There’s a new tourism trend in town and it flies in the face of recent talk about “slow travel”. On the contrary, “extreme daytripping” entails getting to one’s destination quickly and early in order to cram as much into 24 hours as possible.
The phenomenon is being highlighted by the release of TUI’s 2026 winter schedule, an offering which once again includes the firm’s “Search for Santa” itinerary – a one-day only Lapland experience that can now be accessed from more UK departure points than ever, since the addition of Cardiff Airport, in Wales, alongside Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Stansted, and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.
Costing £750 per person (€865), the Christmassy trip takes travellers to Kittila in Finland, where they land around midday. The excitement includes time in the “Snow Village” where an ice hotel complete with igloo-like rooms and an icebar awaits, as well as sleigh rides with “Rudolph”, husky time, snowmobile adventures and, of course, a chance to meet the Red One himself – Santa.
All that, and still be back home in time to sleep in one’s own bed thanks to plane power? It doesn’t allow much room for acclimatising to ones surroundings and taking things in.
Treating flights like a bus ride or commute is perhaps more commonplace in the United States than in Europe, but “Extreme Day Trips” are increasingly popular, with a Facebook page dedicated to the idea attracting 240,000 members who exchange tips and discuss destinations such as Dubai, New York, and the Pyramids in Egypt. It’s arguably an efficient use of limited vacation allowances and, sometimes, budget – allowing one to discover famous sites without spending a fortune on accommodation.
But many argue that the trips are an environmental hazard. Matt Phillis, travel expert at Polarsteps, speaking to Metro news papernotes that “A flight generates 100 times more carbon dioxide per hour compared to a train or bus ride,” he said, and worse, “short-haul flights, covering less than 1000 miles, contribute disproportionately more to carbon emissions. This is because take-off and landing are so energy-intensive.”
As a result, Phillis recommends train travel instead, echoing the words of Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK, who has told The Independent the trips are a choice that is “very worrying for the climate” and that “taking short journeys such as day trips to far-flung places encourages more frequent travel than if you were staying for a longer holiday. This means many more flights are being taken overall.”
@live_thedash What is an Extreme Day Trip? How far can you go on an Extreme Day Trip? Ideas for your next EDT from the UK #ExtremeDayTrip #DayTrip #Ryanair #NewYork #CityBreak ♬ original sound – Live_TheDash
Hughes also described the trips to Lapland as in particularly dubious taste, given that snowy destinations are likely to suffer damage from climate change driven by aviation emissions. But, commenting on the new schedule, Chris Logan, TUI UK’s commercial director said, “we’re making it easier than ever for families across the UK to experience the magic of Lapland.”
