As Washington’s Worldwide Travel Alert warns of “terrorist attacks in multiple regions,”, British travellers who hold their nerve are able to take advantage of some of the lowest holiday prices of the decade.

The only Egyptian airport affected by the Foreign Office ban on flights is Sharm el Sheikh, but the issue has dampened appetites for holidays elsewhere in the country. A week at the four-star Sheraton Luxor Resort, departing on 9 December with Thomson, costs £247 including flights, transfers and accommodation with breakfast.

The first scheduled easyJet flight from Gatwick to Sharm el Sheikh is on 7 January, with a return fare of £134 – way below the cost of operating the 4,500-mile round trip. From Manchester, the fare to Egypt’s premier resort is £180 return. Both flights are dependent upon the Foreign Office ban on flights to Sharm el Sheikh being lifted.

Closer to home, Ryanair is selling 100,000 seats at or below £5 one-way to try to stimulate demand in the month before Christmas. A trip from Stansted to Castellon on Spain’s Mediterranean coast costs £9 return, with similar bargains to other locations – even though Air Passenger Duty alone costs the Irish airline £13.

Early-season ski holidays are available for as little as £255 – the price at which Crystal is selling a week in the Austrian resort of Kaprun, including flights from Manchester, transfers and B&B accommodation.

Senior travel industry figures believe the US State Department’s warning of continuing terror attacks as members of ISIL return from Syria and Iraq is likely to depress demand for flights to, and hotel stays in, Europe.

For UK travellers the consequences could be cheaper transatlantic tickets – or, for those remaining in Europe, bargains in upmarket hotels.