Carmen
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-10-02
Anyone searching for when to book flights for summer holidays usually wants one thing: not too early, not too late, and without paying more than necessary. In the Netherlands, that booking moment depends mainly on three factors: your destination, your departure airport, and the staggered school holiday pattern across north, central and south regions. A flight to Málaga or Palma often follows a different rhythm than a ticket to Heraklion, Antalya or Tenerife. It also matters whether you fly from AMS or consider EIN, RTM or MST instead.
The best booking moment is not the same for every route
For popular summer destinations around the Mediterranean, booking extremely early is not always the cheapest strategy, but waiting too long during the summer holiday period often works against you. In practice, the strongest booking window is usually several months before departure, once airlines have opened a solid part of their summer schedules and there is still choice in timings and baggage conditions. For peak weeks inside the school holiday period, that window tends to move earlier. For the Canary Islands, Greece and Turkey, the more specific your week, the earlier you should start looking.
School holidays in north, central and south drive prices
The Netherlands does not have one single summer holiday peak. Because the school holidays are staggered across north, central and south regions, the busiest departure weeks shift as well. You can see that in fares from AMS, but also from regional airports. If you have some flexibility around the official holiday period for your region, there is often more room at the edges of the break. Departing just before or after the busiest changeover days can work better. Always check official school calendars and compare surrounding weeks and departure days, not just your first-choice week.
AMS is often the broadest option, but not always the smartest
Amsterdam AMS has by far the most summer routes and the highest frequency. That creates choice, but also strong demand in popular weeks. Eindhoven EIN can be useful for Spain, Portuguese coast routes and some Greek or Turkish links. Rotterdam RTM is smaller, but practical for travellers in the Randstad who want less travel time and less airport friction. Maastricht MST has limited supply, yet it can still work as an alternative in specific weeks. Always compare the full trip: airfare, baggage, parking or rail costs, and the value of departure times.
How early to book depends on the destination
For Spain and the Balearics, there is a lot of market capacity, so prices often move more as long as you are not targeting the most crowded weeks. For the Canary Islands, longer flight time and steady demand mean popular dates can tighten earlier. Greece often has a clear summer peak around island routes and direct services. Turkey remains widely served, but favourable flight times and school holiday weeks can still sell through early. The more popular the route and the fewer direct options from your preferred airport, the more sensible early booking becomes.
Wait or book: how to decide
If your dates are fixed, you are tied to one regional school holiday period and you want a direct flight to a popular sun destination, it is usually smarter to compare early rather than wait. If you are flexible on week, airport and departure day, you can monitor for longer and keep more options open. Good signals to book are stable availability on your route, flight times that actually suit you, and total costs that fit your plan. Waiting mainly makes sense if you stay genuinely flexible and accept an alternative departure point or destination.
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