Hays Travel among top four highest-rated firms for customer satisfaction, study finds

Hays Travel has been ranked among the best UK companies for customer satisfaction.

 

The UK’s largest independent travel agent was ranked together with first direct, John Lewis and Nationwide as the highest rated organisations in the latest UK customer satisfaction index (UKCSI), produced twice a year by the Institute of Customer Service.

 

The January 2026 index found that all 13 sectors surveyed have improved, with banks and building societies (81.6) and tourism (81.3) both achieving their highest ever scores.

 

Hays Travel received a score of 86.2 against an overall figure of 78.2 out of 100, which was up 2.1 points year on year.

 

Jet2holidays was ranked fifth with a score of 85.8 while Jet2.com came in equal 16th place overall with a score of 83.9. 

 

Virgin Holidays came in 26th position on 83.4, Trivago joint 31st at 82.8 and British Airways Holidays in joint 41st at 82.2.

 

OTA On the Beach saw its score rise by 10.4 points to 70.9 and was rated as one of the country’s 20 most improved organisations.

 

More than a quarter of overall customers say that value, best price and quality have become more important to them in the last 12 months, according to the index.

 

Over a third of customers (35.6%) prefer excellent service, even if costs more, up by 4.3 points compared to a year ago.  

 

More: Two Scottish agencies join Hays Travel Independence Group

 

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Hays Travel joins Institute of Customer Service [March 2023]

 

The UKCSI is based on an online survey of more than 15,000 consumers, with the latest index comprising 59,500 customer experiences.

 

It found that organisations with higher customer satisfaction had “mastered the ability to combine excellence in transactional experiences, logistics and delivery, whilst demonstrating genuine care for customers’ personal needs and situations”.

 

Good value was found to be the top aspect that has become more important to customers over the last 12 months, cited by almost a third (32%) of respondents – suggesting a combination of quality, price and service is the key to attracting customers and retaining their loyalty in a difficult market for many businesses.

 

Hays Travel owner and chair Dame Irene Hays said: “I’m very proud of all our people for their work to achieve this, making sure our customers are cared for is at the heart of our business success.

 

“We are delighted to achieve third place in our first appearance on the UK Customer Satisfaction Index. Hays Travel has a long-held reputation for providing exceptional service and we know how important the care, professionalism and expertise of our people is to our customers.”

 

Institute chief executive Jo Causon said: “Being ranked third in the January 2026 UK Customer Satisfaction Index is a strong endorsement of Hays Travel’s continued commitment to putting customers at the heart of the business. 

 

“In a highly competitive sector, this result reflects the organisation’s focus on trusted advice, personal service and consistently delivering experiences that build confidence and loyalty among customers.”

 

Jet2.com’s score makes it the highest ranked ‘transport’ company in the report, and the only airline to be named amongst the top 50 organisations, meanwhile Jet2holidays achieved higher than the average tourism score of 81.3.

 

Chief executive Steve Heapy said: “We are incredibly proud to be recognised once again by the Institute of Customer Service and to be leading the industry when it comes to delivering exceptional customer service. 

 

“We can assure everyone that our approach to delivering first-class customer service will remain at the heart of everything we do.”

 

Causon said: “We have entered a new world where the basics of delivering a good product or service on time are base-level expectations.

 

“Service is the differentiator, and what sets the brands at the top of the UKCSI apart is that they consistently deliver on their service promise. And when things go wrong, you can usually rely on them to put it right.

 

“Service-led brands are doing well, and their advertising messages increasingly home in on the superior service they offer, helping reinforce their competitive advantage when they follow through.”

 

She added: “Consumers are feeling unsure about the UK economy but more optimistic about their own finances - so they are spending, but being selective about where. 

 

“The best-performing organisations understand the importance of keeping promises to customers, and customers are taking note.

 

“The next six months will be crucial in reinforcing these latest improvements. It is time to continue investing in what matters – the customer, the service experience, and the people that make it happen – to drive up satisfaction, trust, repeat business, and financial returns.

 

"This is how we will return to growth, in our own businesses and for the UK economy.”