School holiday prices have been rising since the pandemic. A week in Majorca for a family of four in August now costs around £2,400 in self-catering. The same week in Turkey, all-inclusive, runs to £1,600–2,200. In Albania, you can do a genuine beach holiday for under £1,200.
Seven destinations still offer genuine value for UK families during school holidays. Some are well-known. A couple might surprise you. Prices below are based on packages and DIY combinations searched in May 2026 for August departures. For context on how much extra you pay just by travelling during term breaks, see our guide to school holiday flight prices.
| Destination | Typical cost | Flight time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | £900–1,200 Cheapest | ~3 hrs | Beach + culture, budget-first families |
| Bulgaria | £1,100–1,600 Budget | ~3 hrs | Beach resorts, lowest price in Europe |
| Morocco | £1,400–2,000 AI value | ~3 hrs | Reliable sun, calm beach, intro to North Africa |
| Turkey | £1,600–2,200 AI value | ~4 hrs | Best AI value in Europe, large family resorts |
| Majorca | £1,700–2,400 | ~2.5 hrs | Short flight, value in smaller resorts |
| Tenerife | £2,000–2,800 | ~4 hrs | Year-round weather, 20+ UK airports, all ages |
| UK | £500–1,200/stay No flights | n/a | No flight premium, no passport needed |
Booking early makes the biggest difference to the final price. For August, most operators release their summer stock in October or November the previous year. By February, the cheapest allocations are often gone. If you are reading this in May 2026, there are still options at the prices above, but availability in the most popular resorts is thinning. See our guide to the best time to book a holiday for a full breakdown of booking windows by destination.
Tenerife
Tenerife works for school holidays because of the breadth of choice. Over 20 UK airports fly there direct. The weather holds year-round. It suits toddlers, teenagers, and grandparents equally well.
The south of the island, covering Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas, and Costa Adeje, is where most packages go. It is sunnier, hotter, and better developed than the north, with the largest concentration of water parks and family resorts. Prices in the south are higher than anywhere else on the island.
For better value, look north. Puerto de la Cruz is cooler, quieter, and cheaper. A self-catering week there costs 15–20 per cent less than an equivalent stay in Costa Adeje. You will need a hire car to make the most of it, which adds around £200 to the total, but Teide National Park, the Anaga Rural Park, and the island’s market towns are all within easy reach.
For August all-inclusive packages, budget £2,000–2,800 for a family of four. TUI, Jet2, and easyJet Holidays all sell Tenerife packages. Jet2 covers the widest range of UK departure airports. If you’re flexible on where you fly from, comparing regional airports can save £100–200 per person. See our best time to visit Tenerife guide for a full month-by-month price breakdown.
Albania
Albania is the cheapest beach destination in Europe accessible from the UK by direct flight. That is not a vague claim. It is provable on price comparison searches for August departures. Wizz Air flies direct to Tirana from London Luton and Birmingham, with returns available for under £200 per person in August if you book several months ahead.
The Albanian Riviera, running south from Vlorë to Sarandë, is where most UK visitors go. Sarandë is the main resort town, with a pleasant seafront, decent restaurants, and a ferry link to Corfu (45 minutes, useful for a day trip). The beaches at Ksamil, a short drive south of Sarandë, are the standout: four small islands just offshore, clear turquoise water, and a relaxed atmosphere. Crowds in August are mostly Albanian and Italian. It does not yet feel saturated with British package tourists.
Self-catering accommodation in Sarandë costs £50–90 per night for a decent apartment in August. A family of four can manage a week including flights for £900–1,200 if booked four to five months ahead. Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Roman, Greek, and Venetian ruins, is 20 minutes from Sarandë and costs around £5 per adult to enter. Downsides: roads outside the main towns can be rough, and tap water is not reliably drinkable. For families with older children who want something different from the standard Spanish or Turkish resort, Albania is worth serious consideration.
Turkey
Turkey offers the best all-inclusive value in Europe for UK families. The combination of a favourable exchange rate, well-developed resort infrastructure, and competitive tour operator pricing makes it hard to beat on the AI measure.
Antalya, Side, and Belek are the main resort areas on the southern coast. All have direct UK flights (around four hours), excellent beaches, and a large number of AI resorts with pools, entertainment, and water parks. TUI, Jet2, and Thomas Cook all sell packages to these areas.
For a family of four (two adults, two children under 12), budget £1,600–2,200 for one week all-inclusive in August. That is typically £400–800 cheaper than an equivalent AI week in Tenerife, and £200–600 cheaper than Morocco.
The exchange rate has been favourable for UK visitors since 2022. Eating and drinking outside the resort costs around £15–20 for a family meal at a mid-range restaurant, which makes it worthwhile stepping off the AI plan for an evening. Side, which combines a full resort town with a well-preserved Roman theatre and old town, is a particularly good choice for families who want some history alongside the beach.
Note: the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel to certain areas of Turkey near the Syrian and Iraqi borders. The resort areas of Antalya, Side, and Belek are not affected.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria has the lowest prices on this list for a European beach holiday with a direct UK flight. Sunny Beach is the main resort, and it earns its name: the beach is long, the Black Sea reaches 25–27°C in August, and the prices are low. A main course at a beach restaurant costs €5–8. Beer is €1.50–2. A family week, all costs included, can come under £1,100.
The downside of Sunny Beach is that it operates as a party resort at night. Families with young children are better served by Sveti Vlas, a quieter town 8 km to the north with a marina, calmer beaches, and more family-focused restaurants. Transfers between the two take about 15 minutes.
Wizz Air and Ryanair fly to Burgas, the nearest airport, from multiple UK airports. Flight time is about three hours from London. Package prices are available from Jet2, Thomas Cook, and several smaller operators. Standalone flights plus self-catering booked via Airbnb or Booking.com often works out cheaper than a package for this destination.
If the primary goal is a cheap, warm beach holiday in summer, Bulgaria is the clearest standout on this list for families on a tight budget.
Majorca
Majorca remains one of the most popular school holiday choices for UK families. In the right resort, it still offers genuine value. The problem is location. The south and south-west of the island, covering Magaluf, Palma Nova, and Santa Ponsa, are the most crowded parts and the most expensive in August. Expect to pay £2,800–3,400 all-inclusive here for a family of four.
The better-value option is self-catering in one of Majorca’s smaller resorts. Cala d’Or on the south-east coast, Cala Millor on the east coast, and Port de Pollença in the north all offer good beaches, family-friendly facilities, and lower prices than the south-west. Self-catering in August runs to £1,700–2,400 for a family of four, flights included, if you book four to six months ahead.
easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, and Vueling all fly to Palma from UK airports. Flight time is around 2.5 hours, one of the shortest on this list. The island is large enough to reward a hire car: the Tramuntana mountains in the north are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the market towns of Sineu and Alcúdia work well as day trips. See our best time to visit Majorca guide for pricing patterns by month.
Morocco (Agadir)
Agadir is one of the cheapest summer package destinations available to UK families, and one of the most underrated. A week there in August, all-inclusive, costs between £1,400 and £2,000 for a family of four. The flight is around three hours from most UK airports. easyJet Holidays and TUI both sell packages.
The resort was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1960, so the city lacks the historic medina character of Marrakech or Fez. What it does have is a long, calm Atlantic beach, reliable sunshine, and resort infrastructure that works well for families. The Atlantic waters off Agadir are calmer than the surf-exposed northern Moroccan coast, which makes them safer for young children.
Temperatures in August reach 26–28°C and sunshine is close to guaranteed. Ramadan has moved away from the summer months at this point in the Islamic calendar cycle (it shifts forward approximately 11 days per year), so restaurants and entertainment remain fully open.
Day trips beyond the beach are easy to arrange: Essaouira is two hours by road, the Souss-Massa National Park is 30 minutes south, and organised excursions to the Atlas Mountains and camel treks in the dunes near Taghazout are popular with children.
UK options
Travelling within the UK during school holidays removes the flight cost entirely. That matters. August airfares for European routes run to £200 per person return or more from most UK airports. For a family of four, that is £800 in flights before you have paid for a single night’s accommodation.
Self-catering in Cornwall, Devon, or the Lake District in August costs roughly £600–1,200 per week for a cottage or lodge, depending on size and location. Center Parcs and Haven sites start around £700 for a family of four in August, with access to facilities included.
The trade-off is weather. UK August sunshine is not guaranteed, and accommodation prices in popular areas are still high relative to the rest of the year.
For families who have never tried it, the Northumberland coast offers long empty beaches, Bamburgh Castle, and boat trips to the Farne Islands, with a week’s self-catering starting around £500 in August. It is significantly less crowded than the South West and noticeably cheaper. The Norfolk Broads and the Yorkshire Dales offer similarly good value compared with their Cornish equivalents. For a broader look at reducing the overall cost of a school holiday, see our guide to cheap holidays during school holidays.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest school holiday destination for UK families?
Albania and Bulgaria are consistently the cheapest European beach destinations with direct UK flights in summer 2026. Packages for a family of four start from around £900–1,100 for a week in August.
How much does a school holiday abroad cost for a family of four?
Budget at least £1,200 for the cheapest European options (Albania, Bulgaria) and closer to £1,600–2,200 for Turkey all-inclusive. Majorca and Tenerife typically cost £2,000–3,000 depending on board basis and resort choice.
When are school holiday prices cheapest?
May half-term is generally 20–30 per cent cheaper than August across all the destinations in this guide. Easter is also cheaper than August, though by a smaller margin.
Which airlines fly to cheap school holiday destinations from the UK?
Wizz Air flies direct to Albania (Tirana) and Bulgaria (Burgas) from multiple UK airports. Jet2 and TUI operate packages to Turkey, Tenerife, and Majorca. easyJet Holidays and TUI both cover Morocco (Agadir).
Do any tour operators offer free child places during school holidays?
Free child places are rare in August. Jet2holidays and TUI occasionally offer child discounts on selected summer packages, but these are far less common during peak school holiday periods than in off-peak travel.
How far in advance should you book a school holiday abroad?
For August travel, booking at least four to six months ahead secures the best prices. Last-minute prices for school holiday periods rarely fall. They usually rise as availability shrinks. See our guide to the best time to book a holiday for more detail.
