Carmen
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-10-02
Families notice it every year: not every school holiday pushes flight prices in the same way. In the Netherlands, holidays for the north, middle and south regions are partly staggered. That creates several demand peaks instead of just one. You see this most clearly on popular sun routes to Spain, the Canary Islands, Turkey and Greece. For travellers leaving from AMS, EIN, RTM and MST, the difference is often not only the holiday week itself, but also the days just before and after it. Understanding that regional spread helps more than simply searching early.
Why regional holidays shift flight prices
Airlines price on demand, not on the school holiday label alone. As soon as one region starts its break, pressure rises on seats to family destinations. When a second or third region overlaps, that pressure becomes broader and lasts longer. The result is that fare increases often appear before the first official holiday day, especially on the last school days before departure. Return flights also tend to peak near the end of each block. Because of that, a week with partial regional overlap can sometimes be pricier than a shorter, more clearly defined peak period.
Which holiday periods are usually the most expensive
For Dutch families, the most sensitive travel periods are usually summer holiday, May break, autumn break and the Christmas period. Summer brings the longest stretch of pressure because families travel longer and classic beach destinations are in high demand. May can be deceptively expensive: shorter, but with strong demand for quick sun trips. In autumn, the Canary Islands and Turkey often see solid family demand. Around Christmas and New Year, school holidays combine with winter sun travel, family visits and reduced schedules, so choice can narrow quickly.
North, middle and south: where the real peak days sit
The most expensive days are often not in the middle of the holiday, but on changeover days. Think of the first outbound wave from one region, followed by overlap with another region that is just starting or ending. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are therefore often more exposed than a Tuesday or Wednesday departure. With split holidays, the south may already be travelling while the north has not yet started, or the reverse. That keeps fares elevated for longer. If you only look at the official holiday blocks, you miss the key pattern: overlap, weekend departures and concentration on the same sunny routes.
Differences by airport in the Netherlands
AMS offers the widest choice, but it also attracts the most demand. That means more options remain available, although popular time slots get expensive quickly. EIN is strong for holiday routes and low-cost traffic, which can make it especially sensitive to sharp fare jumps in school breaks. RTM is convenient for nearby families, but with fewer departures, high demand is felt faster. MST can work as an alternative, though its network is smaller. For families, it pays to compare not just destinations but several Dutch airports side by side.
How to search smarter if you are tied to school holidays
Start with the official school holiday calendar for your region, whether north, middle or south, then look closely at the edges of that period. Compare departures from AMS, EIN, RTM and MST, and test both outbound and return flights on midweek days. On family routes to Spain, the Canary Islands, Turkey and Greece, include early and late departures too, because those can stay reasonable for longer. If you book each part separately, remember extra costs such as baggage, seat selection and transfers. In peak weeks, those extras strongly shape which option actually works best for a family.
Compare separate flights smartly by region and departure day, and set one Reisedrop price alert to track a real fare drop.
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