Best summer buys 2026.

Almost half of the UK’s top outbound summer destinations come in under £250 for flights.

Although the news paints a bleak picture of summer travel, the reality is more nuanced. With flight ticket prices trending upwards recently, choosing your destination wisely could actually help you save money. We’ve analysed the latest KAYAK search data to reveal where you can find great value trips this summer. This is how you get it right.

A woman walks in front of colorful houses in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa.

Wallet-friendly escapes.

Where to go this summer? Here are the top wallet friendly destinations to secure now.

A flight this summer for under £250? How to make it work!

No need to write off your summer trip. We’ve done the maths to show you where you can fly to for under £250 and enjoy a week abroad for around £500 or less, including a return flight and a double room for one person. There are plenty of options within this budget.

How far will your budget take you this summer?

We’ve mapped the top 100 most searched outbound summer destinations for British travellers in 2026, alongside their average return flight prices. Nearly half of these can be reached for under £250 this summer.

UK breaks that won’t break the bank

Searches for UK stays are up 13% year-on-year, as British travellers look more closely at home this summer. While pricing differs by destination, these are 5 staycations that offer the best priced rates for accommodation in summer 2026.

A beach with pronounced seabed grooves and a pleasure pier in the distance.

Blackpool

Blackpool remains one of the UK’s best-value seaside options this summer, with average nightly hotel rates at £62.

A clock tower surrounded by buildings in the middle of a highly urbanized city.

Birmingham

Birmingham offers good-value city breaks, with an average accommodation rate of £85 per night.

A footbridge with striking modern architecture, featuring a curved steel frame and suspension cables, spans the water in Salford Quays, Manchester, surrounded by modern buildings and a blue sky, with a promenade and guardrail in the foreground.

Manchester

Manchester combines vibrant culture with affordable stays at £105 per night on average.

A dock adjacent to a bridge surrounded by buildings with a view of a lit clock tower in the distance reflected on the water's surface.

Liverpool

Liverpool has plenty to keep you entertained without breaking the bank, with average stay prices of £105 per night.

Pathways on the hillside gracefully lead down to the bay, with a charming promenade below and waterfront buildings standing proudly along the stretch of the cliff.

Scarborough

With hotel stays averaging at £112 per night, Scarborough is a competitively priced coastal destination for a summer getaway.

Not sure where to start? Ask AI on KAYAK to get help with planning your summer trip and finding the best options for your summer getaway.

Young hikers sitting on rocks while taking a break

Time is money – literally.

Knowing when to travel is almost equally important to where to go this summer. Find out below for which travel weeks you can currently find the best deals, and pencil your holiday request in everyone’s calendar.

When to fly for best value right now

Secure your ticket for the first week of September or the last week of August if you want to get this summer’s best value international flights. Currently, an international return-ticket costs an average of £209 in the week commencing 7 September, and £238 on average in the week prior (31 August).

Four happy women sitting on a sandy beach next to a striped umbrella, with large rock formations behind.

What’s hot.

Where people go isn’t just about price, it’s shaped by trends, big events and what feels worth the trip. Based on the latest KAYAK flight search data, here’s what’s gaining momentum right now.

What’s shaping summer travel in 2026?

Big moments, bucket-list experiences and changing travel habits are all playing a part in where people go next.

A summer of football

Major football matches with 2 UK teams participating put certain cities firmly on the map, with flight searches rising for destinations like Atlanta (+37%), Los Angeles (+30%), Boston (+24%) and Miami (+19%).

Three people gaze upwards through eclipse glasses under a bright sky.

Chasing the eclipse

With a rare solar eclipse on the horizon, Bilbao is seeing a 25% increase in flight searches vs. last year. If you’re after something nearby, Porto is also worth a look, with fares around 12% lower than last summer.

Shorter trips, more often

The ‘nanocation’ is here to stay as nearly two-thirds of British travellers are planning multiple shorter breaks this year, with #weekendgetaway trending up 60% on TikTok. Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin are among the most searched for quick two-day trips.

Want a deeper look at what’s driving travel this year? Check our WTF What the Future report 2026.

What’s trending?

8 out of 10 most trending outbound destinations on KAYAK are long-haul with some Asian cities like Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Denpasar seeing an increase in flight searches since last year, alongside familiar favourites in Japan and Thailand. Searches for Sydney and Los Angeles are also picking up, suggesting that travellers are open to taking longer trips for the right experience.

The Shanghai skyline, dominated by towering skyscrapers, is punctuated by the iconic, futuristic design of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, standing tall in the centre.

Pro tips and tools to outsmart peak summer travel.

“Flight prices are especially unpredictable this summer, with prices shifting quickly. That can make planning trickier, but with some flexibility and the right tools to compare options, travellers can still find affordable ways to get away. We created this guide to give travellers a starting point as they navigate these changes and plan their trips.”

– Rachel Mumford, KAYAK travel trends expert

Getting it right this summer comes down to planning and using the right tools. KAYAK’s UK travel expert Rachel Mumford shares her top tips for finding good value tickets.

Flight price trends

Check our Flight price trends to see how prices are evolving over time.

Best priced flight routes

Use KAYAK’s monthly updated Best priced flight routes to spot strong-value offers from your local airport.

Ask AI

Try Ask AI to plan your trip in a simple chat, with live flight, hotel and car hire results updating alongside your conversation.

Flying guide

For practical travel advice, explore our Flying guide, covering everything from finding the best deals to navigating connections and understanding liquid policies.

Curious about our numbers? Here’s the proof.

All insights in the Travel Check-in unless stated differently: Summer savings 2026 report are based on an analysis of flight searches for the top 100 most searched destinations made on KAYAK.co.uk and associated brands between 01/03/2026 and 12/04/2026 for travel dates between 01/06/2026 and 15/09/2026.

Wallet-friendly trips are based on an analysis of flight and hotel searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and associated brands between 01/03/2026 and 12/04/2026 for travel dates between 01/06/2026 and 15/09/2026.

Flight prices mentioned are average prices for return flights in economy class per one person, departing from any airport in the UK. Accommodation prices are average for 1 night in a double room per person (2 people occupancy). Prices may vary and be no longer available.

Insights for best value staycations are based on hotel searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and associated brands between 01/03/2026 and 12/04/2026 for travel dates in the UK between 01/06/2026 and 15/09/2026.

Accommodation prices are average for 1 night in a double room. Prices may vary and be no longer available.

To present prices by travel dates over the summer weeks, the average flight prices per full week of summer (Monday to Sunday) from anywhere in the UK to international destinations are calculated.

‘Trending destinations’ are defined as destinations with the biggest year-over-year increase in search volume.

All flight prices mentioned are average prices for return flights in economy class for the defined travel period, and departing from any airport in the UK. Percentages in change in search are approximate, prices may vary and be no longer available.