Everything included. No surprises.
All-inclusive holidays bundle flights, accommodation, meals, drinks and entertainment into one upfront price. You pay before you travel and spend almost nothing once you arrive.
For UK travellers, the main appeal is certainty. A family of four can budget accurately without worrying about restaurant bills or drink costs. Most resorts include kids' clubs, evening shows and non-motorised watersports as standard.
Prices vary widely by destination and season. A week in Bulgaria, Turkey or Tunisia can start under £400 per person. The Canary Islands, Greece and the Balearics typically sit between £400 and £600. Long-haul resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico or Cape Verde usually start from £600 and rise from there.
Latest all-inclusive holiday deals
| Category | Usually included | Often extra |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Hotel room with daily housekeeping | Room upgrades, sea view, suites |
| Meals | Buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner | A la carte restaurants, room service |
| Drinks | House wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks | Premium brands, cocktails, champagne |
| Snacks | Daytime snacks and ice cream at the pool | Late-night snacks, speciality items |
| Activities | Pool, gym, beach, non-motorised watersports | Motorised watersports, excursions, golf |
| Entertainment | Evening shows and a daytime activities programme | Spa treatments, premium experiences |
| Kids | Kids’ club at most family resorts | Private childcare, under-4s programmes |
Board basis is the term for what your holiday price covers beyond the room. It runs from self-catering, where you pay for everything yourself, up to ultra all-inclusive, where almost nothing costs extra. All-inclusive is the most popular choice for UK package holidays, but the standard varies a lot between resorts, so it pays to check the detail before you book.
| Board type | What you pay for | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Self-catering | Room only, you buy all food and drink | City breaks and families who like to cook |
| Bed and breakfast | Room plus breakfast | Short stays where you eat out |
| Half board | Breakfast and dinner, lunch and drinks extra | Couples who explore at lunchtime |
| Full board | Three meals a day, drinks usually extra | Resorts away from restaurants |
| All-inclusive | Meals, snacks, local-brand drinks and most activities | Families and anyone wanting a fixed budget |
| Ultra all-inclusive | All-inclusive plus branded spirits, a la carte dining and room service | Couples and higher-end resorts |
The best all-inclusive destination depends on your budget, how far you want to fly and who you are travelling with. Turkey and Egypt give you the most resort for your money. The Canary Islands and Greece offer reliable sun and the widest choice. For a Caribbean beach, the Dominican Republic and Mexico are the long-haul favourites. The table below compares the destinations UK travellers book most.
| Destination | Best for | Price guide (pp, 7 nights) | Flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majorca | Beaches and short flights, families and couples | from £380 | 2h 30m |
| Costa del Sol, Spain | Lively resorts and easy day trips, families | from £400 | 2h 45m |
| Algarve, Portugal | A calmer pace and golf, families and couples | from £420 | 2h 50m |
| Tunisia | Budget spring and autumn sun, couples | from £350 | 3h |
| Bulgaria | The cheapest all-inclusive in Europe, families | from £320 | 3h 15m |
| Malta | Culture and beaches in one trip, couples | from £430 | 3h 15m |
| Corfu, Greece | Green island scenery, families and couples | from £420 | 3h 30m |
| Crete, Greece | Big resorts and history, families | from £430 | 4h |
| Rhodes, Greece | A long season and sandy beaches, families | from £440 | 4h 15m |
| Lanzarote | A quieter Canary Island, couples and families | from £400 | 4h |
| Tenerife | Year-round sun and big resorts, families | from £420 | 4h 20m |
| Gran Canaria | Winter sun, lively and quiet resorts | from £420 | 4h 30m |
| Turkey | The most resort for your money, families | from £350 | 4h 15m |
| Cyprus | Upmarket resorts and a long season, couples | from £480 | 4h 30m |
| Egypt (Red Sea) | Snorkelling and winter sun, great value | from £450 | 5h |
| Cape Verde | Winter beach sun, couples | from £600 | 6h |
| Dominican Republic | Caribbean beaches and ultra all-inclusive | from £700 | 9h |
| Mexico (Cancun) | Caribbean coast and Mayan culture, families | from £750 | 10h 15m |
Turkey is the value champion. Big resort complexes around Antalya and Dalaman bundle waterparks, multiple restaurants and round-the-clock food into low prices. Best for families. See our Turkey travel guide.
Greece spreads its all-inclusive resorts across Crete, Rhodes and Corfu. You get sandy beaches, a long season and more local character than a purpose-built resort strip. Good for families and couples alike.
The Canary Islands (Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura) are the UK’s winter-sun default, with reliable warmth from November to March. Tenerife has the biggest choice of resorts. See our Tenerife travel guide.
The Balearics and mainland Spain offer the shortest flights. Majorca suits families and couples, while the Costa del Sol pairs resort comfort with easy day trips. Browse our Spain holiday deals.
Egypt’s Red Sea resorts at Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are among the cheapest winter sun you will find, with excellent snorkelling on the doorstep.
Cyprus and Malta sit at the more upmarket end of the short-haul market, with a long season and plenty to see beyond the pool. See our Cyprus and Malta guides.
The Caribbean is the long-haul prize. The Dominican Republic and Mexico deliver white-sand beaches and ultra all-inclusive resorts, while the islands of St Lucia, Antigua and Jamaica are home to the adults-only Sandals resorts.
Travel in shoulder season for the best Mediterranean prices. May, June, late September and October give you summer warmth without peak fares. For school-holiday departures, book early or gamble on a late deal four to six weeks out.
Read the board basis carefully. Two resorts can both say all-inclusive and offer very different things. Ask whether drinks are branded or local, whether the a la carte restaurants cost extra, and what hours the bars and snacks run.
Match the resort to the group. Adults-only resorts suit couples who want a quiet pool, while family resorts earn their keep with kids’ clubs and waterparks. Larger resorts almost always do all-inclusive better than small boutique hotels.
Book with a reputable operator. Jet2holidays, TUI and easyJet Holidays offer ATOL protection and the widest UK departure choice, which matters if anything goes wrong.
Latest travel guides
Most packages cover accommodation, three meals a day, snacks, house drinks including alcohol, and evening entertainment. Kids' clubs and non-motorised watersports are often included at family resorts, though a la carte restaurants, spa treatments, and motorised watersports typically cost extra.
For families and those who want to budget upfront, generally yes. All-inclusive removes the stress of daily spending and represents strong value once you factor in food and drink over a week. The main trade-off is staying at the resort rather than eating at local restaurants.
May, June, and October are typically the cheapest months from the UK, offering shoulder-season pricing at most Mediterranean destinations. Booking six to nine months ahead or taking a last-minute deal within four to six weeks can deliver significant savings.
Jet2holidays and TUI have the widest range of all-inclusive resorts from UK airports and are generally the most reliable for UK departures. easyJet Holidays, Thomas Cook, and Virgin Holidays also offer strong all-inclusive programmes.
Yes. An all-inclusive package does not include medical cover, so travel insurance is essential. A good policy should cover emergency medical treatment, repatriation, trip cancellation, and lost luggage.
Confirm exactly what all-inclusive covers at your specific resort, as standards vary significantly between properties. Check whether drinks are served outside mealtimes, whether restaurant dress codes apply, and whether kids' clubs are actually free of charge or require pre-booking fees.
Yes. Many resorts in Turkey, Greece, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean are adult-only, usually 16+ or 18+. They suit couples who want a quieter pool and a calmer atmosphere.
Ultra all-inclusive adds branded spirits, a la carte restaurants, room service and premium snacks to the standard package. It costs more but means you rarely spend anything extra at the resort.
Tipping is not required and service is included in the price. Small tips for housekeeping or a favourite waiter are appreciated but never expected.
Want to extend your trip or add a few nights either side? Take a look at our cheap hotel deals, where we share verified deals on hotels across our top destinations.
Travelling independently rather than on a package? Browse our cheap flight deals from UK airports for the best fares we have found.
Every deal on Flight Tribe is reviewed and verified by our editorial team. We check prices directly with operators before publishing and update pages regularly. We may earn a commission on bookings, which does not affect our editorial decisions or the deals we feature.
