When is February half term 2027?
Most councils in England have set February half term for Monday 15 to Friday 19 February 2027, so most families will travel on the weekend of 13 and 14 February. Some areas break a week earlier, and Wales and Scotland set their own dates (Cardiff, for example, has 8 to 12 February), while academies and independent schools can choose their own. Check your school's calendar before you book anything.
With only nine days including both weekends, the best half-term trips are ones where the journey doesn't eat the holiday: a flight of four or five hours at most, or a long-haul trip that's really worth it.
Book early, and expect to pay more
Half term is peak season for the two things people want in February: sun and snow. Flights to the Canary Islands and the Alps, ski lessons, and family rooms in winter-sun hotels all go up in price and sell out first. If you know where you're going, booking in the autumn usually gets the best choice.
A few ways to save:
- Fly mid-week if your school allows, or travel on the Sunday rather than the Saturday.
- Look at regional airports, which can be cheaper and less busy than London.
- Go somewhere less obvious: Madeira instead of Tenerife, or a smaller ski resort instead of the big names.
Winter sun within five hours
Nowhere in mainland Europe is truly warm in mid-February. For reliable sunshine you need the Atlantic islands or North Africa:
- Tenerife is the most reliable, with highs around 22°C in the south and very little rain. About 4 hours 15 minutes from London. Pick a hotel with a heated pool, because the sea is only around 18 to 19°C.
- Madeira is a little cooler, at around 19 to 20°C, and greener. Better for walking than for beaches. About 3 hours 50 minutes.
- Marrakech has sunny days of around 20°C but cold nights. Great for a city break with a difference. About 3 hours 30 minutes.
- Cape Verde is warmer again, in the mid-twenties, but often windy. About 6 hours.
Our where is hot in Europe in February post ranks the options by temperature, rain and sunshine, and Madeira or Tenerife compares the two most popular islands.
Snow: skiing and the Alps
February half term is the busiest week of the ski season, with good snow almost everywhere and long, bright days. The catch is crowds and prices.
- Chamonix is about an hour and a quarter from Geneva, which has flights from most UK airports. It's spectacular, but much of the skiing is high and challenging, so beginners should look at the gentler areas or nearby resorts.
- Smaller and lower resorts are cheaper and quieter at half term, though snow is less certain. Ski schools fill up fast that week, so book lessons when you book the trip.
- Whistler, in Canada, has some of the most reliable snow anywhere, but it's a long way for one week.
If you're new to skiing, see our adventure holidays page for other ideas that suit a mixed group.
Snow without skiing: Lapland and the northern lights
February is one of the best months for the far north. The days are getting longer, the snow is deep, and the nights are still dark enough for the northern lights.
- Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland has husky and reindeer rides, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, without the Christmas crowds.
- Tromsø in Norway is a good base for northern lights trips, fjord cruises and dog sledding. It's often milder than inland Lapland, but wetter.
- Reykjavik is the easiest to reach, about 3 hours from London, with the Golden Circle and hot springs as day trips.
It's cold, often well below freezing in Lapland, so good thermals and boots matter more than anything else you pack. No one can promise the northern lights, so book a few nights and treat a sighting as a bonus.
City breaks
Cities are a good half-term choice if you'd rather keep costs down, because they're less affected by the school-holiday price rise than beach and ski trips. Choose somewhere with plenty to do indoors.
Our post on the best places for a 3-day city break compares them by journey time and how much you can see.
Long-haul: worth it for a week?
A week is short for a long flight, but a few long-haul trips work well in February:
- Dubai is about 7 hours away, only 4 hours ahead of the UK, and in its best season, with highs in the mid-twenties.
- Orlando is mild and much less busy than at Easter or in summer, with highs in the low twenties. Theme park queues are shorter, though there's no guarantee of pool weather.
- The Caribbean, including Barbados, is in its dry season, but flights at half term are expensive.
For more, see our where to go in February page.
How to choose
Start with what your group wants most: warmth, snow or a city. Then check the flight time from your nearest airport, because on a short holiday an extra two hours each way matters. Finally, check the price of the week before and after, if your school's dates allow any flexibility.
If everyone wants something different, put the options on a shared list and let each person share out their points. On somewhere🎉, a draw weighted by those points picks the winner, so no one has to give in. Read more about how it works.
