Expedia Data Reveals Where Brits Are Heading for Summer, With 28 July the Most Affordable Day to Depart for domestic destinations and 2 June for international destinations

Expedia® today released its Summer Travel Outlook, revealing Brits are opting to follow the football to Germany this Summer, with Dortmund¹, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf leading the top trending destinations chart. A key sporting occasion in France is also driving Brits to Paris and its suburbs, with the French capital being the most popular destination this summer. Expedia’s data also shows the way to land the best deal this summer is to travel on 28 July² for domestic destinations and 2 June for international ones, with Wednesdays and Thursdays offering more affordable flight departures.

From pinpointing optimal flight times to revealing the trendiest destinations, Expedia’s Summer Travel Outlook equips travellers with essential tips for planning the perfect summer trip.  

“This summer, British travellers find themselves drawn to a variety of experiences, whether it be immersing themselves in the excitement of sports events in Germany or France, indulging in the warmth of Greek sun, or embarking on unforgettable journeys to long-haul destinations, such us Beijing or Jaipur”, said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations.  

“30 June and 24 July are going to be the busiest air travel days for domestic and international destinations, but if you’re able to plan your holidays in advance, departing on 28 July and 2 June could bag you the best deal. Whether it’s a sport experience supporting their national team or an adventure in the Far East, the best hack to save hundreds of pounds is to bundle flights, hotels and car hire on the Expedia app.”

Read the full Expedia Summer Travel Outlook below, including top destinations and tips for saving on flights.

Expedia Summer Travel Outlook 

Brits and a Sporty Summer 

The forthcoming football tournament has propelled Germany into the spotlight, leading to highly coveted destinations for British travellers. The excitement surrounding the event has ignited interest, as the trending summer destination list is topped by German cities with a massive surge in searches for accommodations in Dortmund (+765%), Stuttgart (+515%) and Düsseldorf (+330%). Other German cities such as Munich (+305%), Bonn (+300%), Cologne (+250%) and Frankfurt (+215%) also show a high increase year-over-year.

France will also be home to a major sporting occasion this summer, so it’s no surprise that Paris and its surrounding areas are garnering significant attention. This has propelled the City of Lights to be the most popular international destinations for UK travellers, but Expedia’s data also reveals a surge in searches for accommodation in smaller towns and villages just outside the French capital, such as Val d’Oise (+155%), Essonne (+125%) and Yvelines (+35%). Searches for Lyon were also up 50%, with Marseille, Nantes and Bordeaux, the home of major sporting events, all up more than 15%.   

Chasing the European Sun 

Outside of travelling for sports events, cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, New York and Barcelona, along with beach resorts Mallorca and Ibiza continue to be popular, but Brits are focused on chasing the sun this Summer. According to Expedia’s trending destination data, travellers will be flocking to mainland Greece, which is seeing a +50% increase in searches, whilst Greek islands Santorini and Corfu continue to be popular but their demand remains static.  

Interest in Malta is also surging, as it climbs the popularity ranks (+25%), given it is one of the more affordable Mediterranean destinations, offering both culture in the form of its three Unesco World Heritage Sites, and sunny climes. Gozo Island is also having a moment, drawing travellers to Malta to experience its natural beauty.  

Searches are also up for Albania (+50%), known for its crystal-clear waters and stunning beaches, and Tunis (+130%), the only short-haul hotspot to make the trending destination list. Both appeal to the budget-conscious traveller, looking to make their money go further.

Experiences in Asia and Beyond 

The more adventurous British travellers are looking to experience a trip of a lifetime this summer and discover the wonders offered by Asian long-haul destinations. Data shows that the trendiest spots can be found in China, with searches for Beijing increasing by 320% and by 150% for Shanghai, but also in India, with Jaipur appearing in the list of the fastest-growing destinations, thanks to new direct flights launching to the city this summer. (+165%). 

The adventure seekers are also looking to head to Peru, with Cusco, the starting point for the journey to see Machu Pichu, up 145%. The lush greenery of Kandy in Sri Lanka is also calling Brits this summer, with the city up 125% versus last year. 

Domestic Destination Insights 
 
Expedia revealed that the top four most popular domestic destinations remained the same as 2023 — London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. However, Glasgow and Cardiff are surging in popularity, shooting up to number 5 and 6 in the charts and up 15% and 10% year-on-year, respectively. 

A Scottish summer seems to be on the cards for many Brits, as Stirling (+40%), Dumfries and Galloway (+20%), Glasgow (+15%) and Ayrshire (+15%) all top the domestic trending destination list.  Brits also continue to explore new destinations at home, a trend that has continued post-pandemic, with Milton Keynes (+60%), Bedfordshire (+20%) and Sudbury (+20%) all trending this summer. 

Best Times to Travel This Summer 

For this year’s Summer holidays, running from the 1 June – 1 September, Expedia has predicted that the most affordable day to fly will be Wednesday for domestic trips, where you can save up to 20% compared to weekends, and Thursday for international ones, where you can save up to 15%. In 2023, 28 July and 2 June saw the cheapest average ticket price for domestic and international flights respectively, with 30 June and 16 July being the most expensive. 

For those travellers who are flexible on the departure date, Expedia revealed that the least busy dates to travel for domestic trips are 10 and 19 July, and 27 and 30 August for international flights.  

Summer Travel Hacks 

Here are the most valuable travel tools from Expedia identifying the best time to book, saving on flight fares and streamlined planning. 

• Set up flight alerts: Find the right time to book and get notified when flight prices drop with Price Tracking in the Expedia app.  
• Choose a morning flight: According to Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, flights departing after 3 p.m. are 50% more susceptible to cancellations than their earlier counterparts, proving it pays to be a morning person. 
• Reserve a hotel with flexible policies: Use Expedia’s search filters to look for properties offering “free cancellation” or “reserve now, pay later,” and opt for the refundable room. 
• Bundling: With flights, car hire, hotels and activities, Expedia offers customisable holiday packages in one place, allowing travellers to save hundreds of pounds on average when booking multiple items on Expedia. Travellers then also have their itinerary all in one place, making it easier to keep track of their journey.

Still Time to Book 

With summer holidays just around the corner, holiday home expert, Vrbo, recommends that families and groups book holiday homes no later than 8 June* to ensure they have the best choice of properties available. 

In popular UK staycation destinations like East Sussex and Somerset, 60%** of holiday homes available on Vrbo are still free to book this summer. In London, Suffolk, Pembrokeshire, North Yorkshire, Kent, Hampshire, or Devon availability is lower at around 55%, so travellers shouldn’t wait too long to book. 

For Brits looking to travel abroad, there is still availability for family getaways in the most popular*** destinations of Spain and Portugal, like the Balearic Islands (30%), Málaga region (50%), Alicante (45%) and Faro District (40%). Likewise, there is availability in the popular Dordogne in France (50%). 

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Data Sources:  

Expedia:

1. Most popular and trending destinations for domestic stays based on Expedia.co.uk hotel searches. Most popular and trending destinations for Europe and Global based on Expedia.co.uk lodging searches. All data is for travel between June 1 – September 1, 2024, correct as of April 19, 2024, and based on comparisons to the Summer time period in 2023. ↩︎
2. Best time to fly based on Expedia flight demand for travel during Summer period of 2023. ↩︎

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Vrbo:

*Based on an analysis of Vrbo holiday rental demand for the 11-month period ending November 30, 2023.  

**Based on Vrbo holiday rental demand for summer months 2024, as of April 9, 2024.   

***Based on Vrbo holiday rental demand for summers months vs the same period 2023.