Published on : 29 Oct 2026
Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, in the middle of the busiest stretch of the autumn: UK and Irish half-term returns, an Italian strike that the government ordered postponed but the union says is still on, rail walkouts in Spain and France, and US Thanksgiving fares that have hit a 10-year high.
The good news for the weekend itself is that the storms that battered Britain and Ireland last week have blown through. The Met Office’s current forecast is calmer, with high pressure and no weather warnings listed for Thursday to Saturday. The bad news is that calm weather brings its own risk — fog — and that airports and rail networks are running with very little spare capacity as families head home.
Here is the complete Halloween-weekend outlook, who is most exposed, and what to do about it.
Published: October 29, 2026 — Thursday Halloween: Saturday, October 31, 2026 UK and Ireland weather: Storms Austen and Boelo have passed; high pressure brings calmer conditions, but mist and fog may become widespread and slow to clear, with rain moving into northern Britain on Saturday night Met Office warnings: None listed for October 29–31 at the time of writing Dublin Airport: More than 100,000 passengers a day expected through Monday, November 2, with 1.2 million over the 11-day mid-term window Italy: USB’s October 30 general strike — the transport part was ordered postponed on October 27, but the union says it will strike anyway Spain: Renfe drivers’ strike October 29; Ouigo drivers’ strikes October 30 and November 2; Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line closed after the Urda collision France: National SNCF strike called for Thursday, November 5 US Thanksgiving fares: Domestic round trips averaging $402, up 31% on last year — a 10-year high, according to Hopper US entry rule from November 3: Ebola attestation for all inbound international passengers
For most families, the weekend of October 31–November 1 is the return leg of the half-term break. Dublin Airport expects more than 100,000 passengers every day between October 23 and November 2, with its busiest day of the bank-holiday weekend forecast at almost 123,000 on Friday, October 23. Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester are expected to be similarly busy as families head home, though none of them has published a specific figure for Halloween weekend.
The weather is a different story from last week. The Met Office says high pressure will bring lighter winds and drier conditions late in the week, but warns that mist and fog may spread widely and be slow to clear. Fog can slow departures and arrivals because airports operate stricter spacing rules in low visibility, so early-morning flights are the most exposed. A north–south split is expected over the weekend, with rain moving into northern Britain on Saturday night.
Capacity is the other pressure point. Manchester Airport’s Terminal 3 security queues on Tuesday evening caused some passengers to miss flights — the airport blamed staff absence and passengers arriving late. If you are flying out of any busy UK or Irish airport this weekend, arrive early.
| Region / Airport | Main Pressure | Risk Level | What to Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 100,000+ passengers a day through Nov 2 | Busy, queues likely at peak | Arrive early; use airport guidance on security |
| Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester | Half-term return traffic; fog risk on early flights | Medium | Allow at least two hours for short-haul; check live security wait times |
| Manchester Terminal 3 | Security queues on Oct 27 caused missed flights | Medium | Don’t arrive late — airport cites late arrivals as a factor |
| Italy (all transport) | USB strike dispute; All Saints bridge weekend | Uncertain | Check train and flight status before leaving |
| Spain (rail) | Renfe strike Oct 29; Ouigo strikes Oct 30 and Nov 2; Madrid–Andalusia line closed | High for rail users | Use flights or coaches for Andalusia; check each operator |
| France (rail) | SNCF strike called for Nov 5 | Upcoming | Hold off on non-refundable rail bookings around Nov 5 |
| US (Newark) | Flight cap of 36 arrivals and 36 departures an hour in force until Oct 30, 2027 | Ongoing | Build in buffer; consider alternatives for tight connections |
The union USB called a 24-hour general strike for Friday, October 30, covering trains from 9pm on Thursday, October 29 and all flights from midnight to 11:59pm on Friday. On October 27, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini signed an order (no. 204 T) postponing the transport part of the strike because it falls inside the protected holiday period around All Saints and the Day of the Dead, which runs from October 30 to November 5.
Following the order, Italy’s state rail group FS, Trenitalia, Italo and Trenord said they would run normal timetables. USB, however, said it would go ahead in the transport sectors anyway, accepting the sanctions it says are illegitimate. That leaves air travel the most uncertain: if the air strike goes ahead, flights scheduled from 7am to 10am and from 6pm to 9pm are legally protected and must operate, and the aviation regulator ENAC publishes a list of guaranteed flights. Passengers at Milan Malpensa and other Italian airports are being told to check their flight status with their airline.
Because Italy’s protected period runs until November 5, no other transport strikes are expected there through the holiday weekend. Read our detailed coverage of the Italy aviation strikes of October 29–30.
Spain. Renfe drivers strike across the country on Thursday, October 29, while Madrid–Andalusia high-speed services are suspended after the Urda collision. Ouigo drivers follow with 24-hour strikes on Friday, October 30 and Monday, November 2 — the day that extends the All Saints bridge. See our full Spain train strike guide.
France. The four main SNCF unions — CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots — have called a national strike for Thursday, November 5, the day before the planned inaugural TGV M run, alongside a wider day of mobilisation. TGV, Intercités, TER and Paris-region trains could be affected. The sources I checked do not name Eurostar as striking, but connections to SNCF services in Paris and Lille could be disrupted. SNCF normally publishes its transport plan the evening before — around 5pm on November 4 — and the unions are due to meet management on November 3, which could change the picture.
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, and fares are the highest in a decade. Hopper says higher jet fuel costs linked to the conflict in Iran are a factor.
| Itinerary | Average Domestic Round-Trip Fare (Hopper) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Thanksgiving trip | $402 | Up 31% on last year |
| Typical Christmas trip | $452 | Up 23% on last year |
| Depart Monday, Nov 23 | About $370 | Cheapest departure day |
| Depart Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26 | About $371 | Almost as cheap, and quieter |
| Return Sunday, Nov 29 | $604 | Most expensive return day |
| Return Monday or Tuesday (Nov 30–Dec 1) | About $350 | Roughly $250 saved versus Sunday |
| Domestic Thanksgiving hotel rate | About $170 a night | Roughly unchanged from 2025 |
A note on dates: the cheapest days are the Monday before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day itself — not the Wednesday, which is typically a busy travel day. Kayak’s data suggests Thanksgiving fares historically bottom out about five weeks before the holiday, which fell in the week of October 19 this year, and last year its data showed fares rising by as much as 16% in the week before Thanksgiving and 21% during Thanksgiving week. Both Kayak and Hopper advise booking before the end of October if your dates are fixed.
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 30 | Italy’s USB general strike (transport part ordered postponed); Ouigo (Spain) drivers’ strike; Italy’s protected holiday period begins |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Halloween; return traffic at UK and Irish airports; fog risk on early flights |
| Sun, Nov 1 | US and Canadian clocks go back; Japan’s new “pay first, refund later” tax-free shopping system begins |
| Mon, Nov 2 | Second Ouigo strike; end of Ireland’s mid-term window at Dublin |
| Tue, Nov 3 | SNCF–union meeting; US Ebola attestation takes effect for flights departing foreign airports after 11:59pm ET |
| Wed, Nov 4 | SNCF expected to publish its strike-day transport plan around 5pm |
| Thu, Nov 5 | National SNCF strike in France |
| Thu, Nov 26 | US Thanksgiving |
Posted By : Vinay
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