ABTA Estimates 2.2 Million Overseas Departures During School Break

ABTA estimates that 2.2 million British holidaymakers will travel overseas for summer holidays during July 24-27, the first weekend this year when all UK schools are on summer break.

Spain remains the most popular destination for families, with the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands among the most popular choices.

ABTA members have also seen strong demand for Greece, Portugal, Italy and Turkey. Families will also travel to Florida and Mexico.

City breaks are also popular, with Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Amsterdam and Paris leading the way.

Airports in southeast England are expecting high passenger volumes. Hundreds of thousands of passengers are expected to depart from Heathrow and Gatwick, while Stansted is expecting around 220,000 departing passengers and Luton is expecting 130,000.

Around 250,000 passengers are due to depart from Manchester Airport, more than 110,000 from Birmingham and 80,000 from Bristol. Scottish airports are also expected to see departures, although Scottish schools are already well into their summer holidays. Other regional airports, ports and the Channel Tunnel are expected to be extremely busy.

“This weekend will be the first of the summer when all families around the country will have the chance to take a well-earned break; ABTA members have been at the forefront in providing them with the right holiday for them within their budget,” said Mark Tanzer, ABTA’s chief executive.

“For many heading overseas, this will be the first experience of the Entry/Exit System in Europe, and for some, though not all, it may take longer than usual to get through passport control. As always, leave plenty of time to get to your departure point when travelling out and returning.”