Published 21 May 2026 | Updated 1 October 2026 by Jane Robinson
Where’s hot in January from the UK? Cape Verde is the warmest place within about six hours, at 25 degrees with almost no rain. Fly seven hours to Dubai and it’s 24, while Tenerife reaches 23. Marrakech manages 19 by day but drops to 6 at night. Fares fall once schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland go back on 4 January: a mid-January week in Tenerife can cost less than £70 return.
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The January picks at a glance
Temperatures are 1991-2020 averages for the month from each country’s weather service. Fares are the cheapest non-stop return we found on Google Flights for one adult, flights only with no hold bag, checked on 1 October 2026. Sal is priced from Manchester because easyJet’s Gatwick flights don’t run on Saturdays.
| Destination | Daytime high | Flight time | Return, 2-9 Jan | Return, 16-23 Jan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | 22.8°C | About 4h 35m | £72 | £61 |
| Cape Verde (Sal) | 25°C | About 6h 10m | £265 | £214 |
| Marrakech | 19.1°C | About 3h 45m | £65 | £63 |
| Dubai | 24.4°C | About 7h | £731 | £517 |
"Waiting until the schools go back takes £51 off a week in Cape Verde. A return to Sal from Manchester for the week from the 16th costs £214, and buys you the warmest beach weather on this page. Tenerife drops by just £11 and Marrakech by £2, so if you’re holding out for a cheaper January, Sal rewards the wait far better than the shorter hops."
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
Tenerife and the Canary Islands
Tenerife is the nearest place for reliable winter beach weather. AEMET’s figures for Tenerife South airport put the average high at 22.8 degrees, with about 220 hours of sunshine and rain on one or two days in the month. Nights stay mild at 15 degrees. The sea is cooler, at about 20, so a heated pool helps.
Stay in the south, around Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos or Playa de las Américas. The north of the island is greener and cloudier. Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are a little cooler, at about 21 or 22 degrees. Our best time to visit Tenerife guide goes month by month.
It’s easy to reach from most of the UK. Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and TUI fly to Tenerife South from airports across the UK, and British Airways flies from Gatwick and Heathrow. Santa Cruz’s carnival programme starts on 22 January, though the street parties don’t start until 19 February. For costs on the ground, see our Tenerife budget guide.
Cape Verde
Sal is the place for proper beach warmth. It averages 25 degrees by day and 19 at night, with less than 3mm of rain in the month. The sea is about 23 degrees. The north-east trade wind blows steadily, which suits kitesurfers, and Saharan dust can leave a haze in the sky between November and March.
easyJet flies to Sal from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol, but not every day, so check the days before you plan the week. TUI flies from a wider spread of UK airports to both Sal and Boa Vista. Expect a little over six hours in the air.
UK passport holders can stay 30 days without a visa. GOV.UK says you must pre-register on Cape Verde’s EASE website at least five days before you arrive. You pay the airport security fee online when you do it. Skip it and you’ll pay double at the border, a rule in force since 1 July 2026. Our Cape Verde budget guide covers what the islands cost.
Marrakech
Marrakech in January is walking weather. The average high is 19 degrees, which suits the souks and palaces, but nights fall to about 6. Pack a proper jumper and check your riad has heating. Expect rain on about three days in the month.
It’s one of the cheapest trips on this list, from £63 return in mid-January. easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and British Airways all fly direct. Royal Air Maroc flies from the UK only to Casablanca, so you’d change planes there.
UK passport holders don’t need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. The Marrakech Marathon runs on Sunday 31 January 2027, so book early if your dates overlap. Our Morocco budget guide has prices for food, riads and transport.
Dubai
January is one of Dubai’s most comfortable months. The average high at Dubai International is 24 degrees, nights drop to about 15, and the sun shines for around 250 hours across the month. The Gulf is about 23 degrees, warm enough for a swim.
Emirates flies non-stop from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. British Airways restarts its Heathrow service on 3 November 2026. Virgin Atlantic isn’t flying to Dubai this winter.
UK passport holders get a free visa on arrival, for up to 90 days in any 180. Read the Foreign Office advice for the UAE before you book: it reports Iranian strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region since 8 July 2026 and warns of possible cancellations and airspace closures, though it doesn’t advise against travel. Our best time to visit Dubai guide compares the winter months.
January school holidays and what they do to prices
Schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland go back on Monday 4 January 2027. Glasgow returns on Tuesday the 5th and Edinburgh on Wednesday the 6th. There’s no school break after that until February half-term. Check your own council’s dates.
| Route | 2-9 Jan | 16-23 Jan | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Tenerife | £72 | £61 | £11 |
| Manchester to Sal | £265 | £214 | £51 |
| London to Marrakech | £65 | £63 | £2 |
| London to Dubai | £731 | £517 | £214 |
Fares fell on every route, from £2 for Marrakech to £214 for Dubai. Our guide to cheap holidays during the school holidays covers the rest of the year.
Where’s hot in January further afield
January falls in the dry season in Barbados, the Maldives and Goa, and all three reach 29 degrees or more.
| Destination | Daytime high | Direct from | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados | 29.1°C | Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester | BA adds a daily Gatwick flight from 25 October 2026. No visa needed; fill in the online immigration and customs form before you fly. Rain still falls on 11 or 12 days in the month. |
| Maldives | 30.6°C | Heathrow | January is still damper than February, at about 87mm in Malé. Fill in the IMUGA traveller declaration in the 96 hours before you land. |
| Goa | 32.5°C | Gatwick, Manchester | TUI flies to Mopa airport in the north of Goa. UK passport holders need an Indian e-visa or visa before they travel. |
See also where’s hot in December, where’s hot in February, or the full where’s hot each month guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where’s hot in January from the UK?
Cape Verde is the warmest within about six hours, at 25 degrees, with Tenerife at 23 and Dubai, seven hours away, at 24. Further afield, Barbados, the Maldives and Goa reach 29 to 32 degrees.
Is Tenerife hot in January?
Warm rather than hot. The average high at Tenerife South is 22.8 degrees, with about 220 hours of sunshine in the month and rain on one or two days. The sea is about 20 degrees.
Is Marrakech warm in January?
By day, yes: the average high is 19 degrees. Nights drop to about 6, so it suits sightseeing rather than sunbathing. Pack layers and check your riad is heated.
When do schools go back after Christmas 2026?
Monday 4 January 2027 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Glasgow goes back a day later and Edinburgh two days later. Check your own council’s dates.
What’s the cheapest week to fly in January?
On 1 October every route cost less for 16 to 23 January than for 2 to 9 January. London to Tenerife was £61 against £72.
Can I still go to Dubai in January 2027?
Yes. The Foreign Office doesn’t advise against travel to the UAE, but it warns of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures after Iranian strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region since July 2026. Emirates flies from eight UK airports, and BA restarts Heathrow flights on 3 November.
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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