Thomson and First Choice expect almost 30,000 holidaymakers to fly from the UK to the sun with their families today (Friday).
Bulgaria and Croatia are seeing significant increases in demand.
Bulgaria has seen a 21% increase in passenger growth since 2016, with Croatia close at 17% in the same period.
One in four of the Tui operators’ customers who chose ‘fly away Friday’ to head off will be holidaying in the Balearic islands.
Travellers from the Midlands and south-west are the most likely to be flying away today, with East Midlands, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol airports seeing the biggest number of Thomson and First Choice passengers.
Tui UK & Ireland product director Mark Hall said: “We’ve seen strong demand for favourite destinations like Spain, Balearics and Greece but this year we’ve also seen a big trend for mid-haul cultural travel as people look for holidays that offer more than just a week on the beach.
“Hot spots like Croatia and Bulgaria are perfect for this, offering holidaymakers the chance to balance relaxation with exploration to get the most out of their holiday.
“We’ve also recently expanded our mid-haul collection for next summer with another cultural gem, Montenegro, in response to this incredible demand.”