The October half term hack that could save you hundreds

October 19, 2023

By Steph Marinkovic

Fancy a last-minute half term holiday? Check prices from all your nearest airports before you book, and you could find some huge savings.

Why? It’s simple: half term dates can differ in areas not that far away, and if you’re willing to travel slightly further to another airport, you can avoid the higher prices typically associated with half term weeks.

In fact, our deals experts at TravelSupermarket have found savings reaching more than £400 per person!

So, if you’re still searching for a last-minute family treat, here are four great-value picks to get you started.

*All prices quoted correct as October 19, 2023. Please note prices can fluctuate daily and may appear differently on provider site for this reason. Prices based on two adults and two children sharing. Deals are subject to the partners' T&Cs.

Tenerife

Swap Luton Airport for East Midlands Airport, about an hour and a half away by car, and you could save more than £450 per person on a seven-night holiday to Tenerife over London half term dates.

A stay at the five-star Hotel Botanico & The Oriental Spa Garden in Puerto de la Cruz comes to £1,433 per person for a family of four when you fly from Luton on October 21.

Choose the same holiday but depart from East Midlands and the price comes in at £977 per person – with transfers and checked luggage included, too.

Fuerteventura

All-inclusive is a great bet for a breezy half term holiday that won’t blow out your budget. And this Fuerteventura deal gets even better for your bank account when you fly from Manchester Airport instead of Leeds Bradford during the half term in Leeds.

Departing on October 28 from Leeds, a seven-night, all-inclusive stay at the four-star Club Hotel The Drago Park in Costa Calma will set you back £790 per person for a family of four.

The same trip departing from Manchester Airport, also about an hour and a half away, costs just £513 per person – a saving of £277 each.

The Algarve

Go the opposite way and fly out of Leeds Bradford Airport during the Manchester half term to maximize your chance of a family holiday saving.

For example, this seven-night self-catering holiday at the Cerro Mar Atlantico, a four-star resort in Albufeira, costs £510 per person from Manchester when you depart on the Saturday that half term starts (October 21).

Fly out of Leeds Bradford on the same day and the price drops to £351 per person – that’s a saving of £159 per person (or £636 for a family of four)!

Benidorm

Based near Newcastle? If you’re up for the three-hour drive to Manchester Airport, you could save £80 per person on this Benidorm break.

The deal, which departs the same week Manchester schools return, includes seven nights at the four-star Meliá Benidorm on a B&B breakfast comes in at £484 per person when you fly from Manchester Airport.

The same journey is priced at £564 per person from Newcastle.

October half term dates for 2023

Make the most of this holiday hack by keeping across the October half term dates in your nearby areas.

Below are the half term dates for ten major cities in the UK, from the Friday schools break up to the Monday they return – but keep in mind that your child’s school may have different dates.