The partnership comes as Byway research shows that 42% of UK holidaymakers are seeking alternatives to flying, with numbers going up to 61% when it comes to Gen Z travellers.
“For First Choice, it’s about helping people pick the trip they really want, and sometimes that means introducing our customers to something they might not have considered before,” said First Choice managing director Bart Quinton-Smith.
“Our partnership with Byway means that customers can now travel flight-free by train or bus or boat, experiencing new ways to journey as well as new destinations.”
Through Byway, the operator will offer customers flight-free options, with travel and accommodation financially protected by Abta.
It comes as First Choice is set to rebrand as a youth-focused dynamic package brand, offering a wide range of products – including camping, hostels and apartments.
However, the revamped First Choice will not work with agents, as it will only be an online-only, direct-sell brand.
Byway founder and chief executive Cat Jones added: “I founded Byway with the mission of making flight-free travel mainstream. For decades, choosing flight-free meant choosing masses of organisation. Byway exists to make booking train, boat and bus-based holidays just as easy as flight-based packages.
"We’re thrilled to be partnering with First Choice because it accelerates progress towards our mission, giving more people overland options and making the joy of the journey much more visible. We hope First Choice’s bold move will inspire many more travel brands to follow its lead."
