Published 22 May 2026 | Updated 30 September 2026 by Jane Robinson
Where’s hot in December from the UK? Tenerife and the rest of the Canaries reach about 22 or 23 degrees, Cape Verde about 25 and Egypt’s Red Sea coast about 23, all with very little rain. Madeira is milder at 21 and wetter, but it has the best Christmas of the lot. The date matters most: flights in the first half of December cost a fraction of Christmas week, which starts when most schools break up on Friday 18 December.
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The short-haul picks at a glance
Temperatures are long-term averages for the month from national weather services and the World Meteorological Organization. Fares are the cheapest non-stop return we found on Google Flights for one adult, checked on 30 September 2026.
| Destination | Daytime high | Flight time | Return, 5-12 Dec | Return, 19-26 Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | 22.8°C | 4h 20m to 4h 45m | £38 | £178 |
| Madeira | 21°C | About 4h | £48 | £293 |
| Cape Verde (Sal) | 25.2°C | About 6h 10m | £200 | £458 |
| Egypt (Hurghada) | 23.2°C | About 5h 30m | £158 | £532 |
"Early December is the cheapest sunshine on this page, by a distance. A Stansted to Tenerife return that costs £38 on the 5th costs £178 a fortnight later, for the same four and a half hours in the air. If you’re not tied to the school calendar, go before the 18th and put the difference towards a better hotel."
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
Tenerife and the Canary Islands
Tenerife is the safest bet for winter sun within five hours of the UK. AEMET’s figures for Tenerife South airport put the month’s average high at 22.8 degrees, with rain on about three and a half days in the month and around 195 hours of sunshine. The sea sits near 21 degrees, fine for a swim on a still afternoon.
Gran Canaria and Lanzarote run a degree or so cooler, at about 22 degrees. For the resort-by-resort picture, see our Canary Islands holidays guide and our guide to the best time to visit Tenerife.
Tenerife is also the best-connected option. Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and TUI fly to Tenerife South from London and Manchester, and British Airways flies from Heathrow and Gatwick. One new cost since January 2026: walking to the summit of Mount Teide on Trail 10 carries a €15 fee for non-residents, or €10 with a guide.
Madeira
Madeira is the coolest place on this list. IPMA, Portugal’s weather service, puts Funchal’s December high at 21 degrees, but Funchal gets about 95mm of rain across eight or nine days, the wettest of the short-haul picks. Come for walking along the levadas, the old irrigation channels, and for the festive season. It’s not a beach break.
Funchal’s Christmas and New Year programme runs from 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. The midnight fireworks on New Year’s Eve last about eight minutes. The display set a Guinness World Record in 2006, though Washington DC took the title in July 2026.
easyJet flies to Funchal from Gatwick and Luton, BA Euroflyer from Gatwick, and Jet2 from Stansted and Manchester, adding Gatwick this winter. TAP only goes via Lisbon. The flight takes about four hours. Our Madeira budget travel guide covers what the island costs once you land.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is the warmest place in this guide that doesn’t need a long-haul flight. Sal averages 25 degrees in December with almost no rain, and the sea is about 24 degrees. Sal and Boa Vista have the resort beaches; the other islands need an internal connection.
easyJet flies to Sal from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol, and TUI from Gatwick, in a little over six hours. The Gatwick easyJet flight doesn’t run every day, so check which days it flies before you plan the week around it.
UK passport holders can stay 30 days without a visa, but GOV.UK says you must pre-register on Cape Verde’s EASE website at least five days before you fly and pay the airport security fee online. Since 1 July 2026 that fee doubles if you pay it at the border instead.
Egypt: Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh
The Red Sea resorts average about 23 degrees by day in December, and the sea stays close to 25, warmer than the air by evening. Nights drop to 13 degrees in Hurghada and 15 in Sharm el-Sheikh, so pack a jumper for dinner.
easyJet flies to both resorts from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester, and Wizz Air from Luton and, for Sharm, Gatwick. Jet2’s Egypt flights don’t start until February 2027. From Hurghada, Luxor is about 295km by road, roughly three hours 45 minutes each way.
A visa on arrival costs US$30 in cash, according to GOV.UK. Fly into Sharm el-Sheikh for under 15 days and stay within Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, and you get a free entry stamp instead. Check the current travel advice before you book: parts of Sinai carry Foreign Office warnings, though Sharm isn’t among them.
December school holidays and what they do to prices
Most schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland break up on Friday 18 December and go back on Monday 4 January 2027. Scotland runs a day or two later: Glasgow returns on Tuesday 5 January and Edinburgh on Wednesday 6 January. Always check your own council’s dates.
| Route | 5-12 Dec | 19-26 Dec | Christmas premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester to Tenerife | £41 | £209 | £168 |
| Manchester to Madeira | £154 | £287 | £133 |
| Manchester to Hurghada | £170 | £477 | £307 |
If you’re tied to term dates, book as early as you can. Our guide to cheap holidays during the school holidays has more on working around term dates.
Where’s hot in December further afield
Fly further and December gets properly hot.
| Destination | Daytime high | Direct from | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados | 29.6°C | Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester | Sea about 28°C. Rain falls on about 11 days in December, according to Barbados Meteorological Services. |
| Dubai | 26°C | Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester | GOV.UK warns of possible cancellations and airspace closures after strikes across the region since July. BA resumes Heathrow flights on 3 November. |
| Cape Town | 25°C | Heathrow | High summer, but the Atlantic stays near 17°C. South Africa now asks for an online traveller declaration before arrival. |
| Maldives | 30°C | Heathrow | December is still wet in Malé, at about 217mm. January to March is drier. |
See also where’s hot in November, where’s hot in January, or the full where’s hot each month guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where’s hot in December from the UK?
Within about six hours of the UK, Cape Verde is the warmest at about 25 degrees, followed by Egypt’s Red Sea resorts and the Canary Islands at about 23, with Madeira at 21. Further afield, Barbados and the Maldives reach 30.
Is Tenerife hot in December?
Warm rather than hot. The average high at Tenerife South that month is 22.8 degrees, with around 195 hours of sunshine and rain on three or four days.
When do schools break up for Christmas 2026?
Most schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland break up on Friday 18 December 2026 and return on Monday 4 January 2027. Glasgow returns on 5 January and Edinburgh on 6 January.
What’s the cheapest week to fly in December?
The first week or so. On 30 September a Stansted to Tenerife return cost £38 for 5 to 12 December and £178 for the week from the 19th.
Do I need a visa for Egypt?
Usually yes. A visa on arrival costs US$30 in cash. Stays under 15 days limited to Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba get a free entry stamp instead.
Is Madeira worth it in December?
Yes, for walking and the festive season rather than the beach. Funchal’s festivities run from 1 December to 10 January, and the New Year fireworks last about eight minutes.
Jane Robinson is Senior Editor at Flight Tribe. She has a Master’s in English and Journalism, and writes about flight deals, holiday offers and practical ways UK travellers can spend less without wasting time on weak promotions. Jane has spent time living and working across Asia and New Zealand, which gave her a lasting interest in how people travel, eat, move around and spend their free time in different places.
At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on verified prices, realistic travel dates, booking terms and whether a deal is actually worth attention.
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