Loading...
Black Friday can look like the perfect time to book a holiday. But a red sale banner does not automatically mean you are getting the lowest price. Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday 27 November, and travel promotions often run for days either side of it. The smartest way to shop is simple. Compare the full trip cost with the normal price of a similar trip. This guide explains how Black Friday travel sales work, what to check, and when it makes sense to buy, wait or walk away.
Travel promotions do not always start or stop exactly on Black Friday. Many run for a longer window either side of it, and not every company follows the same schedule.
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday 27 November. Some travel companies begin offers in the days before this, so it is worth checking prices early.
Cyber Monday 2026 falls on Monday 30 November. Online travel offers can continue, change, or occasionally improve on this day.
Travel Tuesday falls on Tuesday 1 December 2026, the day after Cyber Monday. Some travel companies use it for extra, travel-specific offers, though not every company takes part.
Some Black Friday travel deals offer genuine savings, but not every sale price is a bargain. Travel prices change constantly, and a discount may only apply to certain dates or routes.
The original price matters as much as the discount. A percentage off an inflated starting price can still leave you paying more than a normal fare on another day. Availability matters too, since the best-value seats or rooms often sell first.
Airlines sometimes discount selected routes and dates rather than their whole network. In 2025, easyJet's Black Friday sale offered up to 10% off flights across its network, with extra time-limited discounts on specific destinations. Availability on any discounted route is usually limited.
Package holidays combining flights and hotels are commonly discounted too. easyJet holidays' 2025 sale included promo-code savings such as £200 off packages over £2,000. Family, beach, city and winter sun packages can all appear, though inclusions vary by provider.
Hotel sales often use percentage discounts, member-only rates or minimum-stay conditions. Expedia's 2025 Black Friday sale advertised savings of up to 40% across Expedia and Hotels.com. It also ran a Travel Tuesday exclusive with steeper discounts on a limited number of rooms. Room inventory at the advertised price is usually small.
A large cash saving on a long-haul fare can look tempting. Check what is actually included first: baggage allowance, connections, exact travel dates and departure airport can all change the real value of the fare.
Start researching before Black Friday, not on the day itself. Waiting until the sale begins makes it much harder to judge whether a price is genuinely good.
Before the sale, it helps to shortlist a few destinations and check their normal prices. Set a rough budget, and check your annual leave and any school holiday dates you need to work around. Comparing a few UK departure airports and tracking fares in the weeks before Black Friday gives you a real baseline to judge any deal against.
The reference price is what makes a discount meaningful. Which?'s research into Black Friday pricing found that many products were the same price, or cheaper, at other points in the year. This shows why the "was" price deserves scrutiny, in travel just as much as retail.
Add up the flight or package price, hotel, baggage, seat selection, transfers and any mandatory charges. The full total is what actually matters, not the headline figure.
A discount is only useful if the dates work for you. Some offers apply to a narrow travel window, or sell out of the cheapest seats and rooms quickly.
Look for restrictions such as selected destinations, minimum spend, promo codes, member requirements or blackout periods. These details are often in the small print, not the headline.
A cheaper booking sometimes comes with less flexibility. Check what happens if your plans change before you commit.
Neither is automatically better. Deals can appear, change or improve across the whole period, so it is worth comparing rather than assuming one day wins.
| Period | Date in 2026 | What to Expect | Best Approach |
| Black Friday | Friday 27 November | Major travel promotions may launch | Compare deals with your normal prices |
| Weekend | 28–29 November | Existing offers may continue or change | Recheck prices and availability |
| Cyber Monday | Monday 30 November | Online promotions may continue or change | Compare with Black Friday prices |
| Travel Tuesday | Tuesday 1 December | Some travel companies may launch additional offers | Check for new or extended travel deals |
Is Black Friday a Good Time to Book Summer Holidays?
It can be, but it is not guaranteed to be the cheapest moment of the year. UK families are often tied to fixed school holiday dates, which limits flexibility and pushes up demand for those exact weeks.
Booking a summer package during Black Friday can still be sensible, since it locks in a price well ahead of peak demand. Compare it against the normal price for the same dates rather than assuming the discount alone makes it worthwhile.
It can offer good value, but the headline price is rarely the full family price. Family rooms, baggage for several people, transfers and kids' clubs all add to the total.
Check the child ages a deal is designed for, the meal plan included, and whether your preferred school holiday dates are actually covered. A large percentage discount on a package that does not fit your dates or needs is not a saving at all.
Fares and offers change every year, so treat these as travel styles worth comparing rather than a ranked list.
The Canary Islands, Madeira, Egypt and Dubai are popular with UK travellers seeking winter warmth. Worth comparing if you want to escape the UK winter.
Turkey, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus are established short and medium-haul beach destinations, often featured in package holiday sales.
Thailand, the USA, Canada, the UAE and wider Southeast Asia are common long-haul choices for UK travellers. Fares vary a great deal by season and route.
Compare more than one departure airport, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Prices can differ for the same trip. Search flexible dates either side of your ideal one, and compare direct against connecting flights. Check baggage and transfer costs before comparing the final total. Set price alerts before Black Friday, so you already know what a normal fare looks like.
Check the original price, the final price, and who you are actually booking with. Read the cancellation rules, baggage allowance, hotel details and any transfer costs before paying.
Be cautious of fake urgency. Countdown timers and "only one left" messages are designed to rush a decision. A genuinely good price does not need that pressure to be worth taking.
Whether your booking is protected depends on what you are buying, not just where. The Civil Aviation Authority explains that ATOL protects travellers and their money if a travel operator ceases trading. Any package holiday sold in the UK must be ATOL protected. Flight-only bookings are covered in narrower cases, such as instalment or delayed-ticket arrangements.
Before booking, check who is selling the trip, whether it counts as a package, and what financial protection applies. Also check the cancellation and refund terms, since protection schemes generally only help if the provider fails, not for a simple change of mind.
The advertised Black Friday price is not always the amount you actually pay. Mandatory charges, baggage, seat selection, transfers and hotel taxes can all add to the total.
Not every extra is mandatory. Seat selection and priority boarding are often optional, while some baggage and transfer charges are genuinely required. Check which is which before comparing prices between two different deals.
| Deal Type | What to Check | Best For |
| Flights | Route, dates, baggage and flexibility | Flexible travellers |
| Holiday packages | Flights, hotel, transfers and inclusions | Families and couples |
| Hotels | Room type, cancellation terms and extra charges | Independent travellers |
| Long-haul flights | Connections, baggage and travel dates | Flexible long-haul travellers |
| Family holidays | School dates, room type and luggage | Families |
| Winter sun | Flights, weather and resort costs | Winter escapes |
| What to Compare | Why It Matters |
| Sale price | Shows what you would actually pay |
| Normal price | Helps establish whether the discount is meaningful |
| Travel dates | Some deals apply only to selected dates |
| Departure airport | Different UK airports can have different fares |
| Baggage | Can significantly increase the final flight cost |
| Seat selection | May be an additional charge |
| Transfers | Check whether transfers are included |
| Hotel location | A cheaper hotel may be further from attractions |
| Cancellation terms | Cheaper rates can sometimes be less flexible |
| Financial protection | Check what protection applies to your booking |
Found a destination and date that work for you? TravelApp's flight search lets you compare available flights and dates from UK airports. TravelApp holiday packages let you see options once you know what you are looking for. Compare the available options before you book.
Quick answers to common questions. Reach out if you need more help.
Sometimes, but not always. Discounts often apply to selected routes and dates. Compare the sale price against the normal fare for the same trip before assuming it is a bargain.
It can be, especially if you have already shortlisted a destination and checked normal prices. It is not guaranteed to be the cheapest day of the year for every trip.
Many are, but not all. Checking the original price and the terms attached to a deal is the best way to judge whether a discount is real.
Before the sale begins. Researching normal prices in advance gives you a baseline to judge any Black Friday offer against.
Neither is automatically better. Offers can appear, change or improve across the whole period, so compare rather than assuming one day wins.
Travel Tuesday falls on 1 December 2026, the day after Cyber Monday. Some travel companies use it for extra, travel-specific offers.
Sometimes. Booking early can help secure a price before peak demand, but fixed school holiday dates limit flexibility for families comparing offers.
They can be, but check the total family price, not just the headline discount. Baggage, transfers and meal plans for several people all add to the real cost.
Various UK airlines and travel companies have run Black Friday promotions in previous years, though exact 2026 offers are not confirmed until closer to the sale.
Compare the full trip cost, not just the percentage discount, against the normal price for the same dates and route. TravelApp's flight search makes this comparison easier.
