, heritage sites, nature reserves and botanical gardens.
Zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks and farm visitor attractions.
Soft play centres, indoor bounce parks and indoor play facilities
Observation attractions, including viewing platforms, towers and observation wheels
Season tickets that allow you repeat entry solely within the relief period.
But there are several attractions and popular activities that will not be included in the scheme. They include:
Sports facilities, such as when they are provided by non-profit bodies e.g. swimming at a community swimming pool.
Season or advance purchase tickets that allow repeat entries outside of the 25 June to 1 September dates, unless it is priced the same as a standard single-entry ticket.
For sales that have been made before the legislation is in place, including before the announcement, businesses may opt to apply the reduced rate or refund the VAT saving.
Look Mum No Computer is representing the UKCredit: AP
What is the Eurovision 2026 running order?
The running order for tonight’s Eurovision 2026 Grand Final was confirmed after the conclusion of the second semi-final on Thursday.
The running order for tonight is as follows:
Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem
Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire
Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
Albania: Alis – Nân
Greece: Akylas – Ferto
Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym
Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse
Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene
Malta: AIDAN – Bella
Czechia: Daniel Zizka – CROSSROADS
Bulgaria: DARA – Bangaranga
Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda
United Kingdom: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei
France: Monroe – Regarde !
Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!
Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin
Poland: ALICJA – Pray
Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más
Sweden: FELICIA – My System
Cyprus: Antigoni – JALLA
Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre Sì
Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA
Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me
Austria: COSMÓ – Tanzschein
How can I watch Eurovision 2026?
Coverage will start in the UK on the BBC and BBC iPlayer at 8pm, with Graham Norton returning to his regular commentary role.
The show will last for almost three hours, coverage ending at 11.50pm, when the BBC will switch to the news.
Who is UK entrant Look Mum No Computer?
Look Mum No Computer is the alias of Sam Battle, originating from the name of his YouTube channel dedicated to creative audio electronics projects.
The artist also uses it as his stage name when performing as a musician.
The name is inspired by the phrase “look mum, no hands”, used by kids when they are learning to cycle.
It highlights the artist’s bold, anti-digital approach to making music where he builds his own synthesizers and hardware, such as his famous Furby organ.
