Travelling during the off-season in September and October used to be a hack in itself. Now that more travellers are considering trips outside the peak summer months, this alone is no longer enough. “Shoulder season” still offers real savings, but you need to know where and when to go to get the most out of it. KAYAK went through its 2026 UK flight and hotel search data and found five ways to do exactly that, including how to avoid border queues and land on the travel dates that actually save you money.
Off-season travel 2026: key takeaways.
- Best value destination: Bilbao
- Cheapest weeks to fly abroad: Early September & late October
- Best value country for a hassle-free trip: Albania
- UK destination with the biggest hotel savings: Scarborough
- Best time to save on hotels abroad: early October
Tip 1: Chase “double-value” destinations.
Which destinations are worth booking for this shoulder season? The ones that are cheaper than in summer and cheaper than the same trip cost last year. Bilbao ticks both boxes, with flight prices down by a fifth on last year and by over a third on summer prices. Flight prices to Dubrovnik are 20% lower than in 2025, putting it close behind. For those looking further afield, Atlanta also makes the list, likely due to the crowds from this summer’s tournament thinning out. Portugal, Italy and Cyprus also deliver strong value for money, while offering plenty of late-season sunshine.
Tip 2: Return before mid-September, or push your trip to late October.
International flight prices can swing two to three times over depending on the week you fly: late-October departures average £179-235 return, against £485-531 for late September or early October. That gap works in your favour if you’re building a trip around October half-term.
Squeezing in a short September trip abroad? Make sure to be home before mid-month as return prices start climbing fast after that.
Tip 3: Fancy skipping the border queues and save? Try hassle-free countries.
Tip 4: The staycation spots that got cheaper off-season.
With accommodation searches within the UK up 19% year-on-year, more Brits are considering taking a break closer to home this autumn. It’s worth remembering though that staying local and saving money aren’t automatically the same thing, so we checked which UK destinations actually have lower hotel prices than in the summer. Scarborough sees the biggest drop, down nearly a third on average accommodation prices versus those during summer. Seaside towns dominate the entire list, making the shoulder season the perfect time to enjoy a quieter coastal escape with bracing sea air and fewer crowds.
Tip 5: Know when to check in.
International stays show a distinct pattern with early October appearing to be the cheapest window and accommodation prices climbing again as the month wears on. While the cost of flights abroad tends to peak at the beginning of October, lower priced accommodation can more than make up for the difference, making the trip better value overall.
The average price of stays in the UK remains almost stable throughout September and October, varying by only a few pounds from day to day. If you’re hunting for the lowest possible price for your staycation, 18 October is a date worth checking.
Your off-season travel questions, answered.
Shoulder season is the period between peak and low travel seasons, typically September and October in Europe. Travelling during this time often means lower prices, fewer crowds and milder weather compared with the summer months.
It depends on when you travel. KAYAK data shows flights are generally cheaper in early September and late October, while accommodation abroad tends to offer particularly good value in early October.
According to KAYAK data, Bilbao, Dubrovnik, Verona, Porto and Corvera are among the destinations offering the strongest value for autumn 2026, with flight prices lower than both peak summer and the same period last year.
Some are. Coastal destinations such as Scarborough, Newquay and Brighton see some of the biggest hotel price drops after the summer holidays, making autumn 2026 a good time for a seaside break.
KAYAK search data suggests many UK travellers are increasingly looking at destinations outside the Schengen Area for autumn 2026 trips. Countries such as Albania, Morocco and Türkiye are also offering lower flight prices compared with the summer months.
Comparing multiple destinations, being flexible with your travel dates and tracking price trends are some of the best ways to maximise savings. Tools like Ask AI can also help identify better-value options.
Methodology
Flight insights in this report are based on flight searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and its associated brands in the period between 01/05/2026 and 19/07/2026 for flights with departure between 01/09/2026 and 31/10/2026 (shoulder season) from any UK airport. They were compared year-over-year to searches made in the same period and with the same travel period last year. They were also compared to searches made between 01/03/2026 and 19/05/2026 for flights with departure between 01/07/2026 and 31/08/2026.
All flight prices are average prices for economy, return tickets. All prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed. Percentages for changes in searches are approximate.
Insights relating to hotels are based on searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and its associated brands for the same search and travel periods as the flight searches.
All hotel prices are average for one night in a standard double room. All prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed. Percentages for changes in searches are approximate.
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