More than two million holidaymakers will head overseas this weekend, amid warnings of traffic jams and delays at ports and Europe’s continuing heatwave.
The majority of schools in England and Wales are breaking up for the summer, which will spark a surge in holidays between Friday and Monday.
Saturday is expected to be the busiest day of the weekend, according to travel association Abta.
Airports will see hundreds of thousands of passengers, the Port of Dover is warning it could take up to two and a half hours to pass through border checks, traffic is likely to be disrupted by downpours, and train strikes are due to take place on Saturday.
Heathrow and Gatwick airports are expected to have hundreds of thousands of passengers pass through this weekend, Stansted will have 199,000 and Luton 116,000.
About 200,000 people will depart from Manchester Airport, 71,000 from Bristol, and although the Scottish schools are well into their summer holidays, many will still be leaving from Scottish airports this weekend, with more than 100,000 from Glasgow alone.
Meanwhile traffic jams are likely on major roads, and the Met Office has warned of disruption as downpours begin on Saturday, and a risk of thunderstorms on Sunday.
Families heading for a getaway are also being warned of persistent rain and the chance of thunderstorms across the UK – while Europe’s heatwave is set to continue.
Next week will also start off unsettled with showers and potentially thunderstorms, and temperatures will reach the low 20s across the south and east. Meanwhile much of Europe will continue to see temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s next week.
Ellie Wilson, meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “Friday will see a dry and bright start for much of the UK, with cloud and showers bubbling up into the afternoon – these heaviest across northern parts of England.
“It will be turning increasingly showery across Northern Ireland with outbreaks of rain through the afternoon.”
Transport analysis company Inrix said traffic hotspots will include the M5 south from near Bristol (junction 15) to Bridgwater (junction 23), which is a popular route for holidaymakers travelling to the South West.
Another is the M25 clockwise between junction 10 for the A3 to Kingston and junction 6 for the A22 to East Grinstead.
And rail passengers will be disrupted by strikes on Saturday as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), including station staff and train managers, strike again in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
At the Port of Dover, more than 6,000 cars are expected to arrive on Friday, followed by a further 7,500 on Saturday.
The Port said border control processing will generally take around one and a half hours on peak days, but this could rise to two and a half hours between 6am and 1pm during the next two weekends due to the number of passengers.
Passengers travelling between Friday and Sunday are being asked to arrive up to three hours before sailings and to carry plenty of food and drinks.
Enhanced post-Brexit passport checks by French border officials Police Aux Frontieres have significantly increased processing times at the Kent port.
Additional sailings out of Dover will be added by shipping company DFDS to its schedule this weekend.
Karen Baurdoux, customer performance manager for DFDS, said: “Our goal is to get our passengers on their way so they can enjoy their summer getaway, so if you are delayed on your journey to the port or at border control, rest assured that we will get you on the next available sailing when you then arrive at check-in.
“With extra sailings in place over the busy weekend we have ensured that there is plenty of space available for our customers so they can be on their way as quickly and as comfortably as possible.
“As it is one of the busiest weekends of the year, we would like to echo Port of Dover’s message that passengers should not arrive more than three hours before their scheduled sailing time.
“This is to help reduce the congestion on the roads approaching and through Dover, which will in turn make your journey to the port and through border control faster and smoother.
“Given the extreme heat on the continent and the high temperatures in the UK, we would also strongly advise all passengers to bring plenty of water and refreshments for their journey to the port.”
Spain remains the top destination for families, in particular the Costa del Sol, the Balearic and Canary Islands, but Abta members are also reporting strong demand for Bulgaria, Portugal, Turkey, Morocco and Greece, the travel association added.
And while the UK is forecast rain and thunderstorms into next week, much of Europe will continue to see temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s.
Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, said: “Thousands of families will be jetting off this weekend as the majority of schools in the UK start their summer break.
“Many of these will be taking their first overseas summer holiday since the pandemic, returning to much-loved destinations and will have a fantastic experience in store.
“We’re encouraging people to have a fun and safe holiday, by taking sensible precautions if you’re heading to an area with exceptionally high temperatures and taking particular care when in the water and on balconies.”
