Expedia Data Reveals Where Brits Are Heading for Easter, With 30 March the Best Day to Depart  

Expedia® today released its Easter Travel Outlook, revealing that Brits are opting for long-haul travel this Easter. Bangkok tops the most popular list, with two U.S. cities in Texas and surprising Asian destinations leading the trending destination charts¹. Expedia’s data shows the way to land the best deal this Easter is to travel on Saturday 30 March. 

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

“Easter travel is going to be even busier this year, with international flights and hotel stays up over 20%. With Brits hoping for some spring sun at home, domestic travel is also booming with flight searches up 100% compared to last Easter,” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. “The week of 1 April is going to be the busiest for air travel, but if you’re happy to wait just one day to fly on Saturday, 30 March, instead of on Good Friday, you could bag the best deal. Whether it’s a Thai adventure or a U.S. city break, the best hack to save hundreds of pounds is to bundle flights, hotels and car hire on the Expedia app.”   

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

Expedia Easter Travel Outlook 

Destinations Insights 

According to Expedia flight searches, Bangkok has knocked New York off the top spot for most popular destination, with searches up 20% year-on-year, as Brits look to affordable Thailand with its warmer climes. New York came in second, with Tokyo and its ever-popular cherry blossom season in third, up two places and 30% from 2023. This was followed by Dubai, up four places and 60% compared to last year, with Amsterdam completing the top five. 

The trending destination list was also dominated by long-haul hotspots, with U.S. cities, specifically Texan ones, leading the way. Dallas topped the global list (+130%), followed by Philadelphia (+130%) and Austin (+100%), as spring is a popular time to head stateside outside of peak travel season, and Brits look to explore new cities in the U.S. Alternative Asian cities were also trending, with Shanghai (+80%) and Ho Chi Minh City (+75%) rounding out the top five.  

Domestic Destination Insights 

Expedia revealed that the top five most popular domestic destinations remained the same as 2023 — London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and York. However, Glasgow is surging in popularity, shooting six places up the ranking and up 80% year-on-year. Other trending UK hotspots were Brighton (+75%), Swansea (+75%), Lincolnshire (+70%) and Durham (+60%), as Brits continue to explore new destinations at home, a trend that has continued post-pandemic.

Best Times to Travel This Easter 

With this year’s Easter break running from the 29 March–12 April, Expedia has predicted that the most affordable date to fly will be Saturday, 30 March. In 2023, the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday saw the cheapest average ticket price for both international and domestic flights. 

Even for travellers bound by school schedules, avoiding the busiest travel days can offer cost and time savings. Wednesday departures are the most expensive, but departing on a Saturday is cheapest for both international and domestic flights, which tend to be 15% cheaper based on historical fight data. Tuesday is the busiest day to fly, with Saturdays and Sundays being the least busy.² 

Easter 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.  

Data Sources:  

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 flight searches. All data is for travel between March 29, 2024 – April 12, 2024, correct as of February 13, 2024, and based on comparisons to the Easter time period in 2023. 

² Best time to fly based on Expedia flight demand for travel during Easter period of 2023.