Flying to Mallorca or Ibiza? Your holiday could be over before it begins

For thousands of British holidaymakers, the countdown to a summer escape means checking passports, packing suitcases and dreaming of sunshine. This year, there may be another concern before you even reach the airport. New figures show flights from the UK to Mallorca and Ibiza are being cancelled more often than almost any other major European holiday route, leaving some travellers stranded before their holiday has even begun.

For many families, a cancelled flight is far more than an inconvenience. It can mean missed hotel check-ins, lost car hire bookings, expensive replacement flights and the disappointment of watching a long-planned holiday unravel before take-off. With schools out and airports operating at full capacity, finding another seat to the Balearics can be almost impossible at short notice.

Mallorca and Ibiza dominate the rankings

The figures place Spain’s Balearic Islands firmly at the centre of this summer’s disruption. The London Luton-Ibiza route recorded the highest cancellation rate of any major UK-European holiday route during the summer of 2025, with six of 105 scheduled flights cancelled, a rate of 5.56 per cent. London Heathrow-Palma de Mallorca ranked second at 1.60 per cent, followed by London Gatwick-Lisbon on 1.43 per cent.

The London Heathrow-Ibiza route came fourth with 1.38 per cent, while London Gatwick-Palma de Mallorca and London Luton-Palma de Mallorca followed closely behind at 1.31 per cent and 1.30 per cent. The list continues with Bristol-Málaga (1.20 per cent), Birmingham-Palma de Mallorca (1.02 per cent), London Gatwick-Ibiza (0.92 per cent), London Gatwick-Málaga (0.63 per cent), London Gatwick-Faro (0.33 per cent) and London Heathrow-Lisbon (0.32 per cent). Four of the ten worst-performing routes involve Palma de Mallorca, while three feature Ibiza, underlining the pressure facing Spain’s two busiest island airports during the peak holiday season.

Why are flights to the Balearics being cancelled?

Palma de Mallorca is one of Europe’s busiest summer airports. From June until the end of August, aircraft arrive and depart almost continuously as airlines race to meet demand from Britain and the rest of Europe. That leaves very little room for disruption.

One delayed arrival can miss its departure slot. The aircraft may be scheduled to operate another service later that day. Cabin crews can reach their legal working limits. Gates remain occupied longer than expected. Before long, delays spread across the airport and airlines begin cancelling flights to bring schedules back under control. Ibiza faces many of the same challenges. Although it is a smaller airport, demand during the summer leaves airlines with little flexibility when delays begin to build.

The problem appears to be getting worse

Figures from June and July 2026 suggest disruption has increased rather than improved. During those two months, 36 of the 1,050 scheduled flights departing London Gatwick and Heathrow for Palma de Mallorca were cancelled, representing 3.44 per cent of services. Flights to Ibiza have followed a similar pattern. Seventeen services from Gatwick and Heathrow to Ibiza were cancelled during the same period, producing a cancellation rate of 3.05 per cent.

Only the London Gatwick-Catania route recorded a higher cancellation rate. If the trend continues through August, thousands more passengers travelling to the Balearics could see their travel plans disrupted before the summer ends. The cancellation data comes from aviation intelligence platform AirAdvisor, which analysed routes between UK airports and Europe’s most popular holiday destinations operating at least 100 scheduled flights a month between June 1 and August 31. The company compared summer 2025 cancellation rates with data from June and July, revealing that disruption on routes to Mallorca and Ibiza has continued into this year’s holiday season.

Don’t accept the first offer

Anton Radchenko, aviation lawyer and CEO of AirAdvisor, says passengers should understand their rights before agreeing to airline vouchers. “If you’re told your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, you may be entitled to between £220 and £520 in compensation, depending on the distance of your journey,” he said. Passengers are also entitled to be rebooked on the next available flight or choose another travel date if that better suits their plans. Radchenko warns against accepting vouchers without first checking whether cash compensation is available.

Many vouchers carry conditions or expiry dates, and accepting one may limit a passenger’s ability to make a later claim. Travellers should keep boarding passes, booking confirmations and any messages confirming the cancellation, as these may be needed if compensation is pursued. More information about passenger rights and cancelled flight compensation is available through AirAdvisor. For millions of Britons, Mallorca and Ibiza remain the first choice for a summer holiday. This year, the biggest challenge may not be finding a sunbed, it could be getting there in the first place.