Although the headlines paint a bleak picture of summer travel, the reality is more nuanced. Flight prices are rising in some destinations but choosing your holiday location wisely can actually help you to save money this summer.  

KAYAK has crunched the numbers to reveal where you can find great value trips this summer. Taken from KAYAK's Travel Check-In: Summer Savings 2026 report, this is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to set off, confident in the knowledge they're getting a great value deal. 

KAYAK’s top 10 wallet friendly destinations 

There’s no need to write off your summer trip. KAYAK’s guide to wallet friendly destinations proves that a week abroad doesn’t have to cost the earth. From Prague’s fairy-tale architecture and Krakow’s medieval charm to the sun drenched, buzzing waterfront of Marseilles. Enjoy a full week abroad for around £500 or less, including return flights and accommodation. 

Olé! It’s a Spanish summer for Brits 

Spain dominates the value travel landscape this summer, claiming eight of the ten cheapest beach destinations.  

KAYAK’s top 10 best-value beach destinations at a glance: 

• Valencia: £122 avg. flight
• Girona: £133 avg. flight
• Corvera: £145 avg. flight
• Barcelona: £145 avg. flight
• Alicante: £149 avg. flight
• Agadir: £150 avg. flight
• Palma de Mallorca: £152 avg. flight
• Málaga: £158 avg. flight
• Reus: £158 avg. flight
• Marseille: £169 avg. flight  

Bilbao is seeing a 25% increase in flight searches and has an added draw this summer – a rare total solar eclipse on 12 August is set to be one of the most spectacular astronomical events in a century, visible across northern Spain just before sunset. 

Blackpool is calling: Staycations are making a confident comeback 

The ‘nanocation’ trend – whereby travellers opt for shorter 24-48-hour trips, is proving popular. KAYAK’s WTF (What The Future) report showed that nearly two-thirds of British travellers are planning multiple shorter getaways. And the trend appears to be reaching home turf, as the KAYAK Travel Check-in revealed a 13% rise in UK domestic hotel searches compared to last summer – pointing to a growing appetite for homegrown getaways, with many likely opting for shorter breaks to make their money go further. 

Blackpool, Birmingham, and Manchester top the UK’s most affordable destinations, and with many nightly hotel rates averaging under £100, the case for a staycation has rarely been stronger. From sun on Blackpool's Golden Mile to a city break in Birmingham, there is a British summer for every kind of traveller. 

KAYAK's top value UK summer destinations at a glance: 

• Blackpool: £62 avg. per night* 

• Birmingham: £85 avg. per night 

• Manchester: £105 avg. per night  

• Liverpool: £105 avg. per night  

• Scarborough: £112 avg. per night  

A summer of football 

Major football matches featuring UK teams are putting American cities firmly on the summer radar, with flight searches surging for Atlanta (+37%), Los Angeles (+30%), Boston (+24%) and Miami (+19%).  

For those looking to combine the love of the game with great value, Los Angeles delivers on both counts, hosting eight major matches over the summer at an average return flight cost of £567. 

Further afield but still in reach 

Brits’ appetite for long-haul adventure remains strong, with eight of the ten top trending destinations this summer being long-haul. Shanghai leads the way with a 106% surge in flight searches year-on-year, with Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Denpasar not far behind. 

Familiar favourites Japan and Thailand are also seeing renewed interest, while searches for Sydney and Los Angeles suggest UK travellers are increasingly willing to go the extra mile for the right experience. And with prices averaging at a competitive mid-to-high £600 price point, the far-flung dream remains well within reach. 

KAYAK’s top 10 trending destinations for summer 2026  

It’s all in the timing: KAYAK reveals best time to travel this summer 

If flexibility is an option, it pays to travel out of peak season. International return tickets are around one-third of peak summer prices, averaging just £209 in the week commencing 7 September and £238 the week prior, compared with £690 in the week commencing 13 July and £694 in the week commencing 20 July. This makes late August and early September the clear sweet spot for value-conscious travellers this summer. Those who can dodge peak weeks stand to save significantly, with more left to spend on the ground. 

Rachel Mumford, KAYAK UK Travel Expert, said: “Airfares are especially unpredictable this summer, with prices shifting quickly, but that shouldn't put Brits off. Our data shows there are still great deals to be found, particularly for those with flexibility on destinations and dates.”

“We created this guide to give travellers a clear starting point as they plan their summer. And with KAYAK's Ask AI tool, planning has never been more straightforward. Travellers can ask things like 'Where can I fly for under £150 this summer?', 'Find me a cheap beach holiday in Spain in late August', or 'Show me long-haul destinations under £700', and watch live flight, hotel and car rental options update in real time alongside the conversation. 

“There are still plenty of ways for Brits to make their summer budget go further; you just need to know where to look.” 

Please visit https://www.kayak.co.uk/c/travel-check-in-summer/ to check out the full report. 

ENDS  

For more information and imagery, please contact kayak@ready10.media  

About KAYAK  
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is the world's leading travel search engine. With billions of searches on our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, accommodation, car rental, and holiday package. We also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution. 

Notes to Editors  

All insights in Travel Check-in: Summer savings 2026 report are based on flight searches made on kayak.co.uk and associated brands in the period between 2026-03-01 and 2026-04-12 for flights with departure between 2026-06-01 and 2026-09-15 from any UK airport. 

 They were compared to searches made in the period between 2025-03-01 and 2025-04-12 with the travel period between 2025-06-01 and 2025-09-15. All prices are average prices for economy, return tickets.  

Prices may vary, and savings cannot be guaranteed.  

Percentages for changes in searches are approximate. A 

*All prices are average for 1 night in a double room. Prices may vary, and savings cannot be guaranteed.