The UK demand for flights is rising with booking programme Skyscanner revealing an increase in demand for travel. Analysis from Skyscanner shows a 9% increase for redirects - a proxy for bookings - in the first week of January 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, as well as the highest volume of redirects every recorded.
"January is the peak booking time for many travellers and across Skyscanner platforms we are seeing some record-breaking numbers as we start the year," said Skyscanner VP strategic relations and development.
This coincides with research by the UK Civil Aviation Authority's financial security arm, ATOL, finding that 56% of UK citizens are planning to travel abroad in summer. Furthermore, around 51% were aiming to travel abroad twice in 2024. Wading against the strains of the cost of living crisis, British citizens are still revelling in 'revenge travel' in response to the restrictions imposed on them by the pandemic.
British travel association for tour operators and travel agents ABTA released even more positive results, finding that 64% of British citizens are planning to go abroad in 2024.
Jet2holidays reported that its summer 2024 programme has been selling well. Jet2.com and Jet2holidays CEO Steve Heapy said: "With the schools going back this week, we are seeing demand for family holidays increase as people get planning and booking their holidays. We are expecting more of this".
Skyscanner found the top destinations for UK citizens to be Amsterdam, Bangkok, Dubai, Dublin, Islamabad, Malaga, New Delhi, New York, Paris, and Tenerife. Destinations that are growing in popularity include Sialkot, Pakistan with a year on year increase of redirects by 212% and Thiruvananthapuram, India by 146%. Interestingly, Beijing and Shanghai have both increased 152% and 116% respectively in redirects for the first week of January, 2024. With China relinquishing its strict travel restrictions last year, interest by UK travellers has grown significantly.
Skyscanner also revealed that it is seeing strong demand for the first week of January 2024, across European markets such as France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain. Bangkok, London, Paris, and Rome were popular destinations for these markets. Outside of Europe, it has seen airline seat sales in markets like South Korea drive up demand for the start.