It’s no secret that holiday prices jump up during the UK school holidays.Child-free Britons can travel at their leisure – but those with children are often confined to the most expensive months of the year.However, more and more Britons today are opting for term-time breaks, attempting to bypass the inflated prices that arise during the summer and half-term periods.With the 2026 school summer holidays fast approaching, many parents will have noticed flight and hotel prices increasing – and plenty may be organising days or weeks off before the late-July boom.Last year, research revealed just under a quarter (23 per cent) of parents are happy to pay a fine for taking their children out of school.Local councils are able to fine parents if their child is considered to be ‘missing school without a good reason’.Each parent can be fined £80 for an unauthorised absence, which can rise to £160 if it’s not paid in 21 days.But the fine isn’t enough to put off millions of parents who say they can save hundreds on a holiday by taking their child out of school during term time. Jenna Carr, family travel expert and founder of The Travel Mum, said occasionally she travels during term time Jenna, 37, with her husband João and their children, Luca, one, and Leo, sixJenna Carr, family travel expert and founder of The Travel Mum, told the Daily Mail: ‘The savings can be huge. For example, we looked at a week in Mallorca for our family of four during the summer holidays, and it was around £3,500. ‘The exact same hotel and flights just three weeks later in September came in at around £1,900 – that’s nearly half the price.’ ‘We’ve seen similar price differences for destinations like the Canary Islands and Greece too. For many families, those savings can make the difference between being able to afford a holiday or not.’In Germany, a clever solution keeps the prices low: school holidays are staggered by region, meaning there is not one singular period where prices are elevated.Fines in the UK clearly aren’t deterring plenty of parents – fines for term-time holidays reached a record high of 459,288 last year, as parents accepted penalties to snap up cheaper deals.Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) showed the number of these fines rose by four per cent in 2024-25 compared with the previous year. Term-time holiday fines accounted for 93 per cent of all penalties issued for unauthorised school absence. Jenna, who shares the best affordable holiday deals for families throughout the week, and whose new book, Yes You Can Travel With Kids, is available on Amazon, added: ‘We do occasionally travel during term time, but it’s definitely not something we take lightly and always try to strike a balance.’ The family have enjoyed many overseas breaks together around the world’As a family travel creator, some opportunities are tied to specific dates or destinations, and travelling outside of school holidays can sometimes be the only realistic option. It also allows us to experience places when they’re quieter, less crowded and, importantly for many families, much more affordable.’She’s not the only one.A mum handed a £160 fine for taking her son out of school for a family holiday has said she has no regrets – because the trip saved her a whopping £1,280.Thea Rule controversially took her eldest child out of school to jet off on a sunshine break after her request for authorised absence was refused.The reception pupil, Roman, five, missed five days of term time while the family enjoyed a holiday in Alcudia, Mallorca.Before booking the trip, the 32-year-old nurse submitted a handwritten request asking for permission to take her son out of school.The school refused the request and later issued her with a £160 fine.’I don’t care what anyone says, he’s in reception class and we’re getting on that plane,’ Thea, from Cornwall, told NeedToKnow. Thea Rule was fined £160 for taking her son out of school for a family holiday’I believe that my child should be able to enjoy family time with us. I asked via a handwritten letter but was refused. He is in reception class and we did not think it would impact his learning.’The family-of-four travelled to Mallorca at the start of June, with Roman missing a week of lessons.Thea claims the same trip during the school holidays would have cost an eye-watering £1,440 more because of soaring travel prices.Even after paying the fine, the family still saved £1,280 by travelling during term time.She said: ‘I would never consider taking Roman away during term time if he was doing his SATs or GCSEs. But a week off at the age of five… We as his parents did not believe it would hinder his education. He experienced culture, social interactions and learned other bits along the way.”Roman was able to learn about the old town of Alcudia, go swimming and snorkelling with sea wildlife and enjoy time with us and his younger brother, all things I believe to be fantastic experiences.”Roman is successful at school and is on course to meet his learning outcomes before the end of the year.’ The mum-of-two says she has no regrets about holidaying during term time due to the savings she made Thea and her partner enjoyed a holiday in Alcudia, Mallorca with their childrenThea said the huge difference in holiday prices was the main reason behind the decision.After sharing her story online, she said dozens of parents backed her stance.Thea said: ‘They all agreed reception is not a school year that requires as much attendance as other years.”I thanked them for understanding and I know others do the same.”We were honest and requested the holiday but others I know say their children are sick and therefore don’t get fined for taking their children out.’The mother-of-two encouraged other parents to book holidays strategically if they are looking to save money.The 32-year-old also believes the memories made with family are worth more than worrying about fines.She added: ‘Booking close to the date as opposed to too soon in advance. This gives you a better chance at booking something cheaper. Usually around six weeks ahead seems to be the sweet spot. Take the trips, life is far too short to worry.’ She said that despite her son missing school, she did not think it would impact his learning’But each to their own and I understand some people can be more wary. We will never make a habit of it but to save the money we saved we had to go for it.’Jenna echoes these concerns, saying: ‘Education comes first, and I think every parent understands the importance of their child receiving a good education. If we do travel during term time, we make sure it’s carefully considered and that we keep up with any schoolwork where possible.’I also appreciate that schools have attendance policies for good reason, so it’s always something parents need to think about carefully and be aware of the fine system in place. ‘That said, I personally believe the educational benefits of travel for children are huge, experiencing new cultures and environments first-hand isn’t something you can replicate in a classroom. Whatever the destination or type of holiday, there’s always an opportunity for learning.’Every family’s situation is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. I’d encourage parents to weigh up the financial benefits against the importance of school attendance and to understand their school’s attendance policy before making any decisions.’ She added: ‘He experienced culture, social interactions and learned other bits along the way’She has some words of wisdom for getting a better deal: ‘If you can travel during school holidays, booking as early as possible, being flexible with airports or destinations, and travelling just before or after the peak weeks can often help reduce costs.”Not all school holidays are equal either; the Summer, Christmas and October half-term breaks tend to be more expensive than Easter or May half-term. Even within the summer holidays you’ll find the last week of August is noticeably cheaper than when the schools first break up. ‘A good middle ground is to choose travel dates which straddle the beginning or end of a school holiday, so your child is missing one or two days of school, but you’ll still benefit from reduced prices. ‘If travelling during term time is something you’re considering, it should be a well-informed family decision rather than one based solely on finding the cheapest deal.’