The ‘O’ in October stands for Out of Office (Picture: Shutterstock / kavalenkau) If you’re a Londoner looking for a new favourite holiday destination, keep reading. From next month, a string of airlines will be dropping new flights to Europe and beyond — all taking off from your doorstep. So, whether you fancy a short and sweet weekend in Spain or a tropical Caribbean adventure, there are plenty of routes to choose from. All that’s left to do now is convince your boss to grant that last-minute annual leave… London Heathrow to Phuket, Thailand Thailand continues to be one of the most popular long-haul destinations for Brits. The crown jewel of Southeast Asian tourism, it’s loved for backpacking, culture, and winter sun. This is your sign to book tickets to Thailand (Picture: Shutterstock / Arkadij Schell) Phuket is the most-visited island for British tourists (alongside Koh Samui and Phi Phi), so it makes sense that Virgin Atlantic is jumping on the bandwagon and launching its first-ever direct flight from London. From October 18, travellers can fly straight to Thailand’s largest island from Heathrow, where flights will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Return flights to the UK will then run on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays, departing at 9.20am and landing at 4pm. Currently, Heathrow passengers typically face at least two flights — stopping over in either Beijing, Shanghai, or Kuala Lumpur — and a journey time of anywhere between 17 and 22 hours. The new route is expected to take around 13 hours. One-way fares start from £647. London Gatwick to Colombo, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka was named in many 2026 trending destination roundups, from Lonely Planet to Time Out to Condé Nast Traveller. @dypnnz 2 weeks itinerary Sri Lanka : 2 days Sigirya 1 day Kandy 3 days Ella 3 days Arugam Bay 1 day Yala national park 2 days Mirissa 1 day Galle 1 day Colombo #srilanka #travelitinerary #colombo #mirissa #kandy ♬ Maphupho Fezeka – FRENCH FUSE The South Asian country has multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, including ancient cities like Anuradhapura and the rock fortress of Sigiriya. It also boasts superstar beaches and a rich culinary heritage. Earlier this year, British Airways announced a major winter expansion — including adding Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, as a new destination. The route will launch on October 23 and feature three 10-hour flights per week. Economy return fares start from £620. Travellers note: the Gatwick to Colombo service will only run during the winter season, with the final inbound flight scheduled for March 27, 2027. So, if you’re in the market for a Sri Lankan getaway, get booking now. London Gatwick to Barbados The Caribbean island of Barbados was on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel list for 2026. Cocktails in the Caribbean, anyone? (Picture: Shutterstock / zstock) With its UNESCO World Heritage Site capital, Bridgetown, and award-winning beaches, the island also boasts a vibrant ‘Culinary Capital’ food scene, fusing Caribbean and African flavours. Not that we need to tempt you further, but British Airways has new direct daily flights from October 25. Return economy flights start from £522, and the journey time is eight and a half hours. This service complements BA’s existing year-round flights from London Heathrow and will feature onward connections to Grenada, Guyana, and Tobago. London Heathrow to Costa Rica Dreaming of misty cloud forests, cascading jungle waterfalls and palm-fringed white sand beaches? Costa Rica might be the destination for you. @natfernandez.co Dreaming about this place 💚🌴✨ #costarica #traveltiktok ♬ original sound – Directorschair It’s one of the most popular spots in Central America, especially for eco-tourists. From October 2026, BA’s flights from Costa Rica will depart from London Heathrow instead of London Gatwick. Flights to the capital, San José, will run five times a week during the winter season and three times a week in the summer, operating as a year-round service starting on October 25. Return flights in economy class start from £654 in November and will take 11 hours. London Heathrow to Tampa Like the Costa Rica flight, BA’s service to Tampa, Florida, will swap London airports. The route used to take off from Gatwick; however, from October 25, they’ll run from Heathrow. @amyenvoyage Planning a Florida trip? Save this for later 📍AD Comment ‘TAMPA BAY’ and I’ll send you my full guide with where to stay, eat and the best things to do. Before visiting, I had no idea one destination was home to wild chickens roaming the streets, rescued manatees, America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker and the world’s largest Spanish restaurant. There is so much variety. You can spend the morning exploring historic neighbourhoods, the afternoon out on the water and the evening discovering an incredible food scene, rooftop bars and waterfront restaurants. And it’s really easy to get to from the UK too. You can fly direct from London to Tampa, or if you’re already visiting Orlando, it’s around a 1.5–2 hour drive away. My top things to do 👇 • Explore Ybor City • Stroll the Tampa Riverwalk @tampa_riverwalk • Visit the Manatee Critical Care Center @zootampa • Take a sunset dinner cruise @craft_tampa • Kayak Tampa Bay’s waterways with @urban_kai Where to eat 🍴 • Columbia Restaurant – Spanish and Cuban classics @columbiarestaurant • Predalina – Mediterranean seafood and Southern European flavours @predalinawaterstreet • Boulon Brasserie – French brasserie classics @boulontampa • Supernatural Food & Wine – sandwiches, breakfast and casual lunch @supernaturalfoodandwine • Market at The Tampa EDITION – Italian-inspired dishes, pasta and pizza @editiontampa Where to stay 🏨 • Hotel Haya @hotelhaya • The Tampa EDITION @editiontampa 📍 Tampa Bay, Florida with @Visit Tampa Bay Things to do in Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay itinerary | Florida travel guide | Tampa Bay travel | Florida vacation #UnlockTampaBay #VisitTampaBay #TampaBay #FloridaTravel #FloridaVacation ♬ Latin-style guitar that feels melancholy, rush, run(1396879) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO Flights will operate five times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays (this is down from the daily Gatwick services), but will be upgraded to a Boeing 787-10 featuring four service cabins. You can bag nine-hour return flights from as little as £450, with average prices never really changing throughout the year. Once you’ve landed in Tampa, relax on pristine beaches, try a Tampa Cuban sandwich, go parasailing, or experience the vibrant nightlife. Luton to Malaga, Granada and Asturias, Spain Don’t have enough annual leave for a long-haul trip? Turn your attention to Wizz Air’s new Spanish routes from London Luton. Launching in late October 2026 (25 for Malaga, and 27 for Granada and Asturias), the services will operate all year round. Malaga flights will take off four times a week, Granada will operate twice weekly, and Asturias will get three flights per week. Managing director at Wizz Air UK, Yvonne Moynihan, said of the launches: ‘Spain has always been one of the UK’s favourite holiday destinations, and we’re excited to be expanding our Spanish network with three more fantastic routes from London Luton Airport. ‘Whether customers are planning a beach break on the Costa del Sol, a cultural escape to Granada, or looking to discover the stunning landscapes of Asturias, we’re making it even easier for our customers to enjoy more of Spain, for less.’ Even more exciting? Tickets won’t break the bank, with one-way fares starting from £17.99. London Stansted to La Palma Keen for some winter sun closer to home? Add La Palma in the Canary Islands to your bucket list. @saltinourhair Unfortunately, this island ruined our definition of adventure in Europe forever… 🥹🌋 🧡 Follow @saltinourhair for more Unique destinations, hidden gems and itineraries💕 Volcanic landscapes, black-sand beaches, natural pools, and some of the most incredible hikes we’ve ever done. We genuinely don’t think anything compares to the wild beauty of La Palma, Spain’s most underrated Canary Islands🌴🖤 Had you heard of it before? Because we can now confirm: 100% worth the trip 😍 Some our favorites on La Palma: 🌺 Ruta de los Volcanos hike 🌺 Poris de Candelaria (with sunset) 🌺 Playa de Nogales (with sunrise) 🌺 Pozas Naturales de Achentive 🌺 La Papaya (for Brunch) Save this Reel for planning later! — Best things to do La Palma | La Palma itinerary | Canary Islands Spain | Hidden gems Europe ♬ original sound – Salt in our Hair La Palma is often described as the Canary Islands’ ‘best-kept secret’, and is home to forested terrain, narrow cobbled streets and glistening turquoise water. There’s a huge focus on nature here: hike the Ruta de los Volcanes, Caldera de Taburiente National Park, or Cubo de la Galga, an ancient laurel forest and UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. On the water, La Palma boasts plenty of natural pools, including Charco Azul and Piscinas de la Fajana, both in the northeast of the island. The beauty spots are available to visit free of charge. As for how to get there, Jet2.com is launching a new route from London Stansted on October 26, with one-way fares starting from £30. London Southend to Budapest, Hungary Finally, if you’re more of a city breaker, may we direct you to easyJet’s brand-new Southend to Budapest route. If you’ve still to tick Budapest off your bucket list, now’s your chance (Picture: Shutterstock / Mistervlad) Heading to the Hungarian capital on October 26, either book an autumn getaway or schedule a festive weekend in December. Budapest is well-known for being cracking at Christmas, after all. The service will run on Mondays and Fridays, from £24 one-way. Or, book a Jet2 package break from £260 per person. While you’re in Budapest, relax in the outdoor and indoor Thermal Baths, take a Danube River cruise, or drink in one of the ‘ruin’ pubs scattered throughout the historic Jewish Quarter.