AUGUST is traditionally seen as the sacred month for the big family holiday.
But a growing number of savvy parents are taking one look at the summer holiday mark-ups and deciding that October half-term will do very nicely instead.
Visit The Algarve in October for a holiday that is 33% cheaper than visiting in August – and still a sunny 23°CCredit: Getty
When I dug into the data, I spotted a huge trend among families who originally searched for an August getaway but ultimately booked October instead.
The maths is simple: lower package prices, far better hotel availability and no daily battles for the final poolside lounger.
In the Mediterranean and North Africa, the heat becomes significantly more bearable too – still plenty warm enough for swimming, but without feeling as though you’re stepping into an industrial oven every time you leave the air-conditioned lobby.
So, I crunched the numbers and mapped out seven major hotspots where families are saving up to a third on their bill by choosing October over August. Here’s where the smart money is going…
7. Hurghada, Egypt – 12.4% cheaper
October half-term holidays to Hurghada are about 12% cheaper than peak August holsCredit: Getty
Even the smallest saving on our list leaves a serious amount of cash back into your bank account.
October half-term packages to Hurghada are around 12% cheaper than peak August departures and, if I’m honest, the autumn weather is far better suited to children.
Hurghada in August is brutally hot – the pavement turns walking barefoot around the pool into an interpretive dance – whereas October serves up comfortable temperatures of 32°C and a sea that sits at a balmy 27°C.
You can book five nights all-inclusive at the four-star Royal Lagoons Aqua Park Resort & Spa from £625pp, based on a family of four flying on 27 October.
This hotel’s brilliant too, with its private lagoon beach set-up.
They run a free, continuous pontoon-boat shuttle straight to its private stretch of sand, giving you access to a world-class snorkelling spot away from the busier public beaches.
Book a holiday: Hurghada
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Royal Lagoons Aqua Park Resort & Spa from 27 October, with return flights, for £625pp.
Visit Antalya in October for savings and 26°C temperaturesCredit: Alamy
Antalya was the runaway favourite among families switching from August to October, accounting for 14% of all our autumn switchers, and a 20.2% price drop explains why.
For a family of four or five, taking a fifth off the total package price saves hundreds of pounds instantly.
The intense August heat gives way to a perfect 26°C, keeping the sea warm enough for swimming while making local day trips much more enjoyable.
I spotted five nights at the four-star, all-inclusive Sun Star Beach Hotel in Alanya from £405pp, based on a family of four departing from London Gatwick on 25 October.
The location of this hotel isn’t right on the beach, but its underground beach tunnel takes care of that problem for families.
It leads directly from the main pool deck, beneath the coastal road and straight onto the sand, meaning you don’t have to navigate busy resort traffic with toddlers in tow.
Book a holiday: Antalya
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Sun Star Beach Hotel from 25 October, with return flights from London Gatwick, for £405pp.
Holiday Expert Rob found a package holiday to Majorca for a family of four for £340ppCredit: Getty
Nearly 1 in 10 families making the seasonal switch chose Majorca, securing a huge 22.9% saving compared with August prices.
Majorca remains a stress-free staple because it’s familiar, the flights are short and the resorts are purpose-built for effortless parenting.
October temperatures average a comfortable 24°C, which is ideal for beach days without the suffocating peak-summer humidity.
I tracked down five nights at the four-star Hotel Mariant Park in S’Illot from £340pp, based on a family of four flying directly from East Midlands Airport on 25 October on an all-inclusive basis.
The standout perk at this property is its location between two beaches – you’re a flat, three-minute walk from both S’Illot and Sa Coma beaches, giving you easy access to sheltered, shallow water for young paddlers.
Book a holiday: Majorca
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Hotel Mariant Park from 25 October, with return flights from East Midlands Airport, for £340pp.
Visit Costa Dorada in October for 23°C temperatures, much more manageable than 35°C August heatCredit: Getty
Ditching August for October in the Costa Dorada cuts holiday costs by almost 26%.
This region is a huge hit with children because it combines golden beaches with Spain’s biggest theme park, PortAventura World.
October brings the daytime temperature down to a comfortable 23°C, which is infinitely better for walking around a theme park all day than queueing in 35°C August heat.
You can get five nights all-inclusive at the 4-star Ohtels Les Oliveres in El Perelló from £268pp, based on a family of four flying directly from London Stansted on 25 October.
And this hotel’s great for families in October with its huge indoor heated pool and spa area, giving you a built-in, weatherproof back-up plan if you get a cooler autumn afternoon.
Book a holiday: Costa Dorada
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Ohtels Les Oliveres from 25 October, with return flights from London Stansted, for £268pp.
Costa Blanca holidays work out 26% cheaper in October than during the peak summer periodCredit: Getty
Tied for the second-biggest saving on our radar is the Costa Blanca, where an October half-term holiday is a huge 26% cheaper than during the peak summer period.
On a typical £3,000 summer booking, that saving keeps almost £800 in your pocket.
Flight times from the UK are short, transfer options are effortless and competition among local resorts keeps hotel prices fiercely competitive.
I found five nights at the three-star Port Denia Hotel from £318pp, for a family of four staying all-inclusive too, with flights from London Stansted on 25 October.
And the top feature here is its location at the foot of Montgó Natural Park.
You get a quiet, tree-lined pool setting just 50 metres from La Marineta Cassiana beach, giving you a calm, shallow bay for young children without the noise of a high-rise resort.
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Port Denia Hotel from 25 October, with return flights from London Stansted, for £318pp.
Both the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca are 26% cheaper to visit in October than in AugustCredit: Alamy
Matching the Costa Blanca with a 26% saving is the Costa del Sol.
In August, these resorts are packed to capacity and carry a hefty peak-season price-spike.
By October, the crowds have dispersed, the temperature has cooled to an easy 23°C and exploring nearby places such as Malaga or Marbella is an absolute breeze.
I found five nights all-inclusive at the four-star Bakour Oh Nice Costa del Sol in Estepona from £315pp, for a family of four flying directly from East Midlands Airport.
And, for me, what makes this place a brilliant base is its traditional, low-rise Andalusian village layout.
The rooms are spread across quiet, subtropical garden courtyards rather than housed in a sterile hotel block, giving families plenty of space to relax. Bliss.
Book a holiday: Costa del Sol
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Bakour Oh Nice Costa del Sol from 25 October, with return flights from East Midlands Airport, for £315pp.
Holiday Expert Rob found an all inclusive holiday to Albufeira for £355pp in OctoberCredit: Getty
Taking the crown for the biggest seasonal saving is the Algarve, where families can cut their package bill by a staggering 33% simply by moving their holiday to October.
August is peak season in southern Portugal, driving hotel rates through the roof.
By autumn, those same clifftop resorts have cut their prices by a third while still offering temperatures of 23°C and peaceful beaches.
You can book five nights at the four-star Muthu Clube Praia da Oura in Albufeira from £355pp, based on a family of four flying from Bristol on 25 October and, once again, this deal is all-inclusive.
The ultimate insider perk at this property is its direct, private sloping access to Praia da Oura beach.
You can step straight out of the tropical pool gardens and onto the golden sand, bypassing the steep coastal steps that usually make beach trips with buggies a nightmare.
Book a holiday: the Algarve
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Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at Muthu Clube Praia da Oura from 25 October, with return flights from Bristol, for £355pp.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Paul Grinvalds has completed 114 marathons in all 50 states, but he still wilts when he races in temperatures beyond 60 degrees.
It’s the same for most runners, as the body can’t cool down during exertion, and heat makes that even harder.
“One thing about marathoners is typically we’re kind of stubborn,” said Grinvalds, 68, from West Des Moines, Iowa, who finds even temperatures in the 50s a bit warm. “So if we have a goal and it’s hot, a lot of times we’re still going to try to do that goal, which is just stupid because you’re almost guaranteed to have a very painful experience.”
Such an experience can also be dangerous, a reality that marathon organizers are having to confront as climate change, caused mostly by the burning of fuels like coal and gasoline, pushes temperatures up. To improve the chances of having the 26.2-mile race in cooler weather, organizers are shifting race dates, starting earlier and even giving options for participants to cut their runs short.
Starting in 2027, the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-St. Paul will shift its more than 40-year tradition of holding the race on the first Sunday in October to later in the month. That decision comes after cancellation of the marathon in 2023 because of record heat and humidity, and starting temperatures near 70 for the 2025 race.
Organizers of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, marathon last year similarly moved their annual race from August to September after canceling the 2024 race due to hot conditions. And other races, including the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio, the Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas, and the Long Beach Marathon in Southern California, all moved their start times to earlier in the morning in search of cooler temperatures.
In Los Angeles in March, warm conditions prompted race organizers to give runners the option of stopping after 18 miles and still receiving a finishers medal. Less than 5% of participants opted for the shorter finish and only 14 of roughly 27,000 runners were treated at a hospital, with all released the same day. Still, the move led to some online derision.
“We welcome the feedback and it’s certainly something that caused a lot of discussion, but when we’re grading ourselves on it, it has to do with how safe our runners were on the day of the event and we’re very happy with the outcome,” said Meg Treat, a spokesperson for the marathon.
At the Twin Cities Marathon, race director Ed Whetham called the decision to cancel the 2023 marathon “devastating” for runners and the organization. Whetham said it prompted an extensive analysis of weather patterns that resulted in the decision to permanently delay the race by a couple weeks.
That analysis showed that by holding the race later in October, runners would have a far greater chance of optimal conditions. Given that snow sometimes falls in the Twin Cities in late October, there is a greater chance of chilly conditions, but Whetham said, “We’ll take a 39-degree start over a 70-degree start.”
Temperatures are expected to keep rising
The contiguous U.S. just had its warmest July ever recorded, and the Earth had its hottest year on record in 2024. The World Meteorological Organization forecasts that between 2025 and 2030 the Earth’s average global temperature will likely rise by more than 2.7 compared to the 1800s.
The warming is already making conditions worse for most marathons, according to a study of 221 races by the climate research group Climate Central. By 2045, optimal conditions for recreational runners — in the low 40s — would be less likely at 46 of the 51 U.S. marathons analyzed.
“The ability to go outside, to exercise, to take advantage of your human body and being healthy, that’s something that’s getting challenged by climate change,” said Andy Pershing, who led the Climate Central research.
Jessica Murfree leads a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill lab studying climate change’s effect on sports. She said organizers of marathons, bicycle races and other competitions — from tennis to college football — increasingly must consider changing event dates and times and adopting other safety measures, as climate change makes the weather hotter and more volatile.
Murfree said the concern extends beyond organized sports to whether people can even get outside on increasingly warm days, pushing people to exercise indoors or opt for activities like swimming.
“If we can’t walk, if we can’t exercise or go for runs, it’s too hot, can we still stay physically active while remaining cool?” she asked.
Marathons are especially hard in warm weather
Any kind of exercising in the heat can be challenging, but running a marathon in warm, humid conditions is especially difficult because it’s hard to prevent overheating when a person keeps pushing themselves for hours. And the faster a person goes, the more heat their body produces.
Chris Minson, a University of Oregon professor who researches how people can adapt to extreme heat and other environmental conditions, said the optimum temperature to run a marathon is about 50 degrees. As the temperature creeps into the upper 50s and 60s, the body has a tougher time supplying blood to muscles while also keeping the body cool.
“As you get to warmer temperatures you end up having a bigger competition between blood supplying your muscles to keep running, to keep nutrition going, and blood flow to your skin for thermal regulation,” Minson said.
Minson said it takes a tremendous amount of energy to run quickly. But of that energy, only about 25% is used to move the body forward. The rest goes to deal with the heat that is created by rapid movement.
Even worse than high temperatures is high humidity, which prevents sweat from evaporating and cooling the body.
Minson adds, though, that by regularly exercising in warm weather, people can acclimate to high temperatures and perform better in the heat, though likely not as well as they would in cooler conditions. Athletes who acclimate to high heat also can perform better in lower temperatures than if they hadn’t exercised in warm weather, he said.
Some athletes like John Seals even run in the midday heat and endure a sauna after a workout to acclimate their bodies. That all forms part of Seals’ training for an annual 135-mile ultramarathon held in July in Death Valley, California.
“We had a heat wave this week and for me, that’s a great thing,” said Seals, of West Des Moines.
Still, running in the heat can be dangerous without taking precautions.
Douglas Casa, a kinesiology professor who leads the Korey Stringer Institute, which studies sudden deaths in sports, said the Twin Cities Marathon’s change was prudent, especially considering the way in which many runners approach races.
“If someone was smart enough to say, ‘OK, it’s a little hotter today than usual, I’m going to run a 7 minute mile instead of a 6:30 mile,’ then they won’t get any hotter than normal,” Casa said. “It’s just that runners are sometimes very locked into what they normally do and what their goals are.”
McFetridge writes for the Associated Press. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
A UK airline is set to withdraw all of its operations from a UK airport from October due to being “financially unsustainable” withh customers impacted to be contacted
Loganair will stop all operations from Dundee Airport (Image: Bradley Caslin/Getty Images)
Loganair has confirmed it will withdraw all of its operations from a UK airport in October.
The public service obligation (PSO) route is supported by the local authority and the Scottish and UK governments.
But, Loganair stated the contract was “financially unsustainable”.
After announcing the closure of the route, the airline added that it would support its Dundee-based employees to find alternative roles.
Currently, the service runs twice a day during the week and once on Sundays and has been in operation since 2014.
It was originally expected to end earlier on September 28, but the last flights will now run the following month.
The closure of its operating base in Dundee will impact air travel to Orkney and Shetland.
A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.
“Earlier this year, we served notice to the stakeholder group behind the Public Service Obligation route after the contract became financially unsustainable.
“We have since explored alternative options but have not been able to identify a viable way forward that meets the objectives of the PSO while allowing the route to operate sustainably.
“Customers affected by the change will be contacted directly. We are also supporting Dundee-based colleagues and will explore alternative roles across the Loganair network wherever possible.
“These decisions reflect the same disciplined, decisive approach that has driven previous improvements in Loganair’s punctuality and resilience, protecting the long-term future of the airline, our people, and the lifeline connectivity we provide to communities across our network.”
The Dodgers needed a pivotal win Sunday afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers. And Tarik Skubal did his part, giving up just one earned run on seven hits over six innings.
“Seemed like they had a good approach,” Skubal, who threw a season-high 109 pitches. “My job doesn’t change. I got to continue to make pitches and continue to get ahead and throw strikes, and I felt like I did that.”
But it wasn’t enough.
Milwaukee’s Logan Henderson quashed the Dodgers’ offense, giving up just three hits and one run over seven innings, to give the Brewers a 6-2 win in front of an announced crowd of 45,828.
The Dodgers (74-51) lost the four-game series 3-1 and also dropped the season series against the Brewers 4-3. The Dodgers trail Milwaukee (77-48) by three games for the best record in baseball.
“I really wanted to win this game because it could matter,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But we didn’t, so now we got to move forward. I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.”
Panic hasn’t — and presumably won’t — set into the Dodgers’ clubhouse. The two-time defending champions, however, are well aware they have lost 11 of their past 16 games.
“This has been cumulative,” Roberts said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been consistent offensively. … I just don’t see the consistent plan of attack, one through nine. The results are hard, hitting’s hard, but I do think that fighting and winning pitches, spoiling pitches — that’s care, hunger. And that’s a reason why [when] you look at four and a half months of the season, the Brewers have outscored us. … A team that’s young and hungry. It’s certainly not talent.
“We just haven’t played clean baseball for quite some time, and that speaks to the defense and not converting an out … it’s just not winning baseball. Our pedigree [and] what we typically do is control the zone, grind it, grind at-bats [and] create stress. We’re not doing that.”
Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers beats a tag attempt by Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt to score in the seventh inning Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Brewers struck first with two outs in the second inning after Luis Lara grounded into a bases-loaded fielder’s choice; Tommy Edman dropped an awkward flip to second base from Mookie Betts, resulting in an error and a 1-0 Milwaukee lead.
Max Muncy got to Henderson in the fourth by hitting a tying home run 370 feet to right field. In the next inning, Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers hit a go-ahead single to right off Skubal, scoring Jackson Chourio from second after his double.
“I just got to be better in those moments,” Skubal said. “You know, the slider down and in to Lara’s got to be probably a little bit more down and in, and the changeup to Bauers has got to be a more quality pitch. … So as much as it’s in the kind of grind of at-bats, they also put some swings on some balls. But I need to execute some pitches and some two-strike counts a little better as well.”
The Brewers added two insurance runs in the seventh, as Bauers and Andrew Vaughn collected a pair of RBI knocks against left-handed reliever Alex Vesia. They got two more in the ninth after a second bases-loaded error by Edman came when he failed to field a choppy ground ball from David Hamilton, allowing Chourio and Lara to score.
“We have a lot of guys with reputations that can really pick the ball,” Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt said of the defensive woes. “I don’t think we’re really worried about [it]. All these things are going to help us in the long run.”
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts walks back to the dugout after striking out in the seventh inning.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers had a chance to crawl closer with one out in the eighth, with Teoscar Hernández on third and Hunter Feduccia on first. But Shohei Ohtani grounded into a double play against Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby.
Andy Pages hit a solo home run in the ninth, but it came too late to matter.
“It can’t happen all at once,” Roberts said of a potential turnaround. “It just kind of starts building, collectively. And once we do that, then you get the big hit, things like that. But it’s a process of: each pitch, pass the baton, valuing every single pitch. And mentally, it’s not easy, but we can do it. We’ve done it many times over before.”
The results just haven’t been there for the Dodgers.
As they head to Colorado for a three-game series against the last-place Rockies, the Dodgers aren’t expecting any breaks.
“Honestly, I think every team’s hungry because they’re chasing us,” Roberts said. “They’re trying to make a name for themselves or trying to play spoiler, whatever it is. But every team we play is going to bring their best. The guys we are going to play the next three games, they’re gonna bring their best, I promise you that.”
If there is a silver lining, it’s that Skubal seems to be acclimating just fine in L.A. — even if the two-time defending AL Cy Young winner hasn’t had his best game since joining the Dodgers.
“I just got to be more consistent,” Skubal said of his first three starts with the Dodgers. “Continue to get quality contact on the ground, and sometimes you need a little bit of luck … But the stuff on my hand is as good as it’s ever been. And honestly, my execution today was pretty good too.
“There’s always room for improvement … but [in] the same breath, you can’t beat yourself up too much. I’m not going to be perfect out there. But yeah, I need to be more efficient. That’s the standard that I hold myself to: pitching deeper into ballgames and giving our team a chance to win every time out.”
Injury updates
The Dodgers placed left-handed starter Justin Wrobleski on the 15-day injured list with left forearm inflammation and recalled right-handed reliever Kyle Hurt from triple-A Oklahoma City. Wrobleski, who has pitched a career-high 126⅓ innings this season, surrendered four runs and four hits in a loss against the Brewers on Saturday.
“We just felt collectively that Justin was the right person [to] back off the fatigue of the arm,” Roberts said. “It’s not something that he’s ever going to make an excuse for. But I do think that it’s smart for us, as an organization, to take that load off a little bit from him.”
Wrobleski has struggled recently, giving up 11 home runs over his past four starts.
Stewart, who was placed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder discomfort on July 31, said he’ll join the Dodgers on their upcoming road trip to Colorado and is hopeful he’ll be activated soon.
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix were initially scheduled for April but were called off in March as a result of the war launched by the US/Israel against Iran.
F1 is keen to host at least 21 races, because any less than that would activate contractual clauses that could see the sport have to pay rights fees back to broadcasters and may also mean the same for teams with sponsorship budgets.
The arrangement between Bahrain and Malaysia was heavily influenced by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The Bahrain race has been Prince Salman’s pet project since it made its debut in 2024. Bahrain’s sovereign investment fund is also the owner of the McLaren F1 team.
F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said: “We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026. Once again, the sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver, creating an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1.
“I would like to express our sincere thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, as well as their respective governments for making this extraordinary outcome possible through their vision, commitment, and decisive action.”
Sepang, which last hosted a race in 2017 and made its debut on the F1 calendar in 1999, is a popular track with fans and Domenicali added: “Malaysia is an incredible country, and Sepang holds a special place in Formula 1 history. It will provide a spectacular setting for racing and an unforgettable experience for fans at the circuit and watching around the world.”
July 17 (UPI) — Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted to dissolve on Friday after pushing through controversial legislation favorable to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s supporters.
The Knesset is expected to be in recess until the Oct. 27 election in which Netanyahu is seeking re-election.
Analysts told CNN most of the legislation passed in the government’s closing days was meant to appease Netanyahu’s far-right and ultra-Orthodox — or Haredi — allies, thus ensuring his success in October’s election.
The motion to disband parliament was tacked on to a financing bill that increases public funding for political parties during elections, The Times of Israel reported. Opposition leader Avigdor Liberman said the legislation was an abuse of taxpayer money, calling it a “contemptible attempt to tie the end of the session to increasing funding.”
The Knesset voted 62-0 in favor.
Political analyst Nadav Eyal said Netanyahu is trying to show his ultra-Orthodox allies that he’s the only leader who will support their issues.
“Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival, and the Haredi parties are essential to it,” Eyal wrote.
If he stays in power until the October election, Netanyahu will be the first Israeli prime minister to complete a full term in office since 1988.
Among the legislation pushed through in the final days of the 25th Knesset were laws reducing the powers of the attorney general, easing actions against Haredi draft dodgers and increasing government oversight of media companies.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo
