Christmas getaways: Where to go and when to book for less

Looking to get away this Christmas, but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg to do so?

Not to worry, because KAYAK has released its Christmas travel trends covering the cheapest destinations to fly to from France, Germany and the UK, plus where hotel prices are falling.

Based on flight and hotel searches made between 1 April and 1 September for travel between 19 December 2026 and 9 January 2027, compared to the same period last year, the results might surprise you.

Here’s what you need to know to save some serious cash.

The cheapest destinations to fly to this Christmas

The cheapest destinations to fly differ by country, with France seeing return flights to Milan from €126, to Brussels from €153, to Venice or Berlin from €161, and to London from €169.

As for Germany, Milan is also a winner, with an average return price of €116, as is Rome (from €169), Vienna (from €170), Paris (from €190) and London (from €192).

For Brits, the cheapest return flights can be found to Dublin (from £127 / €151), Barcelona (from £131 / €155), Milan (from £142 / €169) and Prague or Madrid (from £143 / €170).

Hotel destinations that are getting cheaper

Shockingly, Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, better known as the home of Santa Claus, has seen a 22% drop in accommodation prices compared to last year, with an average of €275 per night.

Other cities in Europe you can visit for less include Istanbul, with prices down 12% to an average of €76 per night, Paris (-5%, €140 average per night), Adeje in Spain (-8%, €235 average per night) and York in the UK (-8%, £96/€114 average per night).

Further afield, Thailand could be an option, with Koh Samui prices down 21% to an average of €115 per night and Bangkok prices down 20% to €76 per night. Tokyo prices are down 19%, to €110 per night, while Singapore prices are down 13%, to €164 per night.

Bucket list destination the Maldives is down 10%, to €916 per night, while classic Christmas city New York is down 11% to €273.

In the Caribbean, prices in Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique, are down 10% to €123 per night.

When to travel and when to book

In general, the best time to book international flights is around 15-30 days ahead of your travels, according to Expedia data revealed earlier this year.

The same is true for Christmas flights from Germany, with decreases seen in December, while those in France will have to play flight price chicken and wait until the week before Christmas.

In the UK, flights should typically wait until six weeks before the big day.

As for when you should fly, for French and British travellers 23 December is the cheapest day, while for Germans, it’s 21 December, according to the KAYAK data.

If you’re staying at home for Christmas but want to delay the January blues, consider flying on New Year’s Eve, which is the cheapest day to fly out across all three countries.

As for booking hotels, France has a similar timeline compared to flights, with domestic accommodation rates around 18% lower than in October the week before Christmas. Internationally, though, rates are around 7% lower from late November to December.

In Germany, the two weeks before Christmas offer rates 9% lower compared to peaks in mid-November, while in the UK, waiting until the fortnight before 25 December can save you 16% internationally and 20% domestically.

The cheapest check-in date for France both domestically and abroad is 21 December, while those in Germany can check in on Christmas Day domestically for the best rates, or 21 December abroad.

Brits will want to check in on 22 December if staying in the UK, or 23 December if heading elsewhere.

Winter sun, without the hefty price tag

The cheapest destinations in general are closer to home, but if the long, winter nights have you down, you’ll need to look long-haul to get a good dose of Vitamin D.

For French travellers, flight prices to Casablanca and Rabat in Morocco are down 19%, as well as 12% to Agadir. Fares to Koh Samui are also down 17%, or you could head to Sri Lanka for 11% less compared to 2025.

Germans can get to Lima in Peru for 29% less than last year, to Cairo for 18% less, and to Port Louis in Mauritius for 14% less, while both Cancún in Mexico and Marrakech in Morocco are down 8%.

Finally, Brits can get their fix in Agadir, Morocco, with flights down 26%, or in Kingston or Montego Bay, Jamaica, with prices down 21% and 18% respectively.

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