Don’t miss your flight. 19 Million cars expected on UK roads for May bank holiday

Holidaymakers heading to the airport this weekend for a May getaway are being warned to prepare for severe motorway congestion, and the possibility of missing flights as Britain braces for one of the busiest bank holiday getaways in years.

The RAC have forecast a huge number of around 19 million car journeys are expected to take place across the UK roads over the bank holiday period, with traffic predicted to peak from Friday afternoon through to Monday evening with a high period on Saturday. 

Heavy motorway traffic, airport congestion and rail disruption must all be taken into account for passengers trying to reach UK airports in time for flights to Spain for the first major warm-weather escape of the season.

Why UK roads are expected to be extremely busy on this particular weekend

The RAC says this could be the busiest May bank holiday for drivers in a decade. Friday afternoon and Saturday morning are forecast to be the worst periods. 

Routes expected to face the heaviest delays include the M25 around London, the M6 through the Midlands and North West, the M5 towards the South West and stretches of the M1 and A303. Drivers heading towards Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports are expected to encounter slow-moving traffic.

Traffic analysts INRIX have warned that even relatively short journeys could take considerably longer than usual due to a mix of holiday traffic, roadworks and airport demand.

How airport access could be affected

Airports serving Spain routes are expected to be among the busiest in the country this weekend. Heathrow and Gatwick handle huge volumes of flights to the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Balearic Islands during bank holiday periods. Manchester and Birmingham also see high demand from passengers travelling to southern Europe.

Experts are advising travellers to leave much earlier than normal for airport journeys. Motorway congestion around Heathrow’s M25 junctions and Gatwick’s surrounding road network could add additional hours to transfer times.

Traffic risk assessment based on RAC, INRIX and National Highways forecasts for the late May bank holiday weekend. 

Engineering works and rail disruption affecting airport train services, may also put increased pressure on roads and airport parking facilities.

Spain is still one of the UK’s favourite bank holiday destinations

Spain has been for years and still is one of the most popular British short-haul holiday bookings for long weekends and school holiday periods. Flights to Malaga and Alicante are among the busiest routes operated by low-cost airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.

Travel experts say the popularity of Spain means airport terminals handling these routes are likely to experience longer security queues and crowded departure lounges throughout the weekend.

Passengers travelling with children or checked luggage are being encouraged to arrive earlier than airline minimum recommendations.

What travellers should do before leaving home

Anyone flying this weekend should plan carefully, check live traffic updates before setting off and allow far more time than usual for airport journeys.

Passengers are also being encouraged to – 

• check airline apps for schedule updates,
• confirm airport parking bookings in advance,
• prepare for longer security queues,
• and avoid relying on tight check-in windows.

The return journey 

Traffic levels are expected to remain high until late Monday evening as millions of motorists return home after the bank holiday break. For those flying back from Spain next week, disruption may continue around airport pickup points and motorway routes during the return rush.