Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have added more flights and holidays to Portugal thanks to “significant demand” for holidays to the green list destination.
Following the announcements that holidaymakers can travel from England and Scotland to Portugal from May 17, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays reported rising demand for summer 2021 bookings to Faro on the Algarve and Funchal, the capital of Madeira.
Bookings increased more than 600% in the 24 hours following the green list announcement, and by more than 1,300% when compared to the same period week-on-week.
The extra flights to Faro and Funchal are available from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted airports.
The announcement represents more than 10,000 additional seats going on sale across the two destinations this summer.
The companies will operate to Faro from all 10 of its UK bases this summer, while flights and holidays will operate to Madeira from nine UK bases.
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Furthermore, the latest customer polling by Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has shown that confidence about travel climbed sharply after the publication of the UK government’s green list on Friday last week.
When it comes to booking and travelling on holiday this summer and beyond, 52% of respondents feel confident – the highest reported level since March and a rise of eight percentage points week-on-week. More than half (55%) also say that they are eager to get away as soon as they can.
Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “We know that there is extraordinary demand out there for holidays to the sunshine, which is no surprise given the past year or so.
“As things open up again, combined with positive vaccination and infection rates, one of the very first things people want to do is get away to relax in the sunshine.
“We are pleased to see governments reopening travel so that holidaymakers can do this, and the response to Portugal going on the green list from customers in England and Scotland has been exceptional.”