Winter sun from Belfast: where to fly and when

Two airports, one short runway each, and a winter-sun network that leans on the Canaries and Malaga — with the cheapest fares often a coach ride away in Dublin.

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Two airports, one short runway each, and a winter-sun network that leans on the Canaries and Malaga — with the cheapest fares often a coach ride away in Dublin.

Cite this page: Atravel.uk, “Winter sun from Belfast: where to fly and when”, updated 12 November 2026. https://atravel.uk/winter-sun-from-belfast/

Belfast International (Aldergrove) carries the winter charters; George Best City is convenient for short hops to Britain but has almost no winter-sun routes of its own.

The honest calculation for anyone in Northern Ireland is Belfast versus Dublin. Dublin has three times the winter capacity and often a lower fare, but the coach to Dublin Airport takes two hours from Belfast and the return leg lands you back at 23:00.

What flies direct from Belfast

Canaries: Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, mostly Saturdays.
Spain: Malaga and Alicante through the winter.
Malta: seasonal, with limited frequency.
City airport: domestic and short-haul only; useful for connecting via London or Manchester.

Belfast or Dublin?

Run the numbers on the whole journey. A Dublin fare that is £80 cheaper each way is worth it if you are two people and can take the Aircoach; it is not worth it for a family of four with luggage and a 06:00 departure.

Also check the return time. A Dublin flight that lands at 22:30 means a coach that reaches Belfast after 01:00, and the saving evaporates in a taxi.

Weather and buffers

Winter wind is the main cause of delay at both Belfast airports, and the exposed runway at Aldergrove catches it. If you are connecting to a cruise or a package transfer, take the earlier flight of the two on offer, even at a premium.

Winter sun deals from Belfast

Filter by duration, board and type, then check the live price on the partner page. Fares move by day, so we do not print a fixed one.

Canary Islands