Long haul flights from UK: longer air journeys as cheap as short haul holidays from UK says study - tips

According to a recent study, long-haul flights from the UK cost almost the same as short-haul ones, meaning you might end up spending more money on a trip to Europe than on a longer-term holiday.

Analysis conducted by analysts at On The Beach showed that airfares to locations like Greece may be just as expensive as those to farther-off locations. For example, a 3 hour and 50 minute flight to Crete on 3 June and returning a week later cost £419.

But a flight to New York on those same dates only cost £8 extra, despite taking twice as long. And despite being 7 hours and 40 further away than Crete, the same dates' flights to and from Dubai only cost an extra £55.

Other examples included flights from London to Mykonos in July that cost £472, but only £375 to Dubai during the same period, and if you travel on 20 August, you can fly to New York instead of Tenerife for just £25 more.

Long-haul reservations at On The Beach are also in greater demand than short-haul ones, with the travel agency reporting that long-haul booking for locations like Dubai, the USA and Mexico have increased by 63% year-on-year. In contrast, short-haul vacations have increased by 14% year-on-year.

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Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, said: “Brits are spreading their wings and swapping the usual sunny Spain for the skyscrapers of Dubai, luxurious Maldives and bright lights of NYC and Vegas.

“The gap between long haul prices and short haul has decreased and the pull of a new, far out destination is clearly pulling for a lot of Brits, hence why bookings are up 63 per cent year on year.”

Long-haul flights and the climate crisis

Of course, long-haul flights generally produce more carbon emissions per passenger kilometre compared to short-haul flights.

This is primarily due to the fact that aircraft consume more fuel during takeoff and landing, which are proportionally higher in relation to the total distance travelled in short-haul flights.

Long-haul flights also often involve larger aircraft, which may be less fuel-efficient on a per-passenger basis compared to smaller aircraft used for short-haul routes.

But holidaymakers can take several steps to reduce their carbon emissions when travelling by both long-haul and short-haul flights.

If you can, choose direct flights, which often produce fewer emissions compared to connecting flights because takeoff and landing consume a significant amount of fuel.

Some airlines operate newer and more fuel-efficient aircraft, which can significantly reduce emissions per passenger. Research airlines that prioritise sustainability and operate modern fleets.

Many airlines also offer carbon offset programs where passengers can voluntarily pay a fee to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as renewable energy or reforestation projects.

And once at your destination, you can opt for eco-friendly activities, accommodations and transportation options to further reduce your overall carbon footprint.