School hols flight hikes can hit £450 per head

FLIGHT prices are soaring by as much as £450 per person during the school summer holidays, a study claims.

Tickets to top European destinations in July and August can surge by 150%, travel search engine Kayak said.

In many cases parents would be better off paying fines of £60 per child to take them on holiday during term time.

Flights to Orlando, US, go up an average £268, from £396 to £665. Malaga, Spain, £81 to £144 and Faro, Portugal, £77 to £141. Dalaman and Izmir in Turkey soar from £151 to £300 and £119 to £296.

Long-haul fares to Zanzibar, Tanzania, are worst-hit, rising to £805 from £355.

Kayak has launched an airfare calculator and spokesman Neil Cartwright said: “Checking it before you book is a no-brainer as it can save you hundreds.”