Off peak is the new peak, June becomes top month for summer holidays
Irish adults are increasingly looking to book their holidays outside the traditional peak summer holiday period for 2026, with new JustCover research suggesting a growing demand for ‘off-peak’ trips that offer lower prices, a cooler climates and quieter crowds.
The new 2026 research by Irish travel insurance provider, JustCover, polled a nationally representative sample of 300 Irish adults about their holiday plans for the year ahead.
The results offer an early indication on Irish travel trends for the year ahead.
Of the 91% of Irish adults planning a holiday in 2026 – 64% are opting for short-haul holidays to Europe, with Southern Europe dominating holiday choices (45%), followed by the cooler climes of Northern Europe (19%).
But for 2026, this exodus to Europe will no longer be concentrated to the traditional peak summer holiday months of July and August – with June (29%) now a more popular month to book a holiday than July (25%), and more people booking a break for September (22%) than in August (19%).
This emerging picture of a new peak-season that stretches pretty evenly for a longer five-month period, could be driven by a number of factors – the desire to enjoy cheaper holiday prices, to avoid the peak season crowds and also the extreme heat, that has soared to record levels during July and August in recent years.
The months when Irish holidaymakers are going on holiday in 2026
January 6%
February 10%
March 15%
April 18%
May 23%
June 29%
July 25%
August 19%
September 22%
October 15%
November 6%
December 5%
Who’s driving the trend to holiday outside the traditional summer peak season?
Whilst school holidays have traditionally made July and August the annual peak months for family holidays abroad, the JustCover research shows that, for 2026, there are many exceptions to the rule:
· Older holidaymakers are avoiding summer peak-season when resorts are the hottest and busiest. For the over 65s, holiday season starts in the spring, with an early peak recorded from April (27%).
For 50-64-year-olds, the upturn in holidays will start in May (21%) and June (24%). For both of these age groups, September will be the busiest month of 2026 for a holiday abroad (36% for over 65s and 28% for the 50-64 age group).
· Medical conditions: This year, 89% of Irish people with medical conditions are looking to have a much-needed holiday and, of these, 59% will be having a short-haul holiday to Europe, while 33% will have a long-haul adventure.
This group is also looking to go on holiday either side of the school holidays, with 24% booking a holiday for June - and September emerging as the year’s peak month for holidays (26%, compared to 20% in August).
· Couples without children are also enjoying the freedom to book holidays that are not determined by school holiday dates. For this group, June is the year’s peak month for holidays (29%), followed by 26% booking for September 2026.
· Parents of toddlers: For couples with children of pre-school age (under 3), the cooler, quieter month of May is their peak period for a holiday abroad this year – 29%, compared to just 16% that will holiday in July.
· In contrast, those parents with teenage children (11-18) are the one group most likely to predominantly book their 2026 holidays in July (37%) and August (28%).
Peter Clark, Director at JustCover, commented: “It’s clear from our new data that Irish holiday trends are changing. As the dominance of July and August recede, the picture that emerges points towards a new-look ‘peak season’ that will be more broadly spread across a five-month period.
"It is also apparent from our data that some people are having more than one holiday abroad. These metrics certainly underscore the value of people buying annual multi-trip travel insurance, which is designed for people that enjoy multiple trips throughout the year, rather than one main holiday.
“We also note from our data that older people and those with medical conditions contribute to this trend to holiday outside the peak summer months.
"At JustCover, we include specialist medical cover within our policies. This is a major step forward for the Irish market.
"With so many Irish holidaymakers travelling abroad with medical conditions, there is an urgent need for these people to have access to quality cover they need - cover that fills the gaps that private health cover and EHIC doesn’t cover.”
Discover more about JustCover here.