EasyJet said the Red Sea resort Hurghada had “led the way” for beach breaks despite the situation in the Middle East, with Tenerife and Lanzarote also popular. It added: “Bookings to Tunisia during the start of the sale saw a boost compared to last year.”
Flights to Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva, Alicante and Malaga proved most popular during the sale’s first week. Among package customers, all-inclusive seven-night breaks were in highest demand. Paris, Amsterdam and Reykjavik proved most popular for city escapes for stays of three to five nights.
EasyJet holidays’ web and app visits were up over 40% on Christmas Day and up nearly 80% on Boxing Day compared to last year, with 4pm to 6pm being the busiest time of day to make a booking.
The brand’s sales also showed a late booking pattern, with flights in January most popular. The winter sports season is also proving a draw, with Geneva, Lyon and Innsbruck most popular routes. The airline has focused on expanding ski routes with the addition of three aircraft in Switzerland and will see a 20% increase in its ski flying programme this year compared to last.
Looking ahead, Faro is the most-booked peak summer destination since the sale began, while Sharm El Sheikh, Agadir, Malta, Verona and Valencia “have all seen early signs of greater popularity compared to 2023”.
Johan Lundgren, easyJet chief executive, said: “Year after year we continue to see the value and importance of holidays to consumers, which is evident in this traditionally busy booking period for holidays.
"It’s great to see North African destinations seeing a resurgence in popularity alongside last-minute winter sun, city and ski bookings for the new year.”
