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What is Sunshine Saturday? The best travel deals available today as huge surge in bookings predicted
Find out what deals are available this weekend and throughout January
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Your support makes all the difference.The first Saturday of 2025 is almost upon us, and for the travel industry, this particular day is a significant date in the diary as huge surges in holiday bookings are expected.
Now that Christmas has wrapped up and New Year’s Eve has come and gone, January seems rather uneventful in comparison. For those who may have the post-Christmas blues, psychologists say that Sunshine Saturday has come about due to people seeking out a much-needed dopamine hit, and for some, that is pressing the ‘book now’ button on flights and holiday packages.
“We’re already seeing interest is high at the start of 2025 and we know January is the most popular time for Brits planning their holidays. Christmas is a distant memory and the UK wintery weather has us pining for holidays to look forward to,” said Martin Nolan from travel search engine and price comparison site Skyscanner.
To celebrate the surge in bookings, many holiday companies have launched Sunshine Saturday deals, while the general January sales on package destinations and flights are also up and running.
From family holidays during the school holidays to solo city breaks to look forward to in 2025, here is what you need to know about one of the busiest booking periods of the year.
When is Sunshine Saturday 2025?
Sunshine Saturday lands on the first Saturday of the year, and for 2025, that is 4 January.
What is Sunshine Saturday?
The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) describes Sunshine Saturday as one of the busiest days for travel bookings in the year and anticipates that the day will be very busy for travel agents and tour operators.
Companies such as Jet2holidays say they are expecting a surge in bookings this weekend, anticipating a strong demand for holidays for the summer of 2025, as well as dates further away such as the winter months leading into 2026, and even 2026’s summer.
However, Jet2holidays are also predicting many to snap up last-minute deals for holidays in January, February and March, as people seek to swap the cold and wet UK for much sunnier ventures.
Travel company On the Beach is expecting that up to six million holidays will be booked this January, but expects higher surges to land on payday at the end of the month as well as on Sunday 12 January, as that will be two weeks into the cold, soggy month.
A survey by consultancy firm RSM found that the demand for holidays and breaks abroad is still there for 2025, despite the surge in the cost of living over the past few years, with over 40 per cent of consumers they questioned saying they plan to take a longer holiday overseas in the next 12 months – up from 35 per cent last year.
Chris Tate, head of travel at RSM UK, said: “Travel and tour operators will be hoping for an uptick in year-on-year booking for Sunshine Saturday in January as demand heats up.
“Holidays remain a priority for many and demand in 2025 looks set to increase with more holidaymakers planning longer overseas holidays and short breaks,” he added.
“The bad weather throughout 2024 could be a key driver as consumers seek some sunshine, but even the staycation market is in for a boost.”
What deals are live this Sunshine Saturday?
Jet2holidays
Jet2holidays has launched a promotion giving customers £90 per person off all holidays that depart from now until 15 November 2026. Those with a myJet2 account have access to an even bigger saving at £100 off per person.
The tour operator also says its ‘Free Child Place Holidays’ are still available, and compatible with the deal, meaning families can look to save across all seasons, even during school holidays.
On the Beach
On the Beach is offering several deals this January, such as free airport lounge access for every five-star holiday booked.
Package holiday deals include a week’s holiday at the four-star Kleopatra Beach in Antalya, Turkey, all-inclusive, including flights leaving from London Gatwick on Wednesday 7 July, costing £765pp.
A week’s holiday at the five-star Kenzi Club Agdal Medina in Marrakech, Morocco, all-inclusive, including flights leaving from London Gatwick on Tuesday 1 July, costing £1,132pp.
A week’s holiday at the four-star Be Live Adults Only Tenerife in Tenerife, Spain, all-inclusive, including flights leaving from London Gatwick on Tuesday 1 July costing £868pp.
First Choice
First Choice has kicked off its January sales and is offering up to £300 off its most popular package destinations. First Choice has also partnered with the travel agency Byway to offer £100 off any flight-free trip booked between 1 January and 31 January using code FIRSTCHOICE100 (when spending a minimum spend of £1,000 per booking).
Love Holidays
Loveholidays has launched a sale over Sunshine Saturday and throughout January.
Running until midnight on 2nd February 2025, loveholidays customers can secure up to £400 off selected long haul holidays, up to £250 off selected beach holidays and up to £175 off selected city breaks.
Lastminute.com
Online travel retailer Lastminute.com has begun a New Year Sale that it says is its biggest winter sale yet.
Holidaymakers can save £100 when spending a minimum of £1,500 using the code NYEARUK100, save £200 when spending £2,500 using code NYEARUK200 and £300 when spending £3,500 using NYEARUK300.
The sale ends just before midnight on 17 January and codes can be used only once.
Secret Escapes
Those looking to book a holiday this year can save up to 50 per cent with Secret Escapes in its January sales across UK staycations, city and beach trips and international adventures.
British Airways
British Airways is offering a flash sale that is running up until midnight on 7 January, with extra savings of £300 on selected holidays.
The sale extends from £25 savings when you spend £625+ on a flight and car booking to £300 when you spend £10,000+ on a flight and hotel booking.
The airline also says there are deals to be had on flights until 28 January, as well as savings of up to £500 on business class flights and holidays.
Tui
Tui is running a sale for the first two months of 2025, finishing at midnight on 3 March. Customers can save £100 per booking when spending £1,000 or more, £200 per booking when spending £2,000 or more, and £300 per booking when spending £3,000 or more using the code ‘SALE’ at checkout.
The offer is available on package holidays departing between 1 May 2025 and 31 October 2026.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays
Travellers can save £25 per person on all package bookings, plus an additional £100 discount per booking when spending a minimum of £3,500 per couple, or £4,400 per family of four with Virgin Atlantic Holidays. This big weekend sale is now live and will run until midnight on 7 January.
The discounts are valid on travel from 3 January to 31 December 2025.
Eurostar
To kick off the New Year, Eurostar is selling one-way standard seat train tickets to popular European city break destinations for just £35, with the sale ending at 10.59pm on 9 January.
You don’t need a Eurostar promotional code for the sale, but simply book to travel between London and Paris, Lille, or Brussels between 14 January and 03 April 2025 and from London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam between 14 January and 28 March 2025.
Some weekend dates do not apply to the sale and there are no direct return trains from the Netherlands until 10 February, meaning the promotion window only applies to one-way tickets from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to the UK capital from 10 February until 28 March.
EasyJet Holidays
EasyJet has launched its ‘Big Orange Sale’ that is currently offering up to £400 off package holidays with millions of free kids places up for grabs, available until 11pm on 4 February using the code ‘JANSALE’.
The discounts range from saving £50 when spending a minimum of £500 to saving £400 when spending a minimum of £4,000 when travelling before 31 October 2026.
Sunshine Saturday deals include even nights at the four-star Mitsis Messonghi in Corfu on an all-inclusive basis for £575 per person including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from Edinburgh airport on 8 May 2025.
EasyJet holidays is also offering seven nights at the four-star Mayfair Hotel in Paphos on an all-inclusive basis for £422 per person including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from London Gatwick airport on 21 April 2025.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
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