Aberdeen holidays
Sat on a sweeping stretch of Scottish coastline, Aberdeen packs a lot into its compact centre. Walk the cobbled streets of its sparkling granite old town, stroll city beaches and spot scudding dolphins in the harbour. Head out into the surrounding area to feast your eyes on cute coastal villages, the magnificent Cairngorms and no less than 263 historic castles under Aberdeenshire’s big skies.
The Granite City’s charms are hard to resist
Known for the hard graft of its North Sea oil and fishing industries, Aberdeenshire is also the perfect place for some downtime, thanks to a plethora of leisure and cultural treats within stunning settings.
You can feed your curiosity in museums and galleries, take on challenging golf courses, hike windswept cliffs, moors, mountains and ancient Caledonian forests, and sip local craft beer and whisky. Discover a warm welcome among Aberdeen’s cool granite edifices – book your flights to Aberdeen now.
Carefully selected Aberdeen hotels
Best hotels in Aberdeen for all types of traveller
The pleasantly affordable Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen City Centre is just a ten-minute walk from the stylish Union Street. This central Aberdeen hotel is a good choice for golfers as it’s just three miles away from Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Also reasonably priced is Park Inn by Radisson Aberdeen, again close to Union Street, in the centre of town. For another affordable yet stylish city-centre hotel there’s the Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen. You can even bring your four-legged friend to this dog-friendly hotel.
Aberdeen holiday FAQs
- Dolphin, whale and otter spotting at Greyhope Bay Centre is one of the top things to do in Aberdeen. The centre itself offers stunning coastal views and is billed as the UK’s number one place to spot dolphins with an 80 per cent chance of seeing one on any given day.
- The serene Cruden Bay offers vast skies, pristine sandy beaches and picturesque fishing harbours. Golfers can tee off at Cruden Bay Golf Club, which offers coastal panoramas and views of Slains Castle – said to be the place of Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula. The nearby Bullers of Buchan is a wonderland where cliffs meet the sea to provide a haven for seabirds including puffins.
- Cairngorms National Park is a playground for nature lovers and adventurers. Twice the size of the Lake District, it’s home to lochs, Munros and castles, and offers activities including walking, cycling, deer spotting and skiing.
- Hire a car and take on the mighty curves of the east coast on the Angus Coastal Route linking Aberdeen to Dundee. Pass charming towns, nature reserves and views of the grey outlines of the Grampian Mountains to the west and sparkling North Sea to the east.
- Head west to the picturesque towns of Ballater and Braemar and you might even spot a royal close to their Balmoral Castle residence. There are more castles to discover nearby, including Corgarff Castle, which is set against a stunning backdrop of mountains and forests. Hit the Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail to discover the mesmerising Dunnottar Castle. Set atop a 160-foot rock and surrounded on three sides by the North Sea, it’s as dramatic as it is haunting. You can discover 19 of Aberdeenshire’s most dramatic castles along the Castle Trail.
- For a shot of culture, get into the spirit of the region’s whisky production. Aberdeenshire distilleries might have gone under the radar when compared with Speyside and its famous Malt Whisky Trail, but there are several worth checking out within an hour’s drive from Aberdeen. You can find out more by navigating the Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire trail.
- It’s not only the whisky that flows in Aberdeenshire; the area has much to offer when it comes to craft beer. It’s home to the BrewDog brewery, which is open for tours and tastings, while you can also check out central Aberdeen’s ‘craft beer kilometre’ of bars. If your preferred brew is coffee rather than beer, the city is gaining a reputation for high-end coffee shops, too.
- Aberdeen Art Gallery boasts a fine collection spanning 700 years, including works by the likes of Francis Bacon, Tracy Emin, Claude Monet and Barbara Hepworth. You can download an app containing a free digital guide to help you make sense of the venue’s 18 collections galleries.
- If you want to see Aberdeen’s main attractions, staying around the central Union Square is a good option. Here you’ll find many treats worth checking out.
- Housed in a historical railway arch, City of Aberdeen Distillery and Gin School is Aberdeen’s first distillery for over 75 years, and its first gin school. Stay nearby at Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen.
- Family-friendly options in Aberdeen include the Aberdeen Science Centre and the David Welch Winter Gardens at Duthie Park, one of Europe’s largest indoor gardens. Head to Hazlehead Park on the outskirts of the city for Scotland’s oldest maze.
- Aberdeenshire has 165 miles of coastline, with beaches aplenty for building sandcastles and paddling, and water sports including surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking. If you fancy a spot of sand boarding, head to Balmedie Beach, just north of the city.
- Aberdeen hosts bags of great festivals including the urban lights festival Spectra, the Aberdeen Highland Games and the Nuart Aberdeen street art festival. Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art Event Complex Aberdeen (also known as P&J Live), hosts regular music and theatre shows.
- For a unique spa break in Aberdeen, head to a float room, where you’ll be suspended in water and feel weightless while surrounded by darkness and soothing sounds. You’ll find Scotland’s first one in the Bridge of Don area. If it’s a hotel with a well-equipped spa you’re after, then why not try Hilton Aberdeen TECA? It’s located at the Event Complex, near the airport.
- Aberdeen is bursting to its compact granite seams with history, and with some great hotels on offer, it makes for the perfect city break. Learn about how the creation of the city’s thoroughfare, Union Street, nearly bankrupted the city, take a tour using the Aberdeen History Trail or head to the Bridge of Dee – a beautiful granite and sandstone bridge built in 1527, and in 1639 was the site of the battle between the Scottish Presbyterian movement and Charles I’s army. Stay five minutes’ drive from its seven arches, at the four-star Aberdeen Macdonald Norwood Hall, which features old-style wood panelling, log fires and sweeping staircases.
- Aberdeen’s other famous bridge, the Brig o' Balgownie, has a gothic arch that spans 12 metres across the River Don in Old Aberdeen and was completed under Robert the Bruce. For a scenic route, follow the river path through Seaton Park, where you can also kayak along the river.
- Old Aberdeen grew from when monks and scholars, traders and travellers settled the area. Around its oldest parts you’ll find the 14th Century St Machar’s Cathedral and you can follow cobbled roads to the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, while Aberdeen University’s Zoology Museum sits on newer streets.
- Head to Aberdeen’s beach – you might not want to take a dip in the cool North Sea waters, but you’ll find lots to do including the Star Ballroom and Codona’s, an amusement park complete with a Ferris wheel for that bit of nostalgia. If you want to take in some epic views and crisp sea air, head to Cove Bay where you’ll find stunning panoramas from the rugged cliffs that surround an old fishing harbour.
Why choose British Airways Vacations?
The British Airways experience is more than a flight.
We offer carefully chosen hotels, resorts and villas in the most amazing places, and car rental with no hidden extras. Our access to the extensive British Airways global network and oneworld® alliance puts us in a unique position to create packages with convenient flights across the globe. From start to finish consider your vacation taken care of.
Small deposits
Secure your vacation with a small deposit and spread the cost with flexible installments.
Baggage allowance
All of our vacation packages include a generous checked baggage allowance.
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Terms and conditions
- Flight only prices are updated every 24 hours and are accurate when published. Flights at these prices are limited and may sell out quickly.
- Package vacation prices (flight + hotel or flight + car) prices are updated every 24 to 48 hours and are accurate when published and may vary upon reaching subsequent pages. Availability may be extremely limited particularly during peak periods.
- Return fares displayed are the lowest adult return prices in the cabin specified including taxes, fees and carrier charges, based on a 7-day return journey.
- Package vacation prices (flight + hotel and flight + car) shown are in USD per person based on 2 adults sharing one room or one car and prices include taxes, fees and carrier charges unless otherwise specified. Flight + car prices based on drivers aged 30-70 years.
- Additional charges will be applied for payments made using a corporate credit card.
- Advertised fares are available on ba.com. Additional charges may apply if purchased through British Airways outlets or travel agents.
- Combine and save on Vacations: Guaranteed savings are only available when booking a Flight + Hotel or Flight + Car booking including one land product, it does not apply to a ‘Customise your trip’ vacation including more than one hotel and / or car.
- Standard British Airways terms and conditions apply.
1. Vacation Sale offers can be booked online at ba.com or through the British Airways call centre from January 6, 2026 and January 22, 2026 at 23:59 EST.
2. Vacation sale offers are valid on travel between January 6, 2026 and September 30, 2026. All travel must be completed by September 30, 2026. For travel from all British Airways operating airports in the US.
3. To qualify for the up to $400 discount per booking offer certain booking requirements must be met.
4. The savings are $50, $100, $200 or $400 and apply to new Vacation Package bookings only where a minimum spend is met:
a. Vacation Package bookings with a total cost of $8,000 per booking can save $400 per booking.
b. Vacation Package bookings with a total cost of $5,000 per booking can save $200 per booking.
c. Vacation Package bookings with a total cost of $3,000 per booking can save $100 per booking.
d. Vacation Package bookings with a total cost of $1,500 per booking can save $50 per booking.
5. The savings are per booking.
6. A Vacation Package booking means any booking including round trip flights and either a hotel, car or combination of both for the duration of the travel period. Hotels/cars added to flights only after a flight has been selected or booked will not be eligible. To be eligible for savings, we invite you to choose ‘Flight + hotel’ or ‘Flight + car’ when commencing a search. Quotes in our ‘Create your trip’ booking tool will not include this offer and are discounted in a different way.
7. Flight + car Vacation Package savings are applied before any Extras (insurance waiver, car seats etc.) are added to the booking.
8. Prices advertised on ba.com include the additional discount where applicable.
9. Vacation sale lead-in prices include all airline-related taxes, fees, and carrier charges.
10. Economy flight and hotel package lead-in prices are based on 2 adults traveling on the same itinerary, round trip in Economy Class, pricing per adult person, based on 5 nights for double occupancy accommodation.
11. Economy flight and car rental package lead-in prices are based on 2 adults traveling on the same itinerary, round trip in Economy Class, pricing per adult person, based on 7 days Avis or Budget car rental in a ‘Group A Economy Manual’ car. Prices are based on drivers aged 30-70 years. (Automatic car rental available at higher prices).
12. Car rental prices do not include fees charged locally such as airport charges, additional driver, insurance, navigation aids and similar options.
13. All prices are liable to change at any time and are subject to flight, hotel and car rental availability. Availability is strictly limited.
14. Offers are valid for new bookings only, made during the promotional period. Valid only when combined with British operated flights or BA code share flights departing from a US gateway.
15. Prices are based on travel during dates and board basis stated.
16. Limited availability of flights at these prices. Individual travel dates are subject to availability. Promotional travel is subject to availability and capacity control, and availability may be limited over holidays and peak periods. The number of seats available on each flight at a particular fare may be restricted and it is possible that seats allocated to a particular fare on a particular flight may be fully booked even though seats are still available for sale at a different fare or booking class in the same cabin.
17. Deposits can only be paid for bookings created as flight + hotel or flight + car packages. All flight only, hotel, car and experience only bookings, and any hotel, car or experiences added to a flight only booking are excluded from this offer. The following deposit levels apply based on the total spend per booking:
I. Flight + hotel and flight + car vacations between $1000-$1999 - pay from $198 deposit per booking
II. Flight + hotel and flight + car vacations between $2000-$2499 - pay from $250 deposit per booking
III. Flight + hotel and flight + car vacations between $2500-$2999 - pay from $300 deposit per booking
18. The deposit balance will be due 28 days prior to your departure date. The actual payment date will be displayed on the payment details page. You can pay the balance in as many instalments as you want. This allows you to spread the cost of the vacation over a longer period. You will have full flexibility of when you make the payments and how much they are, the only requirement is that you must have paid the full balance by the balance due date.
19. British Airways holidays standard terms and conditions and conditions of carriage apply. For full terms and conditions please refer to https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/legal/package-booking-terms-and-conditions
20. All travel on BA operated flights is subject to BA's General Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage (see ba.com http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/legal/british-airways/general-conditions-of-carriage) and the notice and conditions of contract contained on each ticket and itinerary. Passengers carried by code share services are subject to the ticketing carrier's conditions of carriage.
21. British Airways is not liable for the reproduction of this offer or indirect access via third party websites of these terms and where such reproduction misstates or omits any of the information or terms and conditions connected with this promotion.
22. Normal booking conditions, including amendment and cancellation charges, of a hotel purchase apply.
23. Normal booking conditions, including amendment and cancellation charges, of a car purchase apply.
24. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
25. This offer may be withdrawn or limited by British Airways without notice.
26. Other significant restrictions may apply.
We reserve the right to cancel any bookings that violate any of these terms and conditions.