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Here are 14 of the cheapest places to fly to from Birmingham Airport

Jan. 29, 2023
15 min read
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Birmingham Airport (BHX) is a travel hub for the Midlands – and one of the U.K.'s biggest (and busiest) airports.

As is also the case with Manchester (MAN), there are loads of opportunities to nab cheap flights to Europe departing from Birmingham – thanks in particular to low-cost airlines easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air (who are responsible for most of these low fares).

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For this piece, we searched for all the return flights we could find on Skyscanner between the months of January 2023 and December 2023, with starting prices under £50. We looked for destinations that remained consistently affordable over the most months, and noted which destinations didn't skyrocket in price when these super-low fares started to vanish – keeping under or around £70 for a return trip.

Is this an exact science? Impossible! Flight prices constantly change, tools like Skyscanner are frequently updating, and it'd be tricky to factor in things like airline sales, flights that have yet to be released, etc. For fun, we cherrypicked a few destinations worthy of a special mention, too.

This guide is designed to be a bit of destination inspiration for planning a budget break from Birmingham. So, here's where you could jet off to...

Lisbon, Portugal

Hop on a Lisbon tram (Photo by Alexander Spatari/Getty)

For six months of the year, we found return fares to the Lisbon (LIS) starting from £33 to £48, flying with easyJet or Ryanair, with three months of starting fares hovering around the £60s mark – meaning that it's relatively cheap to reach the colourful Portuguese capital over three quarters of the year.

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to explore, as you could easily spend a week exploring museums and picturesque streets, riding the old tram, tasting local dishes such as fried cuttlefish and pastel de nata (essentially, egg custard-filled pastries), and climbing the surrounding hills to numerous miradouros (viewing points) for sweeping views of the city.

Save a day or two for mini trips to seaside hotspot Cascais, the city of Evora (home to the famous Chapel of Bones) or magical Sintra (known for the majestic, yellow Pena Palace castle).

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Ireland

Throughout the year, it's possible to find cheap Dublin flights from BHX (Photo by Peter Unger/Getty Images)

In a surprise to no-one, destinations in Ireland were among the very cheapest we spotted for Birmingham, as they were from London and Manchester.

Dublin (DUB), in particular, had return fare prices starting from £18 to £46 overall 12 months of the next year, while Cork (ORK) showed starting prices from £22 to £45 over 10 months – all Ryanair. So, it's affordable to try pub-crawling and hurling-watching in fun, friendly Dublin, or gaol-exploring and restaurant-hopping on a chilled city break in Cork all year round.

Similarly, Knock (NOC) return fares from Ryanair started from £18 to £48 over six months of the year, with £52 and £65 starting fares spotted over a further four months. We also noticed £15 to £49 starting returns to Shannon (SNN) over five months of the year. Lovely.

Barcelona, Spain

Parc Guell is one of many popular spots in Barcelona (Photo by Jorg Greuel/Getty)

Barcelona (BCN) is a surprise addition to the list, as we clocked low Ryanair and Vueling starting return fares over 10 months of the year – from £35 to £49 over four months and £56 to £67 over six months.

The Catalonian city is packed with must-visit attractions, from shopping street La Rambla and the fascinating Picasso Museum, to the Antoni Gaudí-designed gems scattered across the city – including the pastel blue Casa Batlló, the many mosaic masterpieces forming Parc Güell, and La Sagrada Familia –a spectacular but famously unfinished church, due to be completed sometime in 2026.

These are all well-trodden tourist trails, of course, but there's plenty more to fill your itinerary in Barcelona – you could try hiking the overlooking 521m-tall Tibidabo hill, getting a ticket to watch FC Barcelona play at Camp Nou (the largest football stadium in Europe), or chill at the city beach.

Related: How to earn British Airways elite Gold status from scratch in 2023

Winter wonder: Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw Old Town's colourful buildings
Embrace the cold and explore Warsaw Old Town in winter (Photo by Getty)

If you can bear Poland's frozen winter and cooler early spring temperatures, you shouldn't struggle too much to find a cheap flight to one of its cities from Birmingham.

We clocked numerous starting return fares under £50 (or just over) for Bydgoszcz (BZG), Gdansk (GDN), Krakow (KRK) and Wroclaw (WRO). Most intriguing were starting return fares for the Polish capital, Warsaw (WAW), ranging from £22 to £42 with Ryanair or Wizz Air over five months over the year – specifically January, February, March, April and October.

In Warsaw, expect historic sites in the UNESCO-listed Old Town, some dating back to the 13th century, others carefully restored after the Second World War – and memories of royalty past, in the Royal Castle Museum or the formerly regal Wilanów Palace (just a hop on the local metro away). Done that? Admire the ever-evolving architecture, hit the shops, stroll along the walkways lining the River Vistula, visit the Museum of Modern Art, or get to know the local gastronomy scene.

Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux was among the most consistently cheap destinations from Birmingham (Photo by Getty)

Big news for wine lovers! Over seven months of the year, we found BHX to Bordeaux (BOD) return fares with Ryanair starting from £18 to £59.

A break in this southwestern French city offers strolls past pretty streets, Bordeaux Cathedral and Pont de Pierre bridge – perhaps wandering through the vast Place de la Bourse, admiring the Grosse Cloche (an 18th-century bell), or perusing the food market Marché des Capucins as you explore.

From buying wine at the market from local sellers and discovering wine history at the Cité du Vin museum (which reopens with a new permanent collection in February 2023) in the city itself or day-tripping further into the region of Bordeaux to enjoy ample wine-tasting opportunities and gorgeous vineyards tours, there's a lot to see, and do, and drink here if you enjoy a glass of red.

Verona, Italy

Verona (Photo by Getty)

Rome, Florence, the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast may spring to mind when you think of an Italian destination, but how about charming Verona (VRN) in northern Italy.

Perhaps a more affordable choice, as we managed to spot starting return fares from BHX varying from £27 to £40 over four months of the year, flying Ryanair, and a further four months varying from £53 to £62.

Known as the setting of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, visitors to Verona can indeed pay a visit to Juliet's House. The 13th-century home comes complete with a second-floor balcony that is said to have inspired the iconic scenes between the play's titular star-crossed lovers. If Shakespeare fails to interest, though, perhaps the abundance of Roman architecture and history will – from the Verona Arena amphitheatre to the Pont Pietra bridge, both dating back to the early 1st century.

Related: From Venice to Rome: 6 cities you can easily visit on Italy's high-speed train

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh from Calton Hill (Photo by Sylvain Sonnet / Getty Images)

With few U.K. cities on this list, Edinburgh (EDI) deserves a mention. Return fares starting from £44 to £64 were found over seven months of the year, flying with easyJet. The one-hour, 10-minute flight from BHX to EDI certainly appeals if you consider that a Birmingham to Edinburgh train trip can take over five hours.

The time (and money) saved will come in handy, as there's so much to pack in on an Edinburgh trip. You could tour the National Museum of Scotland (for free), hit the shops along Princes Street and the Royal Mile, gaze at the Royal Botanic Garden greenery, or experience illusions at Camera Obscura. Overlooking the city centre is Edinburgh Castle, well worth a visit – and if panoramic views are what you're after, you could ascend Calton Hill (home to Nelson's Monument), walk up Blackford Hill or climb to Arthur's Seat.

Another Scottish getaway you could try is Glasgow (GLA), for which we found similar easyJet starting return fares, also over seven months.

Winter wonder: Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Could Cluj-Napoca be your next city break from Birmingham Airport? (Photo by Getty)

Wrap up warm in Cluj-Napoca (CLJ) in the Transylvania region of Romania that is if you're tempted by cheap starting return fares we spotted, from £25 to £48, during the winter/early spring months (January, February, March and April) – all flying with Wizz Air.

While the average maximum temperature in February is 3°C, you can certainly expect a low-key, relaxed city break even in the cold. Opt to enjoy leisurely café stops, visits to myriad churches, jaunt around the Alexandru Borza Botanic Garden or walk up hilly Cetățuia Park for the views at the top, or take your time exploring the major Central Park Simion Bărnuțiu.

To discover Transylvanian history, pay a visit to the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania, or go underground at the fascinating Salina Turda salt mine. If that all sounds a bit too chill for your liking, there is plenty of nightlife to seek out in Cluj-Napoca. It is, after all, a popular university city.

Bergamo, Italy

Bergamo and Milan are both cheap destinations from BHX (Photo by Getty)

Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY) popped up with starting return fares from £27 to £49 over six months of the year, all with Ryanair – along with a few more in the £50s region. We also spotted another return fare for under £50, on a 10th month, flying to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) with easyJet.

So, you could cheaply fly to Milan at most points of the year, from MXP (the closer airport) or further-away BGY (about one hour by car). Italy's undisputed fashion capital and an easy city to traverse on foot (or tram), Milan is a city break staple – but, er, what about Bergamo? Its name is right there in the airport, after all, and it's much closer, just a 15-minute drive away.

In Bergamo, marvel at medieval buildings, the ornate design of the 12th-century Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, and Piazza Vecchia. The mountainous city is also surrounded by walls, called the Venetian Works of Defence, so impressive it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Related: 18 of our favourite points hotels in Europe

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm in the snow (Photo by Getty)

Over eight months of the year, we found affordable starting return fares to Stockholm (ARN), flying Ryanair. Prices we saw ranged from £24 to £43 over four months around wintertime, rising to £62 to £71 as summer approached.

Luckily, the Swedish capital is a winner at any time of year, whether you're rocking thermals and snow boots or enjoying a wave of sunshine. There's something for every interest in each of the city's neighbourhoods, from cool Södermalm and cultural Normmalm to museum-crammed Djurgården. There's also the Old Town, Gamla Stan, for a look back at Sweden's past, plus palaces, theme parks, and gardens galore.

Highlights include Vasa Museum (home to the 17th-century ship of the same name, the only of its kind), the open-air museum Skansen, and the photography museum Fotografiska. Music fans, meanwhile, should dart straight to ABBA The Museum – an awesome time capsule and interactive tribute to the Eurovision icons (with nods to other influential Swedish pop stars).

Geneva, Switzerland

Geneva (Photo by Getty)

Over four months of the year, we found easyJet starting return fares to Geneva (GVA) ranging from £34 to £47, inching up to £50 to £70 over six more months.

Surprisingly affordable to fly to, it's wise not to expect cheap prices when you land, as this Swiss city is famously very expensive to visit. Still, if your budget allows, it's worth a visit for the dreamy, delicious chocolate alone – which you can sample in a number of chocolatiers.

Beyond sweets, Geneva is an attractive city buoyed by the glistening view of Lake Geneva and an impressive backdrop of the Alps and Mont Blanc. And there's a lot to do: take in lakeside Geneva Water Fountain, admire the design of Le Jardin Anglais, marvel at the 12th-century St Pierre Cathedral, or visit the Reformation Wall in Parc de Bastions. Geneva is also home to the Red Cross and the United Nations, among other international organisations.

Málaga, Spain

Málaga could be an affordable option from Birmingham (Photo by Getty)

For the Andalusian gem Málaga (AGP), we spotted low fares over eight months of the year – with starting return prices from £31 to £40 over three months, and between £56 and £62 over five. In all cases, you'd typically be flying with Ryanair.

Málaga is versatile – there's something to suit most travel styles. If you chill in a hotel, lounge by the pool, knock back a few cocktails, and only venture out for beautiful beaches and buzzing nightlife, then that's certainly an option, as you've got the famous Costa del Sol at your fingertips.

If you want to admire art, you've got the Carmen Thyssen Museum (full of 19th-century Spanish works), the Picasso Museum (as the artist was born in Málaga), the Pompidou Centre (with its glass cube design), and Soho Málaga – a neighbourhood renowned for its plentiful street art. For history and architecture, head to the cathedral and the 11th-century Alcazaba Fortress.

Related: How to travel to Spain for (almost) free using points and miles

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast (Photo by Getty)

Northern Ireland's capital Belfast (BFS) appeared in TPG's guide to the cheapest destinations to fly to from MAN, and unsurprisingly it was one of the top destinations we spotted from BHX, too.

Flying with easyJet, we found return prices starting from £39 to £47 over four months of the year, with starting fares barely creeping up to £51 to £62 over a further six months. Essentially, it was pretty affordable to reach Belfast for most of the year.

So, what to do in Belfast? There's the Titanic Museum and Ulster Museum, of course, as two main attractions, as well as the opportunity to drive out to the UNESCO-listed Giant's Causeway. There's also Belfast Castle to explore, maritime points of interest such as the HMS Caroline, Victorian-era St George's Market to browse, and quirkier finds like CS Lewis Square – which celebrates the famous author from Belfast, and his Chronicles of Narnia series with several impressive bronze statues.

Special mention: Santander, Spain

Santander (Photo by Getty)

Last but not least is Santander (SDR). No, not the bright red bank you might find on U.K. high streets, but the city located along the Cantabrian coast in northern Spain.

It gets a special mention as we spotted particularly low starting return prices, flying Ryanair, from £17 to £20 over three months of the year, and a fourth month at £42. And it makes a nice change from the usual city break suspects, many of which do crop up in this list.

A favourite of Spain's historic royals, it's well worth taking a gander at the seafront Palacio de la Magdalena, before hitting the city's beautiful beaches. For a cracking sunset, you should then head to the clifftop lighthouse Centro de Arte Faro Cabo Mayor. Yet there is plenty to uncover in Santander, beyond Instagram-worthy views, from the stunning old library Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo, to the collection of ancient artefacts kept in the Prehistory and Archaeology Museum of Cantabria.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.