KAYAK.co.uk reveals the popular Easter destinations that have fallen in price the most
- Brits pay around 24% less on return flights to Warsaw and Vienna compared to last year
- Berlin has fallen out of favour as a festive getaway, but Alicante has come into the top 10
- Favourite destinations up to 5% more expensive on average than last Easter
- Hotel stays in Agadir in Morocco have almost halved in price compared to last Easter, while closer to home, 3&4-star hotels in Tenby are down in price by around 30%
British travellers still searching for an Easter getaway can grab a bargain to locations including Warsaw or Vienna for a lot less this year, according to new research from the travel search engine KAYAK.co.uk. The travel experts have compared the most popular short and mid-haul destinations for Easter 2019 against last year to reveal which destinations have dropped the most in price, and which have fallen in and out of favour with British travellers.
Flights: Warsaw and Vienna see the biggest drop in flight prices
Of the top 50 most popular destinations for this Easter, city break destinations Warsaw and Vienna have seen the biggest drop in prices with both cities around 24% cheaper than last year on average. Wine connoisseurs will be happy to know that Porto and Bordeaux are also cheaper to fly to (down 18% and 16% on average respectively), and Spanish favourites Arrecife (Lanzarote) and Málaga are down by 16% and 9% on average.
| Popular short/mid-haul destinations with the biggest drop in flight price for Easter 2019 compared to 2018 | ||||
| Ranking | Destination | Average return flight price Easter 2018 | Average return flight price Easter 2019 | % change in price vs. 2018 |
| 1 | Warsaw | £139 | £105 | -24% |
| 2 | Vienna | £196 | £150 | -24% |
| 3 | Porto | £240 | £197 | -18% |
| 4 | Bordeaux | £139 | £117 | -16% |
| 5 | Arrecife | £318 | £268 | -16% |
| 6 | Málaga | £203 | £185 | -9% |
| 7 | Lisbon | £221 | £206 | -7% |
| 8 | Madrid | £167 | £156 | -7% |
| 9 | Sevilla | £257 | £241 | -6% |
| 10 | Reykjavik | £199 | £187 | -6% |
When it comes to the top 10 popular destinations for British travellers this Easter, Amsterdam is the top favourite getaway overall, but flight prices have increased by up to 7% this year, perhaps reflecting this. Return flights to another ever-popular destination, Barcelona, are also 18% more expensive, while the cost of flying to Rome is up 22%. While the top destination rankings haven’t changed much year on year, Alicante has made it into the top 10, and Berlin has dropped out. Overall, the top 10 destinations are 5% more expensive than they were last year.
| The top 10 most popular short/mid-haul destinations for Easter 2019 | ||||
| Ranking | Destination | Average return flight price Easter 2018 | Average return flight price Easter 2019 | % change in price vs 2018 |
| 1 | Amsterdam | £125 | £134 | +7% |
| 2 | Barcelona | £154 | £182 | +18% |
| 3 | Lisbon | £221 | £206 | -7% |
| 4 | Dublin | £70 | £71 | +1% |
| 5 | Rome | £169 | £207 | +22% |
| 6 | Alicante | £176 | £190 | +8% |
| 7 | Budapest | £188 | £203 | +8% |
| 8 | Paris | £132 | £143 | +8% |
| 9 | Málaga | £203 | £185 | -9% |
| 10 | Prague | £164 | £165 | 0% |
Hotels: Prices for 3&4-star hotels in Agadir, Morocco almost halved compared to 2018
The travel search engine also looked into hotel searches for the top 50 hotel destinations and found that prices for Agadir are down by 45% on average this Easter compared to last year, at just £42 on average per night in a 3&4-star hotel. Brits seeking some sun can also look for deals in Tenerife and Lanzarote, where hotel prices are on average 40% and 29% less this year, respectively. Closer to home, hotels in Welsh seaside destination Tenby are a huge 30% less on average.
| Popular hotel destinations with biggest drop in price for Easter 2019 compared to 2018 | ||||
| Short/mid-haul (excluding UK) | ||||
| Ranking | Destination | Average price per night in 3&4-star hotel Easter 2018 | Average price per night in 3&4-star hotel Easter 2019 | % change in price vs 2018 |
| 1 | Agadir | £76 | £42 | -45% |
| 2 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | £118 | £71 | -40% |
| 3 | Puerto del Carmen | £113 | £80 | -29% |
| 4 | Palma de Mallorca | £103 | £74 | -28% |
| 5 | Reykjavik | £137 | £103 | -25% |
| UK | ||||
| 1 | Tenby | £110 | £78 | -30% |
| 2 | Nottingham | £85 | £61 | -28% |
| 3 | Bournemouth | £103 | £78 | -24% |
| 4 | Whitby | £106 | £81 | -24% |
| 5 | Oxford | £99 | £81 | -18% |
Flight prices to Amsterdam aren’t the only thing that has increased this Spring – prices for 3&4-star accommodation in the city have also gone up by up to 23% this year, to around £173 on average per night. Of the top 10 most popular hotel destinations, only Palma de Mallorca shows any significant decrease in price, down by 28% on average.
| The top 10 most popular short/mid-haul hotel destinations for Easter in 2019 | ||||
| Ranking | Most popular 2019 | Average price per night in 3&4-star hotel Easter 2018 | Average price per night in 3&4-star hotel Easter 2019 | % change in price vs 2018 |
| 1 | Amsterdam | £141 | £173 | 23% |
| 2 | Dublin | £117 | £125 | +7% |
| 3 | Paris | £115 | £127 | +10% |
| 4 | Barcelona | £117 | £121 | +3% |
| 5 | Istanbul | £48 | £51 | +6% |
| 6 | Rome | £100 | £97 | -3% |
| 7 | Palma de Mallorca | £103 | £74 | -28% |
| 8 | Prague | £90 | £92 | +2% |
| 9 | Berlin | £78 | £83 | +7% |
| 10 | Benidorm | £80 | £83 | +4% |
John-Lee Saez, Managing Director for KAYAK Europe, comments: “With Easter falling later in the year, there’s still time to find a great deal to make the most of the long weekend. Many travellers book cheap flights but then get caught out with high-season accommodation costs, so we’ve looked into our data to share inspiration for hotels too. Those willing to go a bit further this Easter – for example to Agadir in Morocco – can find cheaper accommodation and get a good hit of sunshine. Aside from these destinations, our tools like Explore can also help Brits to get inspired – and on their own terms – they can enter their budget and Explore will tell them where they can go for this price.”
Note to editors: Searches were made on KAYAK.co.uk between 26.08.17-26.02.18 for travels between 29.03.18-02.04.18, and between 26.08.18-26.02.19 for travels between 18.04.19 – 22.04.19. Prices are for return economy flights, and per night for a double room in 3&4-star hotels. Prices may change and offers may no longer be available.
