Trade reports strong initial sales following Jet2 Gatwick launch

Travel agents in the southeast have reported an encouraging start to Jet2 sales out of Gatwick following the company’s launch of holidays and flights from the airport from next summer.

The UK’s largest tour operator will serve 29 destinations from Gatwick from March 26, including the Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. 

Some members of the trade and consumers branded the move a “game-changer” as customers would have greater choice and prices could fall due to competition.

More: Travel agents share ’delight’ after Jet2 announces Gatwick launch

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A Jet2 spokesman said: “We’re delighted with the response from agents. They’ve said it’s just what they needed and customers have called for.”

Hays Travel began taking Gatwick bookings immediately.

Chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston revealed: “Even before the announcement, we had bookings going through because it was live on the trade and direct sites.”

He added: “The routes are similar to what is already available, but I think there will be new routes too.”

Currently only 2026 itineraries are available, but Jet2 told agents to “watch this space” for 2027.

Katharina Peck, commercial director at The Travel Network Group, said: “We’re already seeing new bookings from customers who previously didn’t have regional access to the brand. Early feedback has been encouraging.”

John Sullivan, commercial director at Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Families have been quick to book, to secure key times and also benefit from the current Black Friday promotions.”

InteleTravel said about 10% of its Jet2holidays bookings in the three days post-launch were for Gatwick.

“The demand for family holidays outweighs supply and Stansted is not an option for south coast customers,” said UK and Ireland managing director Tricia Handley-Hughes, who welcomed Jet2’s “bold move”.

Staff at Premier Travel’s seven shops across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey have put up Jet2 window posters and signed up for training. Managing director Paul Waters reported an enthusiastic response from clients, but added: “We need to be proactive with marketing to generate awareness and enquiries too.”

Inspire Europe said homeworkers were already incorporating Jet2’s Gatwick launch into social media content and marketing. Chief executive Lisa Henning added: “We’re already making bookings; I’m confident we’ll see a strong performance over peaks.”

John Milburn, who runs Seaside Travel’s new homeworking division Seaside At Home, said agents in the south had “jumped straight onto the Jet2 launch”, adding it would be “a huge advantage” in peak season.

Gilli Knight, owner of Dorset‑based Travel Den, said some clients had described the announcement as “a game-changer”, and predicted it 
would put “the cat among the pigeons” by increasing competition for Tui and easyJet holidays.

Berkshire and Oxfordshire‑based Triangle Travel called the news “arguably the most significant announcement for the southeast leisure travel market in the last 10 years”, adding it “directly addressed” the gap in the market since Classic Collection’s demise, “especially with [Jet2’s] premium package offerings”.

But managing director Rob Kenton cautioned: “My concern would be the margin they offer business partners, [which] is inferior to other operators’.”

Despite the overall positivity, Sunvil chairman Noel Josephides raised fears about further discounting due to additional capacity and said the move could exacerbate overtourism in popular destinations.