- easyJet filled a plane a minute at peak booking times during its Big Orange Sale
- North African destinations Tunisia and Egypt have seen the greatest rise in popularity compared to 2019
- Greek Islands, Turkey, Montenegro, Albania also saw a boost in demand from holiday makers for 2023
- Early surge in bookings for January as people get set to jet off on last minute ski breaks, with Austria seeing a jump in popularity compared to 2019
- All inclusive breaks proving most popular for package trips with easyJet holidays
- Beach holidays to Tenerife top the table while Amsterdam proves to be the most popular city package
- Discounted package holidays are still available until 31 January
easyJet and easyJet holidays have revealed the latest travel trends for 2023 as bookings took off during the first days of its Big Orange Sale.
The airline was filling over 61 aircraft an hour - or a plane a minute - at peak booking periods offering up to 20% off over a million seats and up to £300 off package holidays.
Flights to North African destinations have experienced the greatest rise in popularity compared to 2019, with Tunisia seeing the biggest boost since the launch of the sale, followed by Egypt, while Morocco has also seen demand increase compared to pre-pandemic. Trips to the Greek Islands are also proving to be a hot spot in 2023. Since the launch of the sale, destinations like Rhodes, Kos, Crete, Santorini and Zante have increased in popularity compared to 2019.
Other destinations which have grown in popularity since 2019 include Tirana in Albania and Tivat in Montenegro, which offer an alternative to Italy and Croatia for those wishing to explore the Adriatic coast, as well as Dalaman and Antalya in Turkey.
Beach island trips to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands as well as Cyprus and Madeira have also experienced an increase in demand compared to 2019.
easyJet also saw strong demand in the first hours of the sale for flights in January as people get set to jet off on last minute ski breaks, with France and Italy proving to be among the most popular destinations. Bookings to Innsbruck and Salzburg in Austria also saw a jump in demand compared to 2019. easyJet will see a 30% increase in its ski flying programme this year compared to last and is offering more seats on ski routes than any other UK airline.
May proved to be the most popular summer month for bookings in the first hours of the sale, with people taking advantage of half term deals to the likes of Alicante, Palma, and Tenerife in Spain and Faro in Portugal.
The booking data follows recent research carried out by the airline in November 2022 that showed almost two-thirds (64%) of Brits are planning to prioritise a trip abroad in 2023.
Great value deals are still to be had during the Big Orange Sale with up to 20% off 700,000 seats across thousands of flights to and from the UK, from just £161 per person* and up to £300 off on easyJet holidays, with over 5000 hotels to pick from.
In the days following the launch of the Big Orange Sale, package holidays saw an increase in bookings of over 230%. All-inclusive breaks are in the highest demand, with Tenerife proving the most popular overall destination and Amsterdam being the city escape of choice.
Ali Gayward, UK Country Manager for easyJet commented:
“It's great to see a return to this traditionally busy booking periodwith North Africa seeing a resurgence in popularity alongside the Greek Islands and hidden gems like Montenegro and Albania.
“The popularity of package holidays with easyJet holidays also shows no sign of slowing down with many customer opting for all-inclusive breaks as the top holiday choice for 2023.
“With flights across over 120 destinations from the UK to choose from across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and package holidays available to over 5000 hotels, now is a great time to book a short-haul trip with easyJet, and we look forward to taking even more of our customers away in 2023.”
The easyJet holidaysProtection Promisegives customers ultimate flexibility, protection and reassurance. The holidays Promise offers a refund guarantee, freedom to change a booking, a reduced balance due date, a Best Price Guarantee, and deposit refunds.
easyJet serves 21 airports across the UK, offering over 463 routes to over 120 destinations from the UK to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. To discover more about easyJet’s UK network and to book, visit easyJet.com.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
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About easyJet holidays:
easyJet holidays offers great-value beach, city and lakes holidays to more than 100 destinations across Europe, directly through its website and through over 3000 travel agent partners. The ATOL-protected holidays company combines easyJet’s flexible flight programme, with handpicked hotels and best-in-class technology to provide hassle-free personalised holiday experiences which can be secured with a deposit of just £60 per person. The holidays operator is an ABTA member too, providing additional reassurance to customers under the UK’s most trusted travel scheme. With a range of holiday types, from adult and family to luxury and undiscovered, transfers included on beach holidays, 23kg hold luggage included on all bookings, the option to book excursions, activities and attraction tickets through Musem*nt, and over 5,000 hotels, across over 500 resorts, customers can holiday the way they want.
In 2021 easyJet holidays launched its inaugural sustainability strategy focusing on three key pillars –create better holiday choiceswhich is about making sustainable travel affordable and accessible to everyone;keep our holidays specialwhich is maximising the benefits and minimising the negative impacts of travel and tourism, andtransform travel for everyonewhich means embedding sustainability into business decisions and behaviours and driving meaningful change in the industry. Through ongoing collaboration with the Travel Foundation, the University of Oxford, and as a member of the GSTC, easyJet holidays is focused on building its research, partnerships and certifications, and taking action to make a positive impact on the people and places that make its destinations so special.
