New Expedia data shows autumn travel can still be more affordable than summer – if you know where to look
Autumn's Hidden Bargain: Where European Travel Gets Cheaper After Peak Season
Poinews.com – The assumption that autumn automatically means cheaper holidays is no longer a blanket rule. Fresh pricing data from Expedia paints a mixed picture: while many European destinations see meaningful rate drops once summer crowds disperse, others are actually climbing in cost. The distinction between where savings persist and where they have vanished is now sharper than in previous years.
The UK Exception
Across Britain, the pattern runs counter to the continental trend. Hotel costs in the autumn months are, on average, higher than their summer equivalents. Birmingham leads the increase at 30% above summer rates, followed by Liverpool at a 20% premium. For travellers based in the UK, the shoulder season no longer delivers the discount it once promised.
Where the Savings Still Live
Step outside the British Isles and the picture flips. Hotel rates across the continent dip by roughly 7% on average once peak season concludes. The steepest cuts land in Portugal's Algarve coast and Greece's island chains. In Albufeira, Faro, Mykonos, and Kos, autumn pricing can fall by as much as 30% compared with summer. Spain's Benidorm and Alicante, along with Turkey's Istanbul, also see notable reductions through the October and November window, with November marking the deepest discounts.
"When you travel matters," Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokesperson for Expedia, said. "International stays on Expedia are, on average, 10% cheaper in November than in summer, making it the sweet spot for savvy travellers looking to unlock the best deals."
One effective strategy for securing a well-priced shoulder-season trip is to steer toward destinations that have not yet drawn massive autumn crowds. Expedia's own search-data analysis points to a cluster of emerging options that fit that bill.
The Fastest-Growing Autumn Destinations
To identify which locations are surging in interest for the coming season, Expedia examined searches conducted on Expedia.co.uk between 13 April and 12 July 2026, targeting travel dates from 1 September to 30 November 2026, and compared the figures against the equivalent window in 2025. Seven of the top ten trending destinations sit within Europe, and the number-one entry belongs to a country most holidaymakers have never considered.
Luxembourg, whose overall popularity score sits below 700,000, is experiencing a 470% surge in British search interest — a clear signal that city-break seekers are gravitating toward compact, under-visited European capitals. Just across the border in France, searches for Strasbourg and Annecy have jumped by 170% and 165% respectively. In Italy, Cortina d'Ampezzo — long associated with winter skiing — has logged a 115% rise in autumn queries.
Further down the list, the Balkans and Slovenia complete the top ten. Sarandë in Albania registers a 110% increase, Budva in Montenegro shows an 85% climb, and Ljubljana in Slovenia edges in at 80%. Together, these figures suggest that autumn travellers are increasingly drawn to places where the tourist infrastructure exists but the crowds have not yet arrived.
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