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Low-cost airlines are reducing certain airfare prices to incredibly cheap rates in an attempt to book more seats during the holiday season. Trips to the Canary Islands and various other flights can be purchased for less than £50 for a round-trip ticket.
The Independent has investigated a selection of inexpensive flights – each with an exceptional offer for every day leading up to December 25th.
Some notable deals include a return trip from Prestwick, Scotland to Tenerife, Spain for only £46 and a quick trip from Belfast to Malaga for £43, perfect for a Christmas getaway.
Other bargains include a round-trip from Bournemouth to Faro on Portugal’s Algarve coast for £38, London Gatwick to Venice for £70 return and a break from Manchester to Dublin and back for £35.
The flights available are round trips lasting three days and two nights, departing from airports in the UK and heading to various European Union destinations.
The majority of the deals are for Ryanair, but there are also offers for travel to Italy through Wizz Air departing from London Gatwick. These deals include a roundtrip fare of £66 to Milan, with a return flight on Christmas Day. This holiday season will see an increase in short-haul flights to and from the UK.
According to Sean Moulton, an analyst for airline schedules, companies are being forced to reduce ticket prices significantly in order to fill vacant seats.
According to him, the UK is experiencing warm weather and an increase in available destinations, but there is not enough demand to match the supply. This is causing prices to decrease for spontaneous trips.
Mr. Moulton spoke upon his arrival back from a £43 four-day trip to Tirana, the capital of Albania, where he flew with Ryanair.
Other airlines are selling some routes at surprisingly low fares. For returning British expatriates, the last easyJet flight from Alicante to Bristol before Christmas, on the evening of 24 December, is just €19 (£16) one way.
EasyJet is offering a weekend trip from London Gatwick to the popular Swiss city of Geneva, which serves as a gateway to ski resorts in the French Alps. The trip, scheduled for December 22-24, is priced at £109.
The fares are in stark contrast to some soaring ticket prices for the busiest week of the winter. Newcastle to Paris CDG on Monday for three days on Air France is selling for €500 (£431) return. The cheapest British Airways round-trip from London Heathrow to Rome over Christmas is £411.
Ryanair is also charging high prices for certain flights, such as the Scotland-Canary Islands flight for £46 roundtrip. However, the shorter flight between London Stansted and Palma de Mallorca starts at a minimum of £319.
Airports are preparing for a surge in holiday travel, with the number of trips expected to be the highest since before the pandemic. They anticipate the busiest days to be Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23.
Lowest-priced round-trip tickets for a Christmas vacation
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From December 18th to 20th, you can fly from Bournemouth to Faro for only £38 on Ryanair.
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From the 19th to the 21st of December, you can fly from Edinburgh to Beauvais (Paris) for only £38 on Ryanair.
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From December 20th to 22nd, you can fly from London Gatwick to Venice for only £70 on Wizz Air.
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From December 21st to 23rd, a flight from Manchester to Dublin on Ryanair costs £35.
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From December 22nd to 24th, you can fly from Prestwick to Tenerife for only £46 with Ryanair.
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From December 23rd to 25th, a flight from London Gatwick to Milan Malpensa on Wizz Air costs £66.
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From December 24th to 26th, you can book a Ryanair flight from Belfast to Malaga for only £43.
All fares researched on the individual airlines’ websites on Thursday 14 December 2023 and rounded to the nearest pound. Prices include only one small piece of cabin baggage.
Check out our tips for navigating the challenges of holiday air travel.
Source: independent.co.uk
