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As travellers make the last-minute resolution to fly away for Christmas, some airfares are hovering. British Airways nonetheless has economic system seats from London to Sydney on 20 December, returning two weeks later – however the fare is £3,640.
On the identical dates from Heathrow to Barbados, Virgin Atlantic has solely Higher Class accessible, with a fare of £10,227 return. And a Gatwick-Malaga journey with easyJet is £425 return, together with a big cabin bag.
But for travellers who’re pleased with a swift escape – as brief as flying out on Christmas Eve and again on Boxing Day – The Unbiased has discovered some cut price escapes.
To the Spanish island of Tenerife, fares are extraordinarily low: from Prestwick in southwest Scotland to the Canary Island, Ryanair is charging £54 return going outbound any day from 21 to 24 December – and inbound each night between Boxing Day and New 12 months’s Eve. Common day by day highs are round 22C, in contrast with round 7C in Glasgow.
One purpose the fares are so low is as a result of lodging is scarce and costly – rising to £500 or extra within the south of the island. Motels in Puerto de la Cruz on the northwest coast are considerably cheaper.
However flights to cities open up extra potentialities for lodging:
Package deal holidays present flights with a beneficiant baggage allowance. On 20 December, Jet2holidays has every week’s package deal vacation flying from London Stansted to the Algarve in Portugal, staying room-only within the Resort Baltum in Albufeira, for £345 per individual – remarkably low for a Christmas journey.
For an all-inclusive week departing on the identical date, Tui is providing the Albir Backyard Resort on Spain’s Costa Blanca for £513 per individual from Manchester. Limitless foods and drinks comes at a complement of solely £21 per individual per day on prime of the self-catering value.
Jet2holidays has an all-inclusive week in Benidorm, staying on the Gala Placidia, for £626 together with flights from Liverpool.
Winter sports activities packages can be found for beneath £400. Crystal has a departure from Birmingham on 20 December to Bansko in Bulgaria for £399, primarily based on two sharing. Baggage, transfers from Sofia (taking three hours) and even breakfast are included within the value.
Lengthy haul winter solar, nevertheless, is at a critical premium. The most affordable package deal from Expedia to South Africa, travelling out from London to Cape City on 20 December for a fortnight, staying on the Waterstone Lodge, is sort of £3,000 per individual – together with outbound continuous flights on Virgin Atlantic, however returning on KLM through Amsterdam.
A flight-only deal from Manchester to Cape City on the identical dates is £1,822 on KLM through Amsterdam.
All costs researched direct with the suppliers on the afternoon of 12 December 2025
Learn extra: Jet2holidays low cost codes for December 2025
