Is August really the worst month for flight prices?
August gets a bad reputation, and honestly, part of it is earned. It is peak school-holiday season across Europe, and airlines know it. A return flight from Amsterdam to Palma de Mallorca that costs around €90 in May can easily hit €280 in the first week of August. I have watched this pattern repeat for years on routes out of Schiphol and Eindhoven.
But cheap flights in August do exist. They are just not where most people look. The trick is understanding when in August you fly, where you fly from, an
d how flexible you are willing to be about the destination itself. That is what this guide covers, with actual price ranges so you can tell a real deal from a fake one.
What do flights actually cost in August from the Netherlands?
Let me give you the honest numbers I see when tracking fares from Dutch airports. These are typical return prices for one person with hand luggage only, booked about 6-8 weeks ahead:
| Route | Low season (April/May) | August average | Late August (from the 20th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam – London | €70 | €130 | €85 |
| Amsterdam – Barcelona | €95 | €210 | €140 |
| Eindhoven – Malaga | €110 | €230 | €150 |
| Amsterdam – Athens | €130 | €250 | €165 |
| Amsterdam – New York | €420 | €750 | €580 |
Notice the last column. Prices drop noticeably once the last week of August arrives, because Dutch schools go back around that time and families stop flying. If you do not have kids tied to a school calendar, this is the single biggest saving available to you, often 30-40% off the peak.
When exactly should you book for August?
There are two windows worth knowing about. The first is the early-bird window, roughly December to February. Airlines like KLM, Transavia and TUI load their summer schedules late in the previous year, and early pricing is often decent. I booked Amsterdam to Porto for €140 return one February for an August trip, and the same flight was €240 by April. That is not a guarantee, but it happens often enough that I check fares every January out of habit.
The second window is the late deal. When planes are not filling up, prices fall in the final 10-14 days. This is a gamble with checked luggage, because the cheap seats sell first, but if you travel with hand luggage only and can pack in a weekend, late July can surprise you. I have seen Rotterdam to Faro drop to €120 return in the week before departure.
What almost never works is the middle. Booking an August flight in May or June is usually the most expensive way to do it. Everyone books then, so airlines have no reason to discount.
Does the day of the week you book matter?
Less than people claim. The day you fly matters far more than the day you book. Flying Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday in August will save you €30-60 per ticket compared with Friday or Sunday. The booking-day myth keeps circulating because it gives people a feeling of control. Ignore it and set fare alerts instead. Google Flights alerts and Skyscanner’s price updates do the work while you sleep.
Which destinations still have August deals?
This is where expectations need adjusting. The Mediterranean beach spots are expensive in August, full stop. But some categories of destination hold up well:
- Northern Europe. Scandinavia and the Baltics are in their best weather in August, yet demand from Dutch travelers stays modest. Amsterdam to Oslo or Riga often sits between €110 and €150 return.
- Big city breaks away from the coast. Vienna, Berlin, Prague. Locals leave these cities in August, and hotel prices fall with them. Flights from Eindhoven or Schiphol often stay under €130.
- Shoulder long-haul. Places like Thailand, Bali and Sri Lanka are in monsoon or low season in August. Amsterdam to Bangkok can still be found around €550-650 return, which is barely above the May fare.
- Greece and Cyprus after the 15th. The back half of August softens a lot once the Italian and French holidays end.
One thing I would skip: the obvious Spanish and Greek island routes in the first two weeks of August. That is the single most crowded and overpriced flying period in Europe. You will pay €250 for a flight and €9 for a beer by the pool.
Does flying from a different Dutch airport help?
Often, yes, and people forget this. Schiphol is convenient but rarely the cheapest option for leisure routes. Eindhoven carries Ryanair, Wizz Air and Transavia, and I regularly see €50-80 differences on identical Mediterranean destinations. Rotterdam The Hague is worth checking too, though its route list is thin these days.
There is a bigger move worth considering: crossing into Belgium or Germany. Brussels Charleroi and Dortmund are both reachable by train or Flixbus from most Dutch cities in a few hours. If the fare difference is €120 per person and you are travelling as a pair, that bus ticket suddenly looks like a bargain rather than a hassle. Do the math including transfer cost and time, and be honest about whether a 4 a.m. start ruins the trip for you. For some people it does, and that is fine.
What about extra costs that ruin the ‘cheap’ price?
The fare is only part of the story, and this is where budget airlines make their money back. A €90 return ticket to Milan can quietly become €180 once you add the bits most of us actually need:
- Priority boarding or seat selection: €8-25 per flight. Skip it unless you are travelling with kids and must sit together.
- Checked luggage: €35-60 return if you pay at booking, double if you add it later. Hand luggage only is the real saver.
- Airport transfers. Schiphol is 15 minutes by train from Centraal. Charleroi or Beauvais-type airports can add €40-60 of transfers each way.
- Payment fees. Some airlines still charge €2-4 for card payments on certain fares. Small, annoying, real.
My rule: compare the total price with everything you will genuinely use, not the teaser fare. A €140 direct flight from Schiphol with a cabin bag is often better value than a €90 flight from an airport three hours away with a laundry list of add-ons.
Quick checklist before you click buy
Here is the short version of everything above. Set your alerts in January. Consider the last week of August if your schedule allows, since that alone often beats every other trick combined. Compare Schiphol, Eindhoven and, for long trips, nearby Belgian or German airports. Look north or to city breaks instead of the crowded southern beaches. Always price up the extras before deciding which deal is actually cheap.
One final thing. If you find a fare that is clearly below the ranges in the table above, book it within the day. Good August fares from Dutch airports get snapped up in hours, and waiting for a slightly better price usually means paying more. I learned that the expensive way once, and I will not be doing it again.