To be shocked at the cost of holidays?

[Fourpawsblack]

We haven’t been able to go away for years (pre DC!) due to finances. A falling down house, part time work due to childcare and the cost of living has made for a rough time.

Just started to look at a week away for a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 DC under 6) in Spain for August 2026…£4k was the cheapest I found and that was not a great hotel. It was more like £6k for somewhere with half decent reviews. AIBU to think this is crazy? Is this just what I am looking at?
It would mean saving at least £400 a month for a year to be able to do it which would be very rough.

How are almost all of the kids in my DC classes on holiday every year. Maybe I’m missing a trick. I feel sad for my DC that they should be able to experience going on holiday and can’t. I know it’s a first world problem.

Before anyone brings it up, there’s 0 way we can go at a time not in the school holidays so we are stuck with over inflated pricing. The joys of teaching.

The prices have became absoloutley ridiculous. Doesn’t help that I used to be cabin crew and used to get staff discount hence very cheap flights . When I look at the prices now I’m shocked.
I’m a single mum so holidays abroad are out of the question for now. My childfree friends that do holiday abroad often use credit cards for them. Having said that, my grandma got a very cheap return flight to Tenerife recently. I see some good deals in the travel agent windows but they are never in the school holidays. I guess they’d would be worth it if you’re willing to pay the fine.

Did you try looking at love holidays? I find they can be a good bit cheaper than other operators.

We do house swaps. Usually through HomeExchange but there are plenty of different sites. It means we can self cater, pay nothing for accommodation, stay somewhere with lots of room and a proper kitchen and usually a spare room for a family member or friend too.

Broadly it means a week in a nice European city, flying, at peak time is about the same cost as 3-4 nights of CentreParcs a two hour drive away.

3 dc is your downfall. I have two dc but take a relative away a lot in the uk. but to take him abroad with us in the holidays reduces our options and is a crazy price.

i second the Netherlands centerparcs and equivalent. We got cheap flights to Eindhoven and a taxi to dekampervaanan site and loved it. most people we met got the ferry.

or villa holidays? Air b&b?

Same here - one child makes it much more affordable - we don't always do 5 star all inclusive either.

Ours is 6,300 for 7 days all inclusive hotel has water park and theme park etc that's for 4 of us its taken a whole year to pay it off buts it's my 40th so want a nice hotel something for kids who are teenagers aswell xx

We are going to Tenerife in August (Hotel Coral Los Alisos) We get the apartment cheap because we rent from a friend but looking on booking.com you can get a week there in August for £1300. I paid £108pp for our flights using Skyscaner (No idea what the cost of flights are currently, I booked them last November)

last few weeks of august from edinburgh too

They have definitely gone up but I definitely dont spend that amount on holidays!
We use several tricks we live in Scotland so school holidays are before English so we drive and fly from an English airport! The same works in reverse if English and flying from a Scottish airport last week of August (our schools are back then).
Same with flying from a Scottish airport for October holidays as most are the first few or mid weeks of October. The cost of petrol and a Premier Inn (£56 per night for a family room) far outweigh it. Our last holiday there was a 2k difference.

If you live in London check other airports Heathrow is the most expensive for example.
Self catering can be cheaper with a hire car depending on the country although need to do a rough factor in of daily costs we were minimum 80 euros a day for ice creams drinks and dinner as a 4.

Booking in sale season also helps as does places with free child places. Depending on the site it doesn't always show up. Also clicking through the calanders as there can be a big price difference for going Tues to Tues for instance.

We don't spend more then 3k for 4/5* AIs in Europe including flights.

I thought that sounded a lot so I went on tui and put in 2 adults and 3 kids flying from London to Spain and got deal significantly cheaper. Only spent about 2 mins on so I’m not certain of any details but I think you might just need to do more shopping around

We just stick to UK breaks in the holidays

Eurocamp is always mentioned but it’s no cheaper in the school holidays than package deals

I have one child and our holidays abroad cost £5k
its no longer possible to have a cheap holiday abroad!

We have three and we get away each year. We stay in airbnbs or holiday lodges. We drove to Lake Annecy in the summer hols last year and had an amazing fortnight that came in about £2.5k.

Don't go in August. Look at early or late in the season.

We've got an late season, school holiday, all inclusive holiday at a 4* hotel for half of what you've been quoted for August.

If you are north England can you fly from Scotland second half of August when schools are back there? We are in Scotland and do opposite fly from England end of June before English schools break up

Eurocamp is still horrendously expensive if you don't want to stay in one of the old models then you've got the cost of fuel, ferries and food once you get there.

Prices have gone but Spain is massively overpriced these days. Look at Turkey, Greece, Caneries, Cyprus etc as you get much more for your money

If you book far enough in advance, think September for the following summer, you can get good prices on the Newcastle or Hull ferries to The Netherlands and then go to Centre Parcs or other Euro Park type places for a lot cheaper than the UK. Me and DD are going this year and 16 nights away in 2 different parks with ferry both ways is about 2.5K total.

We do it differently. We go on a few holidays abroad every year (and are not rich). I scour cheap flights as soon as they are released, and book them. Then once flights are sorted I book hotels separately. Sometimes airbnb or apartments depending on what's most cost-effevtive at that location. Booking them separately, well in advance, and shopping around saves us thousands. We booked our summer holiday last year, and I've recently booked a snowy trip away for December (as soon as easyjet released their batch of flights). It is a lot of effort and takes time and organisation, but does mean we can afford an extra holiday or two each year!

If you are prepared to do some cooking dont forget air bnb. And the cost of buying the food is no issue as you would be eating the same at home. Air bnb are set price for the accommodation not per person.

So 6k for a family of 5, like the OP said.

If very North as in Scotland look at start of holidays flying from England or Vice versa if very North England look at end of August from Scottish airport. Have a play around with dates as different days are cheaper for flying. We regularly go on holiday but very rarely eat out have occasional takeaways don't go to pubs. Also drive old cars. Got people I know who go out every weekend got newer cars but comment jealousy you off on holiday again.

That's still £6k!

yeah totally read that wrong 😂 there were others significantly cheaper though, that was the ‘popular’ one.

Just looked again and £1880 was the cheapest I found for a family of 5 with no shopping around

We have a week in Mid August booked
2 adult 2 children free child place
b&b 2 bed aparthotel £2.5k
It's not all singing and dancing AI But it's a price I can accept without spending the week feeling ive been ripped off