AIRLINES prices to Portugal and Gibraltar doubled in price ahead of the green list destinations being revealed today.
The tiny Mediterranean sunspot and Portugal and have been included on the government’s safe list for quarantine-free travel after May 17.
? Read our coronavirus and green list announcement live blog for the latest updates
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Direct flights from London to Malta cost £85 on May 15, but ahead of the list being revealed they surged to £98-153 through the week beginning May 17, The Sun found.
Flights to Malta now appear to have sold out for May 17, according to Kayak.
While a direct flight on May 24 now costs a minimum of £172.
London to Faro, on Portugal’s Algarve, is a budget trip favourite and costs just £15-20 direct single every day in the first non-holiday week after half-term, from June 12.
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But the route has rocketed to £530 single with BA on May 17, with easyJet offering the cheapest £238 flight that day, kayak.co.uk data showed.
Flights from May 18 for the rest of the week cost £63-144 – still treble the usual.
After the announcement there were a handful of fares at prices from £55.
Meanwhile, Ryanair journeys to Lisbon have jumped from £15 on May 19 to £262.
Holidaymakers were warned that fares are set to double again minutes after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces the safe list this afternoon, as more Brits rush to book.
Earlier today Booking.com’s chief executive Glenn Fogel warned that holiday “prices are already going up”.
He added: “There’s so much pent-up demand. Everybody wants to go travelling, but we all want to do it safely.”
Overseas holidays have been banned for many for five months, since before Christmas.
A handful of countries have been given coveted green status in a new travel traffic light system based on jab roll out and Covid rates – meaning Brits can visit with just two tests on their return.
Only green countries will be quarantine free, with Brits able to avoid self–isolating for 10 days on their return.
Tests will still be required, with a pre-arrival test before returning to the UK, and a second test on day two.
However, holiday favourites France, Spain and Greece are not on the list, meaning Brits will have to wait until June 7 to find out if they can holiday there this summer.
Brits are advised not to book anywhere on the amber list, just in case things get worse and it turns red.
And Turkey, Nepal and the Maldives are to be slammed on the red list, Mr Shapps said tonight – meaning Brits coming home will have to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days and pay £1,750 for the privilege.
Flight prices to Portugal increased five-fold when it was added to the travel corridor list last August.
BA said: “In the airline industry, ticket prices rise as the lowest fares sell out.”
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PM Boris Johnson and his Cabinet were set to sign off the plan to carve up the world into green, amber and red regions depending on their Covid risk this morning.
Most popular destinations are likely to be “amber”, so holidaymakers will need to take two PCR tests during their ten-day quarantine at home.
Meanwhile, Tui, the UK’s largest hols firm, has announced it will offer £20 Covid tests for Brits heading to green countries.
How the government’s green list will work for holidaymakers from the 17th May
