UK Holiday spending trends by region

Have you ever wondered where the UK’s biggest holiday spenders live? We’ve mapped out what British travellers from the 12 UK regions plan to spend for this year’s summer trips, and which destinations they’re searching for.

From extravagant first class flights to budget-friendly staycations, each region has its own holiday habits. Some of the results may surprise you!

Table of contents

Who spends the most on flights
Holiday top lists: who flies where?
Spending big on sleep away from home
Who’s on the hunt for luxury travel?

Snapshot of the nation – who spends the most on flights this summer?

One thing is clear: travel budgets and flight preferences are not the same across the country. While some regions are splashing out on long-haul escapes, others are sticking to shorter (and cheaper) breaks. Here’s how average flight spending stacks up across the UK and what they reveal about regional holiday styles.

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Sky-high differences: flight costs across the UK unveiled.

The national average flight spend is £470, based on KAYAK flight searches, with significant variations between regions. Londoners spend the most on flights, with an average spend of £574. The East of England and the West Midlands follow closely, with average spend on flight fares exceeding £500.

It seems like that these three regions are home to some of the UK’s most frequent international travellers, probably thanks to a higher proportion of long-haul flights departing from easily accessible major airports (Heathrow, Birmingham, etc.) and a higher density of more affluent consumers with the means to indulge their wanderlust.

Young Asian woman with a suitcase, using a smartphone while seated in an airport terminal, waiting for her flight. Business traveler blending lifestyle and technology.

Residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland are the most budget-friendly flyers, paying an average of £388 and £308 for their airfares, respectively. This lower spending is probably due to their stronger travel preference for short trips to popular European destinations over long-haul adventures.

Holiday top lists: Who flies where?

We dug into the top flight destinations with average spend for each of the UK’s 12 regions, where to meet fellow Northerners, or mingle with holidaymakers from the other parts of the country. Here are three key takeaways:

Everyone has a soft spot for Spain and Portugal.

Beach destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Faro are among the top summer ‘25 destinations in nearly every region.

East loves East (and long-haul).

Travellers from Greater London, East Midlands, and East of England are all about long-haul escapes, especially to Asia. Think Thailand, Philippines or Sri-Lanka, with spending on return flights past £800 on average.

Savvy spenders of the North and West.

Travellers from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and North West are keeping it within Europe – with shorter hops to familiar mid-haul destinations.

Woman wearing an orange dress standing on a streetwalk wondering at wall tiled with traditional azulejos

Now, let’s have a closer look at where travellers from each region are flying and what they’re spending to get there.

Champions of spending big on sleep away from home.

KAYAK’s hotel data shows how much travellers across the UK are willing to spend on hotels, both at home and abroad, reflecting differences in accommodation preferences among those travellers. Travellers in some regions are more likely to opt for premium and luxury hotels, longer stays, or higher-cost destinations, while others hunt more for bargains, lower hotel star ratings, or destinations that are more off season.

A dark-skinned lady traveller with a suitcase at the doorstep leaving the guesthouse.

What stands out? UK travellers are far more likely to treat themselves when staying in a hotel abroad than at home, where they tend to book hotels with lower star categories.

Unpacking: the UK’s spending habits for their hotel stays.

Travellers from Northern Ireland are clearly not shy about a bit of indulgence when choosing their holiday hotel, topping the charts for both domestic (£134) and overseas (£162) average nightly hotel spend.

At the other end of the scale, travellers from Yorkshire, the East Midlands and West Midlands are more bargain hunters, keeping their hotel choices on the lower cost end, with average nightly spendings of £106 in the UK and £118 abroad.

Two young multiracial hotel maids spreading the clean bed sheet high in the air together

Londoners? Not quite as extravagant as you might expect, spending an average of £132 per night when holidaying abroad, and £116 per night domestically, ranking them third overall.

Holidaymakers from the North East and Wales are practically travel twins, with nearly identical hotel spend both at home (£111-£112) and away (£123).

And last but not least, travellers from Scotland and the South West are playing it cool when deciding for their holiday hotels with balanced budgets, no wild swings. Just solid, steady spend whether they’re staying home or jetting off.

From first class to five stars: Who’s on the hunt for luxury travel?

When it comes to travel, some Brits go all out. They opt for first-class flights, five-star hotels and premium car rentals. Others keep it simple. KAYAK’s data reveals which regions are splashing out, and which are choosing comfort without extras, based on searches for premium flights, hotels and car rentals.

Couple relaxing on the sun loungers on the wooden deck by the pool and enjoying the sunset and sea.

Biggest splurgers: who searches the most for premium travel services?

These are the regions where travellers search for premium travel services the most.

Flights

1	Greater London
2	South East
3	North West

Hotels

1	Greater London
2	East of England
3	Northern Ireland

Car rentals

1	West Midlands
2	North West
3	East Midlands

Greater Londoners top both premium flight and hotel searches – showing a clear appetite for high-end travel. Meanwhile, West Midlanders take the wheel on luxury car rentals.

Thrifty travellers: who searches the least for premium travel services?

These are the regions where travellers search for premium travel services the least.

Flights

1	Northern Ireland
2	North East
3	Wales

Hotels

1	Wales
2	North East
3	South West

Car rentals

1	South West
2	Wales
3	East of England

Both travellers from Wales and the North East appear across almost all three “thrifty travellers” lists, consistently demonstrating budget-conscious travel behaviour.

Northern Ireland offers the most intriguing twist: its residents are near the bottom in premium flight searches, but in the top three for posh hotels – perhaps proving that comfort matters more on arrival than in the air.

A note from our legal teamAll insights are based on flight and hotel searches made on KAYAK.co.uk from IP address identified location, in the period between 01/01/2025 and 03/06/2025 for travel periods between 15/06/2025 and 15/09/2025. All flight prices are average prices for economy, return tickets. The hotel prices are weighted average prices per night for a double room. Prices may vary.

Region’s top destination lists and average flight prices are based on flight searches made on KAYAK.co.uk from IP address identified location, in the period between 01/01/2025 and 23/06/2025 for travel periods between 15/06/2025 and 15/09/2025.

To assess interest in luxury travel, we analysed the share of searches for business and first-class flights, four- and five-star hotels, and premium car rentals within the same search and travel periods as above.