Family holidays from Glasgow: 5 money saving tips incoming…
Family holidays from Glasgow during the school holidays can feel like a financial assault. As parents of 4, we’ve felt that pain personally. As travel agents, with years of experience of planning family holidays, we’ve learned exactly where the savings hide.
Here are the tips we use for both our clients and our own family holidays that can genuinely save you hundreds. Including a slightly controversial one…
1. Don’t limit yourself to Glasgow Airport – widen your search and save £££s
For most of us, flying from Glasgow Airport is the convenient option when travelling with kids – but it’s not always the cheapest.
But flying from nearby airports like Prestwick or Edinburgh can save you hundreds.
Live example
Glasgow to Tenerife on 25 June 2026 is £2376 for a family of 4.
Edinburgh to Tenerife on 25 June 2026 is £2061 for the same holiday.
2. Avoid the family room trap
With 4 kids, we used to automatically search for “family rooms” – until we realised they can be the more expensive options AND with less actual space.
What most families don’t know: Two standard rooms can be cheaper than one family room, especially in Spain, Greece, and Turkey. Some hotels even allow guaranteed interconnecting rooms when booked through an agent, which gives you the space without the premium price tag.
More room, more bathrooms, less money, happier kids. Win‑win.
3. Go all-inclusive – but only in the right destinations
Our teens turn into feast-eating locusts on holiday so all-inclusive can be a life saver. But only in the right destinations – all-inclusive is not always cheaper.
Turkey, Egypt, and the Canary Islands offer the best value for all‑inclusive because local taxes and food costs are higher.
Mainland Spain and Portugal often work out cheaper on half‑board or self‑catering because families can eat out affordably – plus there’s usually a Lidl or Aldi nearby too for snacks and essentials.
4. Choose destinations where you get more for your money
We’ve learned some places simply work harder for your budget than others – usually going East. It’s not always about finding a cheap deal – it’s choosing destinations where your money goes further looking at the overall holiday including standard of hotel, food options and overall facilities.
Here are some places we recommend to families who want maximum value:
Turkey – the ultimate value champ
Turkey consistently gives families the best bang for their buck.
All‑inclusive resorts are genuinely high quality
Kids’ clubs, waterparks, and entertainment are included
Room upgrades cost less than in Spain or Greece
For big families, it’s one of the few places where you can get a luxury feel without the luxury price tag.
Other places to consider:
· Budget friendly Bulgaria
· Middle East – Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar (brilliant off-peak summer deals)
· Long haul luxurious Mexico (yes, really! For less than a week in Greece).
5. Use our access to hidden perks
This where our two worlds – parent and travel agent – collide.
When you’re booking online it can feel like everything is sold out or sky-high. But we often get access to rooms, seats and deals that never appear on public websites.
Operators hold back rooms and deals and release them quietly when deadlines approach and that’s how we access deals that look impossible online.
We can price match – and often beat high street prices
Just ask us. Send us details or a screenshot of a holiday you’ve seen and let us beat the price.
It’s not magic – just industry knowledge and bit of persistence.
6. Bonus tip – and unpopular opinion alert…
Confession: we’ve taken our kids out of school a couple of days early before a holiday - and it’s saved us hundreds. And honestly, we’ve never felt guilty about it.
As a family of 6, the cost of travelling in peak dates can be eye‑watering. When the difference is hundreds of pounds for the exact same holiday, and the kids are spending the last few days watching movies, playing games and winding down, we made peace with the decision.
A real example: We want to go to Club Mac, Majorca. Glasgow schools close at 1pm on Thursday 25 June 2026.
Leaving on the first official day of the holidays (Friday 26 June): £3342 for a family of 4
Leaving a couple of days earlier (Tuesday 23 June): £2760.
That’s a saving of £582 - not exactly pocket change. For some families, that’s the difference between going on holiday… or not going at all.
And just to be clear: we’re not suggesting you do the same. Every family has different circumstances, different comfort levels and different school policies. Our job is to simply to give you the full picture so you can make the decision that works for your family.
Final thoughts
Travelling as a family doesn’t have to mean overspending or compromising. With a bit of flexibility and a few insider tricks, you can stretch your budget much further than you think - and still enjoy the holiday you’ve been dreaming of.
And if you ever want help finding those hidden deals or navigating the maze of family‑friendly options, we’re always here to make the whole process easier, clearer, and a lot more affordable.
All prices, availability and information correct at the time of posting.
