The number of airline seats available for this year’s festive getaway is up 5% on pre-pandemic highs, new figures show.
Departures from UK airports are at 98% of 2019 levels but the number of available seats during the December 20-January 2 period is higher than pre-Covid times because airlines are using larger aircraft with more capacity than before.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium said 33,288 flight departures are scheduled from UK airports over the holiday period, equating to more than 6.1 million seats.
Departures are also up 5% compared to the festive period in 2023, and available departing seats up 6% year-on-year, showing the continued growing demand for air travel.
Cirium said Friday (December 20) is projected to be the busiest day overall this season for UK flight departures, with 2,807 departures alone – equating to more than 500,000 departing seats.
The most popular international destinations for UK departures are Amsterdam, Dublin, Geneva, Paris CDG and Tenerife-South.
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Heathrow is scheduled to see the largest number of departures over the festive period (8,741), followed by Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Edinburgh.
Abta said the most popular winter sun hotspots are the Canary Islands, southern Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Dubai.
For those seeking snowy options, the ski resorts of France, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia lead the way, while the most popular overseas city-break destinations this year include Amsterdam, Budapest, Dublin, Paris, Prague and Vienna.
Abta figures show that 500,000 people are set to depart from Stansted, 400,000 from Luton, 500,000 from Manchester, 200,000 from Birmingham and 175,000 from Bristol airport.
Heathrow is expecting its busiest December ever and even on Christmas Day the airport expects the number of passengers to increase by 21% year on year even though it remains the quietest day for travel over the festive period.
Cirium figures show that 805 flights are scheduled to depart from UK airports on Christmas Day.
This figure is up 20% on 2019 and up 47% compared to a decade ago in 2014 – showing the increasing trend of travelling on Christmas Day to avoid the crowds, said Cirium.
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “Christmas and new year are one of the busiest times of year for overseas travel with millions heading off to spend quality time with family and friends.
“We’re encouraging people to plan ahead when making their journeys; public transport and the roads will be very busy so always leave plenty of time to arrive at your departure port to avoid any difficulties.”
EasyJet is set to fly up to 4.1 million passengers on more than 23,000 flights across the peak Christmas and new year period, expecting December 27 to be the busiest day with 1,662 flights carrying up to 300,000 people.
The airline is set to fly up to 2.3 million passengers to and from the UK during the festive season.
Paris is proving to be its city of choice, while Geneva, gateway to the Alps, is also among the top destinations. Tenerife is the most popular destination for winter sun.
• The Civil Aviation Authority is highlighting its Know Before You Go campaign for festive travellers with these tips:
1. Know that if your flight is delayed your airline should look after you.
2. Be aware that if your flight is cancelled you should be offered a choice of a refund or alternative travel arrangements.
3. Check your baggage allowance and contents in advance
4. Know that lost or damaged luggage is the responsibility of the airline.
5. Check your airline’s lithium batteries policy before you take off.
6. When packing, know that party poppers are banned from being flown in aircraft, Christmas crackers can only be packed in their original packaging.
Selina Chadha, director of the consumer and markets group at the CAA, said: “Flying abroad during the festive season is a tradition for millions across the UK. While the aviation industry is dedicated to ensuring smooth journeys, disruption can sometimes occur.
“We strongly encourage passengers to familiarise themselves with their rights before heading to the airport, so they feel confident and well-prepared to address any unexpected challenges.”