With wages squeezed and inflation running at 10 per cent, many Britons will be wondering whether they can afford to go abroad on holiday this summer.
But a far cheaper option can be found by taking the airline equivalent of a ‘cheap day return’ – a trip to a European destination and back in the same day – for under £25.
Aviation experts pointed out that a day trip can help make the most of cheap flights amid the cost-of-living crisis because people don’t have to pay for a hotel abroad.
It comes after six mothers went on a 12-hour day trip from Manchester to Ibiza last month for £34 each – leaving on a 6am flight before flying home at 11pm.
Now, MailOnline has looked at the cheapest day trip flights next month, with routes to Norway, Poland, Italy, France, Denmark and Ireland all coming in at under £25.
DUBLIN — A Luton to Dublin flight with Ryanair on Wednesday, May 17 for £21 leaves at 6.40am and arrives at 7.55am, before returning at 8.15pm and arriving at 9.30pm
NORWAY — A Wednesday, May 24 departure for £22 with Ryanair from Stansted to Oslo, leaves at 6.10am and arriving at 9.10am, before returning at 7pm and arriving at 8.05pm
Midweek tends to the cheapest time to go, with a Luton to Dublin flight with Ryanair on Wednesday, May 17 for £21 leaving at 6.40am and arriving at 7.55am, before returning at 8.15pm and arriving at 9.30pm.
Where can you go for the day for under £25? DENMARK: Stansted to Billund, Ryanair (0725-1000 and 2250-2325, May 16) – £21IRELAND: Luton to Dublin, Ryanair (0640-0755 and 2015-2130, May 17) – £21 NORWAY: Stansted to Oslo, Ryanair (0610-0910 and 1900-2005, May 24) – £22POLAND: Stansted to Gdansk, Ryanair (0830-1135 and 1755-1910, May 17) – £23ITALY: Stansted to Pisa, Ryanair (0740-1050 and 2235-2355, May 10) – £24FRANCE: Stansted to Nantes, Ryanair (0605-0830 and 2250-2315, May 15) – £24
Data sourced on Skyscanner, April 20
On the same day, Ryanair could also take you from Stansted to Gdansk in Poland and back for £23, leaving at 8.30am and arriving at 11.35am, before returning at 5.55pm and arriving at 7.10pm.
Another option for just £21 would be Billund, the home of Legoland in Denmark, where you could get a 7.25am flight on Tuesday, May 16 with the airline from Stansted arriving at 10am, then a 10.50pm flight back arriving at 11.25pm.
You could take a day trip to Pisa, with Ryanair seats for £24 on a Wednesday, May 10 departure from Stansted at 7.40am and arriving 10.50am – before returning at 10.35pm, arriving at 11.55pm.
A further option is going to Norway, with a Wednesday, May 24 departure for £22 with the airline from Stansted to Oslo, leaving at 6.10am and arriving at 9.10am, before returning at 7pm and arriving at 8.05pm.
And those who fancy a trip to western France could visit Nantes with the same airline from the same airport can go on May 15 for £24. That flight leaves at 6.05am and arrives at 8.30am, before returning at 10.50pm and arriving at 11.15pm.
Experts at flight comparison website Skyscanner, from which MailOnline obtained the data, said its figures do not suggest there has been any recent rising trend in people doing day trips by plane.
But OnePoll research for the company found one in three UK travellers said rising costs will impact their travel booking decisions, citing spending on hotels and in-destination as the top joint aspects where they will look to save.
POLAND — On May 17, Ryanair could take you from Stansted to Gdansk and back for £23, leaving at 8.30am and arriving at 11.35am, before returning at 5.55pm and arriving at 7.10pm
FRANCE — Those who fancy a trip to Nantes with Ryanair from Stansted can go on May 15 for £24 – leaving at 6.05am and arriving at 8.30am; then returning at 10.50pm, arriving at 11.15pm
And flights expert Nicky Kelvin, head of The Points Guy UK, told MailOnline: ‘Travelling abroad for a day trip can be a really great escape for UK travellers who want to make the most of low cost flights options.
‘There is nothing quite like arriving in a new country to experience different cultures, food and language, making them feel far away from home and in an different place, even if it is only for one day.
‘There are many benefits to a day trip – it means that travellers can travel light and not worry about booking accommodation. If flights are well timed, people can have full, jam-packed days, exploring interesting attractions and experiences; and hangout in new places.’
However, he also cautioned that there are various issues to be aware of, such as the cost and time of travel to and from airports either end, which may cut into the day trip on the way home.
Mr Kelvin also pointed out that when airports require earlier check in times, or if an airport is a significant distance away, travellers could also lose a big chunk of the day.
And he said that taking very early flights means travellers have to get up earlier than normal, making them tired – and this is also the case if they are travelling late home, which some people would not find re-energising.
Mr Kelvin continued: ‘It is also very important to carefully note the times that public transport starts and finishes – both here in the UK and also at the destinations passengers are travelling to – especially if travellers are planning on using public transport to keep costs low.
DENMARK — An option for £21 would be Billund, where you could get a 7.25am flight on May 16 with Ryanair from Stansted arriving at 10am, then a 10.50pm flight back arriving at 11.25pm
ITALY — You could take a day trip to Pisa, with Ryanair seats for £24 on a May 10 departure from Stansted at 7.40am and arriving 10.50am – before returning at 10.35pm, arriving at 11.55pm
‘For example if travellers are flying out of Stanstead, a taxi might cost close to £100 which is far more than the cost of the flight. Travellers could very well be forced into an option like this if there is no other alternative way to travel to the airport at a time they need to go.
‘Travellers also need to watch out for delays, as these could severely cut into their day trip abroad, especially for the outbound journey.’
Finally, Mr Kelvin pointed out that passengers should remember that while travelling light, they must have their passport and it must be valid.
He added: ‘It’s important to pay attention to any special rules which the country has in terms of validity and ensuring they are compliant before they travel to avoid any issues.’
Many of the cheapest day return flights are from London Stansted Airport (above), via Ryanair
Airline passengers are facing rising costs for flying abroad, with easyJet revealing earlier this week that its average ticket prices were 31 per cent higher between January and March compared with the same period last year.
Chief executive Johan Lundgren said fares had risen due to ‘massive’ cost increases, particularly for fuel, but insisted the Luton-based airline ‘still provides great value’ and demand is ‘stronger than ever’.
Passenger numbers reached 15.6 million during the first three months of 2023, up by more than a third from 11.6 million a year earlier. The average proportion of seats filled on planes rose from 78 per cent to 88 per cent over the same period.
Also this week, Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said business was ‘booming and getting boomier’ with no sign of European consumers tightening their belts when it comes to travel.
And Jet2 has upgraded its annual profit forecast amid strong trading for the coming summer and demand for holidays still growing.
The group told investors that it is set to post a profit of nearly £400million for the past year, after upgrading its profit targets for the second time in three months.
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