Travel insurance

According to the Skyscanner comparison site holidaymakers can jet off on a summer break for less than £80 – and they shared the cheapest day to travel

Millions of people across the UK have already booked their summer holidays, but there are still plenty of options for those yet to make plans. While travel can be costly, a trip abroad can cost less than £80 for the flights.

According to Skyscanner, UK travellers could find return flights for under £80 next month. Skyscanner is a travel comparison website that lets users search and compare flights from hundreds of airlines and travel providers. It also offers tools such as price alerts, flexible date searches, and its “Everywhere” feature, which helps travellers find the cheapest destinations.

The company says Dublin, Milan and Prague are among the cheapest places to visit in June. And for those holding out for a summer getaway in July and wanting a little extra time to save, these are the 10 destinations worth considering for a last-minute holiday.

Top 10 cheapest destinations in July 2026

1. Dublin, Ireland: Average return is £76 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
2. Milan, Italy: Average return is £103 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
3. Palma, Spain: Average return is £111 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
4. Ibiza, Spain: Average return is £137 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
5. Rome, Italy: Average return is £137 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
6. Alicante, Spain: Average return is £150 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
7. Budapest, Hungary: Average return is £162 and the cheapest day to fly out is Sunday
8. Faro, Portugal: Average return is £171 and the cheapest day to fly out is Monday
9. Marrakech, Morocco: Average return is £177 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday
10. Valletta, Malta: Average return is £183 and the cheapest day to fly out is Tuesday

The comparison experts say the prices are based on the median cost of economy return flights booked through Skyscanner for travel in 2025 on the selected route and month, including taxes and fees.

Don’t make this holiday mistake

Brits heading abroad this summer are being advised to make one quick check before they travel, as the peak holiday season gets underway. Experts at Compare the Market recommend taking out travel insurance and cover for electronic devices. However, travellers are warned not to assume every policy offers the same level of protection.

Experts say many people assume their travel insurance automatically covers phones, tablets and other gadgets. But policies vary, so it’s worth checking the small print before you travel to avoid unexpected costs.

It notes: “Not all travel insurance policies include gadget cover. And travel insurance payouts for valuables are often low – as little as £200 for one item or £500 in total.”

The Foreign Office has lifted its no-go travel warning after Iran and the US signed a deal

A travel expert has provided an update on journeys to and from the Gulf region following the US and Iran reaching an agreement to cease hostilities between the two nations. Speaking outside the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Simon Calder confirmed that travel insurance was ‘once again valid’ after both the Iranian and American presidents put pen to paper on a deal to end the conflict.

This prompted the FCDO to lift its advice against travelling to several Gulf States. Nevertheless, it cautioned that the ‘situation remains unpredictable’ amid ongoing regional tensions.

Mr Calder stated that those wishing to visit the region could now do so ‘with some confidence’. He said: “I’m at the Foreign Office which has just changed its advice for travellers going to the Gulf region, in particular Dubai, which last year was visited by 1.4 million British travellers.

“As from now, the no-go warning which prevailed for the whole of the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as to the countries of Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, has been lifted. The Foreign Office still warns that you need to be ready for trouble to resume at any time, but it means that travel insurance is once again valid and anybody planning a trip to the UAE or Qatar or elsewhere in the region can do so with some confidence.

“The immediate effect, I think, is going to be a big marketing campaign by the giant airlines: Emirates of Dubai, Etihad of Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways based in Doha. They will be wanting to get people to both connect through their hubs, but also to take summer holidays. Be warned, it is extremely hot with average daily highs around 40°C.”

Not only do millions of holidaymakers head to the Gulf states, but countless others use them as a stopover for journeys to Asia and Australia. That meant the tourism industry took a particularly severe blow when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.

The FCDO decision means tourists can now return without putting their travel insurance at risk. But that doesn’t mean flights will restart straight away.

Virgin Atlantic halted flights until winter 2027 after the conflict began, and a spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that this ‘remains the case’.

British Airways announced earlier in June that it wouldn’t restart flights to the UAE until October 2026. Emirates has maintained flights to and from the region throughout the hostilities.

Mr Calder continued: “The immediate effect, I think, is going to be a big marketing campaign by the giant airlines: Emirates of Dubai, Etihad of Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways based in Doha. They will be wanting to get people to both connect through their hubs, but also to take summer holidays. Be warned, it is extremely hot with average daily highs around 40°C.”

“But it means that anybody who’s planning to travel perhaps to Asia or to Australia now will be able to travel with confidence through one of the Gulf hubs. In addition, I imagine that airfares will fall because the Asian carriers will not be able to command such a premium.

“Stand by for some really good holiday offers, but I personally won’t be seeing you on the beach in Dubai until about November.”

Online reviews have become one of the most powerful tools people use when booking holidays, but experts warn that not every review tells the full story

Millions of Britons are gearing up for their summer getaways, but experts are urging travellers not to place too much trust in a sea of glowing five-star reviews.

Online reviews have emerged as one of the most powerful influences when selecting hotels, resorts and holiday rentals, with many holidaymakers depending on them to determine where to invest thousands of pounds. However, according to review verification specialist TruthEngine, not all reviews paint the complete picture. Daniel Mohacek, CEO of TruthEngine, said holidaymakers should view reviews as one element of their research rather than concrete evidence that a property will live up to expectations.

He said: “Reviews have become one of the most powerful tools people use when booking holidays. A string of five-star ratings can persuade someone to spend thousands of pounds on a hotel, resort or rental they have never seen in person.

“The problem is that not every review tells the full story. Some may be exaggerated, outdated, incentivised or, in some cases, not actually genuine.”

TruthEngine cautions that fake, manipulated and misleading reviews can leave holidaymakers arriving at destinations that bear little resemblance to what was advertised online. In some instances, guests uncover dated rooms, substandard facilities, hygiene problems, deceptive photographs or loud locations that were never flagged in the reviews.

One of the most common errors travellers commit, according to Mr Mohacek, is believing that a near-flawless review score automatically indicates a property is outstanding.

He said: “Holidaymakers should not assume that a high rating automatically means a property is perfect.”

TruthEngine recommends reading two, three and four-star reviews first, suggesting that these typically offer the most balanced and valuable insight.

He added: “Our advice is simple, to slow down before booking. Read the two, three and four-star reviews as these are the least faked, check recent feedback, compare different platforms and look at real guest photos.”

He also urged travellers to watch out for repetitive phrases, reviews that resembled marketing material rather than authentic experiences, and sudden spikes of glowing feedback appearing within a brief timeframe.

He said: “If the same complaints keep appearing, or if the reviews all sound too polished and too similar, that should ring alarm bells.”

Another frequent error is depending entirely on a single booking platform. TruthEngine advises cross-referencing reviews across multiple sites including Google, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Airbnb and Expedia, while also examining social media and photographs uploaded by travellers.

Mr Mohacek added: “A holiday is one of the biggest purchases many families make each year. Taking 10 extra minutes to check whether reviews feel authentic could be the difference between a dream break and an expensive disappointment.”

For holidaymakers seeking a swift reality check, TruthEngine suggests a straightforward 30-second review assessment: examine the middle-range reviews, filter by the latest comments, cross-check several platforms, remain cautious of excessive references to particular staff members and take note of recurring grievances. According to Mr Mohacek, those additional few checks can uncover considerably more than a five-star rating ever could.

Kevin Turner is in intensive care and his family will need to pay the bill – and the cost of getting him home

A dad faces a £30,000 medical bill after falling ill on holiday because he didn’t declare a common ailment on his travel insurance. Kevin Turner flew to Alicante with his partner Joy Peck in May after feeling poorly the week before with a chest infection.

After taking antibiotics and steroids, the 63-year-old said he felt assured by his GP that he was ‘good to go’ and was prescribed more medication to account for being away. The retired painter and decorator felt ‘off’ when he landed but put it down to the journey. It was when his chest pains worsened the following day that Joy called an ambulance.

After being rushed to a hospital in Alicante, doctors discovered Kevin had a pierced lung and pneumonia and he was put in intensive care. Despite having holiday insurance, Kevin’s family says his medical bills aren’t covered as he didn’t declare his chest infection before travelling – meaning he faces bills of at least £30,000.

Kevin’s daughters Sam Turner, 44, and Natalie Fowell, 40, have set up a GoFundMe to help pay his medical bills and get him home to the UK. Sam, from Winsford, Cheshire, said: “It was really, really scary because obviously you’re helpless. You’re over here and you don’t know what’s going on.

“He did have an existing chest infection that he had visited the doctor for that week and had been given antibiotics and steroids. He did also say that he was due to go on holiday and there were no warnings or concerns around that [from the GP] so he thought he was good to go.

“They just gave him enough medication for the fact that he was going away and that was it. He’d arrived at midnight, had something to eat and drink and gone to bed, feeling a bit off but just put it down to travel. It got progressively worse from there.

“By the next day the pains were just so much that in hindsight he probably already had pneumonia when he got on the flight, but he wasn’t aware. Joy rang me from the hotel and said ‘I’ve had to call him an ambulance, he’s not good’ and we were like ‘right, ok get him to the hospital’, trying to get updates all the time.

“They [doctors] said he had a pierced lung and chest and stomach pain where it’s believed air and gases had built up and had to be drained.”

Wedding co-ordinator Sam flew out to be with her dad on May 30 to be by his bedside. After contacting the insurance company, Sam says she was told that Kevin’s medical bills wouldn’t be covered as he didn’t declare the ongoing chest infection on his travel insurance before flying.

The cost of his bills is estimated to be £30,000, but as Kevin is still in intensive care it may rise. You can donate to Kevin’s GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kevs-recovery-and-journey-home

Sam said: “It very much looks like it’s a case of, the small print says if there are any significant health changes up to the date of travel then you must notify them. He’s still in intensive care and we’re trying to find out what the prognosis is.

“He hasn’t been out of bed, he hasn’t used his legs or feet and he’s just really worried because he’s lost all feeling in them. The insurance took about two weeks for them to decide that they weren’t going to pay out. It involved a lot of chasing from us.

“I would always say read the small print of the insurance document, make sure you go with a reputable company and look at their reviews.”

Passengers wanting to fly with easyJet could get some pretty cheap deals

Booking flights can be expensive, with many people clicking on random days of the week to find the best deal. But did you know two days of the week are likely to be better than the rest?

Travel experts at easyJet say that while the ‘cheapest day to fly’ often depends on factors like destination and flight availability, there are two days of the week you really want to look out for. The airline says: “The cheapest day of the week to fly can vary depending on the destination, flights available, and time of year.

“However, we’d recommend being flexible with your dates and considering flying outside of peak weekend flight times. By booking to fly on Wednesday or Thursday rather than Friday, you can find bargain flights (and get more time at your destination!).”

What is the cheapest month to fly in?

The low-cost airline also noted that the start and end of the year are key periods to look for if you want a trip that won’t break the bank. It adds: “The cheapest month to fly often depends on the destination and the type of trip you’re planning.

“For traditional warm-weather destinations in Spain or Italy, you can often find the cheapest plane tickets in the winter months of January and February. If you’re booking a trip to the mountains or traditional winter destinations like Finland, you’ll often find cheaper flights in November or March.”

As one of the world’s largest airlines, it operates a fleet of 355 aircraft, connecting 164 airports in 38 countries through 1,207 routes. While booking flights during these specific days and months is not a guarantee of the best deal, it urges people to use its Low Fare Finder when searching for the cheapest flight dates to secure the best deals.

Mum blocked from easyJet flight and left £700 out of pocket

In other easyJet news, a mother was prevented from boarding an easyJet flight with her family and lost £700 after being caught out by a crucial passport rule.

Bolaji Omisade was looking forward to a family trip to Greece and arrived at London Gatwick Airport with her husband and three sons. However, after checking in at the airport, easyJet staff informed her that she was not permitted to board the flight.

Confused by the situation, she was informed at check-in that, although her passport had not yet expired, it was no longer valid for travel due to passport regulations. You can read the full story here to make sure that you don’t fall foul of the same rule.

Four out of five Brits surveyed didn’t know this passport rule, and even more surprisingly, a huge number don’t know the expiry date of their passport, which could leave them facing a last-minute panic

Holidaymakers are being urged by travel insurance specialists to check their passport details ahead of the busy summer season, as a survey showed a huge percentage of Brits were unaware of a basic passport rule.

The research, carried out by Saga Travel Insurance showed that many Brits didn’t know basic rules around passport validity, entry requirements, and travel regulations post-Brexit. Worryingly, 7% of the people surveyed had previously been denied entry to a country because they didn’t have enough time on their passport to cover the trip.

Saga surveyed 500 people, and found that four out of five (80%) were not aware that different countries have different passport validity requirements, while 50% mistakenly thought that every country requires a passport to have six months remaining before travel.

The travel insurance provider also highlighted that half of the Brits surveyed “are still not confident they understand the visa and travel requirements for visiting Europe after Brexit.” 16% didn’t know when their passport is due to expire, while 8% currently had expired passports gathering dust in a drawer.

One mum recently was left £700 out of pocket after getting caught out by passport rules for a holiday to Greece, meaning she couldn’t board her flight with her husband and children.

Michelle Cooper, Director of Travel Insurance at Saga, said: “Nobody should have their holidays ruined because of a simple passport error. A few quick checks can help people avoid unnecessary stress, unexpected costs and disruption at the airport.”

She added: “It’s important to check the specific rules of the country you’re travelling to so that you know how long you need remaining on your passport. Some destinations require three months remaining on your passport, while others require six months.”