More holidaymakers booking flexible package durations

An increasing proportion of UK consumers are opting for more flexible package holidays outside the traditional seven to 14-night duration.

Booking data released today (Wednesday) by Jet2holidays reveals that less than two thirds (64%) of holiday bookings are for seven or 14-nights, a drop of 11 percentage points from 2009, when they accounted for three quarters of bookings.

Just 15% of bookings were for between 8-13 nights a decade ago whereas that figure is 24% today.

The number of bookings for between 1-6 nights has also increased by four percentage points to 11% in the period.

Nowhere is this trend more evident than at East Midlands Airport, where t

The drop has been 21 percentage points at East Midlands airport where 87% of bookings were for seven or 14-night stays in 2009, compared to 66% in 2019.

The drop at Newcastle airport is 16 percentage points – 82% in 2009 to 66% in 2019.

At Manchester airport, the operator’s biggest base, the drop is 13 percentage points – 73% in 2009 to 60% this year.

The pattern is most noticeable amongst 18-25 year olds (77% in 2009 compared to 63% in 2019), 46-55 year olds (75% in 2009 compared to 63% in 2019), and 56-65 year olds (78% in 2009 compared to 66% in 2019).

Jet2 and Jet2holidays moved to offer multiple weekly and daily flights to its destinations ten years ago.

CEO Steve Heapy said: “There was a time when holidaymakers would have to book a seven or 14-night holiday by default, but we knew that they wanted more flexibility and we were the company that responded to that.

“Instead of telling customers how long they should be holidaying for, we wanted them to be in complete control, so we pioneered the concept of flexible durations, operating multiple weekly flights and even daily flights, so that customers could be more flexible and have more choice.”

He added: “Giving customers choice and flexibility over the duration of their holidays, on top of delivering a VIP customer service, has played a huge part in our success and growth over the past ten years and we are proud that we were the company to pioneer holidays of any duration.”