An island known for being like the Caribbean without the jetlag has topped easyJet’s Winter Sun Index with 25C temperatures to beat winter blues

• A sun-drenched Cape Verde island that boasts white sandy beaches, turquoise seas and off-season temperatures of 25C has topped a new index charting the best winter sun destinations

• Hurghada on Egypt’s Red Sea coastline has placed second, followed by familiar sun-seeker favourites Gran Canaria and Lanzarote

• The winter sun ‘hotlist’ ranks destinations based on accessibility from multiple UK destinations, winter temperatures, levels of sun, monthly rainfall, time difference with UK and costs of hospitality

• easyJet flights to Sal start from £93.49

• Winter sun beach packages start from £320pp

LONDON, UK: An Atlantic island known for being like the Caribbean without the jetlag with white sandy beaches, subtropical climes, and a one-hour time difference with the UK has outshined the Canaries as the top destination for Brits looking to beat the winter blues.

Sal, Cape Verde’s most tourist-ready island, boasts perpetual sun and reliable hot temperatures all year round, averaging 24-25C in the winter months of January to March in contrast to the UK’s meagre highs of 6-8C.

After topping up on sun for the total 10 hours on offer every day, travellers can soak up the sounds of local Creole beats whilst experiencing the dancing flavours of a cuisine weaved by Portuguese, African and Brazilian influences, where a meal for two totals around £30.

Reachable via easyJet routes in just six hours, Sal doubles up as an ideal WFH (Work From Holiday) destination with the UK logging on just one hour ahead.

A close runner up, known for its Red Sea coastline adorned with crystal-clear waters was Hurghada. Located on the east coast of Egypt, this resort destination has earned a well-deserved second place spot on the index thanks to its wall-to-wall sunshine, vibrant coral reefs and Saharan landscapes primed for quad biking or Jeep safari.

With typical winter temperatures that range between 21 and 25C and pints putting you just £2 out of pocket, this gilded retreat offers up everything that can be expected when desert meets sea. A necessary respite from the humble grey tones of the UK at this time of year.

The Canary Islands remain steadfast in their commitment to delivering winter warmth, picking up third and fourth place for Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Both spots offer volcanic vistas and lively resort activity – the former replete with golden beaches, the latter etched with unique black sands.

THE WINTER SUN HOTLIST

Djerba, which sits just off Tunisia’s southern coast, also ranks well in the index thanks to its white sandy beaches and towering palm trees. The island blends Mediterranean coastline and Saharan influences, rich cultural heritage and a maze of artisanal market stalls. With winter highs of 16-18C, this island is perfect for those looking for culture as well as warm climes.

For those seeking more city and less sea, Seville – the warmest city in continental Europe all year round – also scores highly. Renowned for its elegant Moorish architecture, this charming southern Spanish city will bowl you over with its regal quarters and flamenco recitals. With generous temperatures of 22C, being followed around the plazas by the sun’s golden glow is practically guaranteed, inviting you to eventually settle with a pint for just £2.20.

Kevin Doyle, easyJet’s UK country manager, said: “As temperatures at home begin to drop and the days get darker, now is the perfect time to book an escape to warmer climes. easyJet’s unrivalled network and package holidays, offer a broad range of winter sun destinations across Europe and beyond, from Sub-Saharan islands to Spanish peninsula cities that are all easily accessible and affordable, for those looking to chase the sun on a budget this winter.”

As the largest UK airline flying 50 million passengers to and from the UK a year on over 640 routes to more than 140 destinations across 35 countries, easyJet is making it even easier for travellers to discover some of the best winter sun resorts this year.

easyJet Holidays has a huge range of beach packages to Europe’s most loved destinations, with packages including flights, hotel, with 23kg luggage and transfers on beach holidays, all covered by its Ultimate Flexibility, offering freedom to change a booking, a refund guarantee, and best price guarantee.

Notes to editors

Methodology:

The Winter Sun index takes live and publicly available data to rank holiday destinations optimum for travel during the UK winter months. Compiling research on average temperatures, hours of sunlight per day, monthly precipitation levels, time difference from the UK, the average cost of a beer and a meal for two and accessibility from a range of UK airports, the analysis focused on the core winter travel period between January and March.

Data for temperatures, hours of sunshine, and precipitation levels was sourced from a range of publicly available and reputable meteorological databases for a wider selection of averages. The cost index for the price of a pint and a meal out for two was developed by reference to consumer-facing cost comparison platforms and localised hospitality reports, converted into GBP. All shortlisted destinations were verified as being served by direct easyJet routes from UK airports, based on easyJet’s published schedules and route maps current at the time of compilation.

About easyJet

easyJet is one of Europe’s largest airlines offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports with great value fares and friendly service.

easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline and carried 100 million passengers in 2025. The airline has over 350 aircraft flying on over 1,200 routes to more than 160 airports across 35 countries. Over 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport.

easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in nine countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports several local charities and has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised over £17m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012.

In 2022, easyJet published its roadmap to net zero by 2050. The roadmap, which also features a combination of fleet renewal, operational efficiencies, airspace modernisation, Sustainable Aviation Fuel and carbon removal technology, has set an ambitious interim carbon emissions intensity reduction target of 35% by 2035, validated by the Science-based targets initiative (SBTi). The airline’s ultimate aim is to fully transition its fleet to zero carbon emission technology, which it will achieve through a number of strategic partnerships including with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace Solutions. Since 2000, the airline has successfully reduced its carbon emissions per passenger, per kilometre by one-third and is the number 1 ESG rated airline in Europe by Sustainalytics, MSCI and CDP.

Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA – since launching over 30 years ago, easyJet changed the way people fly to the present day where the airline leads the industry in digital and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable for its passengers.

In 2023 easyJet was named by TIME as one of the World’s Best Companies and a Leader in Diversity 2024 by The Financial Times.

About easyJet holidays:

easyJet holidays, launched in 2019, is a leading package holiday provider operating from the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and France. In 2024, it took over 2.5 million customers on holiday. Named UK & Ireland Travel Company of the Year 2024, it offers great value beach and city breaks to more than 8,000 hotels across 100+ destinations in Europe and North Africa. Holidays can be booked via its website or 7,000+ travel agents. ATOL-protected packages start from a £60 deposit per person and include flights, accommodation, 23kg luggage, and transfers on beach breaks. easyJet holidays is ABTA member and offers Ultimate Flexibility with booking changes, a refund guarantee, and Best Price Guarantee.

Winner of the Sustainable Future Award, easyJet holidays’ ‘Holiday Better’ strategy focuses on making more sustainable holidays mainstream, minimising tourism impacts, and embedding sustainability in its business. It partners with UN Tourism to develop an ESG framework for tourism, creating tools to measure industry impact on people, planet, and prosperity.

easyJet holidays was also named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2023, 2024, and 2025.