Jet2 reports sustained summer demand as late booking trend continues

Jet2 has reported “sustained demand” over the summer peak, with a late booking trend set to continue into the winter season.

 

The UK’s top package holidays provider and third-largest airline also revealed plans to step up from AIM to the main market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), reflecting the scale and evolution of the business.

 

Chief executive Steve Heapy said the intended move to the main market reflects the board’s confidence in Jet2’s long-term growth prospects, while providing a platform to “enhance its visibility with a broader range of UK and international institutional investors”.

 

“We have been encouraged by the sustained level of demand for both our holiday products through the peak summer season which gives us confidence for the remainder of the financial year,” Heapy said.

 

“Jet2 is a business with strong foundations, a flexible and differentiated operating model and a trusted brand that continues to resonate with customers across the UK.”

 

More: Jet2 reports rising level of multigenerational holiday bookings

 

In a trading update ahead of its annual general meeting on Thursday, the group reported that customers have continued to book closer to departure throughout the summer peak.

 

However, the combined booked average load factor to the end of August was 1.5 percentage points ahead of last year, which the company attributed to “disciplined capacity management, targeted investment in load factor and underpinned by attractive pricing”.

 

Summer 2026 capacity was 7.6% higher than last year at 19.9 million seats, with booked-to-date passengers up 8.8% and growth recorded across both package holiday and flight-only sales.

 

“Since announcing our preliminary results on July 8, 2026, we have seen sustained demand for our award-winning Jet2 leisure travel products,” the company added.

 

Jet2’s new London Gatwick operation continues to perform “ahead of initial expectations”, supported by a stronger-than-expected package holiday mix.

 

“Building on this encouraging start, we have increased the number of aircraft on sale from Gatwick to seven for summer 2027 as we continue to execute our strategic growth plans in the south of England,” the company said.

 

Looking ahead to winter 2026-27, which is at an early stage of its booking cycle, on-sale seat capacity is 8% higher than winter 2025-26 at 5.9 million seats.

 

The increase is primarily concentrated at Gatwick with the addition of 400,000 seats, alongside “disciplined growth” across the company’s more established bases of 0.6%. Early indications show similar booking trends to summer, with passengers still booking closer to departure.

 

Jet2 added that its fuel and foreign exchange hedging positions continue to provide significant protection for the current financial year, with 93% of full-year jet fuel requirement now hedged at an average price of $753 and over 90% of foreign exchange also hedged, delivering a high degree of cost certainty.

 

Heapy added: “Supported by a strong balance sheet and our ‘People, Service, Profits’ philosophy, we remain confident in our ability to deliver sustainable, long-term profitable growth and to be the UK’s leading and best leisure travel business.”

 

A further trading update will be provided when interim results are released on November 18, 2026.