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Airport Fast Track

All your holiday essentials in one place

Arrive at the airport knowing you have a guaranteed space with your name on by pre-booking airport parking.

Start your holiday early in an airport hotel. With a huge selection of 200 2*-5* hotels to choose from, you will be sure to find the hotel that’s right for you.

Escape from the crowded airport terminal and experience the VIP treatment before you fly with a relaxing place to sit and enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks.

Airport Hotels & Parking

Spend the night before you fly in an airport hotel. Add the convenience of parking and leave your car in the hotel car park, ready to pick up on your return.

Take the stress out of airport security with the VIP Fast Track pass, from just £5.00 per person.

Airport Transfers

Choose from our affordable shared and private transfer options, with the freedom to amend or cancel your booking up to the day before travel.

*24% of the 3.2 million parking customers saved at least 70% on their airport parking vs the price they'd have paid on the day (789k people).

We calculate our customers' savings by comparing the price each customer paid for their parking through us to either the gate rate for that car park, where a gate rate is available, or if a gate rate is not available for that car park the cheapest gate rate available at the same airport. Data calculated for the last year for which normal travel data is available, 1st Jan to 31st Dec 2019.

**We guarantee in the unlikely event the driver fails to meet you we will refund the alternative transfer in full, plus an additional 50% of your original booking cost within 48 hours. To be eligible you must have: Ensured you were at the meeting point within 60 minutes of your scheduled landing time for your flight number Tried to contact the emergency numbers listed on your booking confirmation without success Followed all instructions on your booking confirmation received and retained a receipt for your alternative transfer booking

Cheap flights from Jet2.com

Voted Best Airline - UK and Best Low-Cost Airline - Europe at the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards for four years running, Jet2.com's the top place to go for cheap flights. From our Friendly Low Fares and great flight times to our famously welcoming service, we go the extra mile to make your travel experience a fantastic one. And with daily flights departing from our ten UK airports and more than 65 destinations across Europe and beyond to pick from, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to flying with us. Whether it's a winter break in Krakow or a sizzling getaway to Spain you're after, we've got you covered. On top of taking you to all the most popular beach destinations, we also offer ski and city flights too, meaning you can choose the holiday to suit you. So whether you're planning to top up your tan, hit the slopes or unlock the secrets of a new city, explore our fantastic selection of cheap flights.

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Frequently Asked Questions | Policy Documentation | Contact Us

Important information relating to Coronavirus :  Click here to find out more

Jet2Insurance Travel Insurance

• Cancellation and Medical Cover for COVID-19

Cancellation Cover up to £3,000

• Medical Cover up to £10,000,000

Cancellation Cover

Medical cover, travel insurance.

Whether you want travel insurance to cover your trip with Jet2, or need insurance for your other adventures, Jet2Insurance gives you protection against the unexpected if things don’t go to plan on holiday. Our policies include cover if you need to cancel your trip, seek medical help abroad, or if your passport goes missing. Take the stress out of your travel plans and make sure your trip is memorable for all the right reasons.

COVID-19 Travel Insurance for peace of mind

We’ve got you COVID covered

We know you’re looking for extra peace of mind these days, which is why our travel insurance now includes some cover for COVID-19. You’re covered if you  need to self-isolate, or if you become ill with COVID-19 before you travel or while you’re away.

Here’s how Jet2Insurance can help you if your trip is affected by COVID-19:

Before your trip

• Cover if you or a close relative are diagnosed with or have contracted COVID-19, providing it has been more than 48 hours since you purchased the policy.
• Cover if someone you were due to travel with or stay with on your trip needs to self-isolate.
• Cover if you are required to self-isolate, subject to a positive test result/confirmation from a GP, or notification from the Track & Trace system.
• Cover if you or someone you are travelling with is denied boarding by the transport operator as a result of a positive test or temperature reading.

Whilst you're abroad

• Cover for medical costs and additional accommodation/travel expenses if you are diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Cover to bring you home if medically necessary.
• Cover if the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority in a country in which you are travelling in advise you to evacuate or return to your home area.

For more information, take a look at our COVID-19 cover here .

Jet2Insurance Benefits

Super Plus Travel Insurance from Jet2Insurance is rated 5 Stars by Defaqto making it one of the highest quality policies on the market.

What type of travel insurance do you need?

Single Trip Travel Insurance

One-off cover for your trip, including cancellation from the moment you buy your policy, or pay for your trip (whichever is later). If you only intend to travel once this year, you could save money by only paying for the cover you need with a Single Trip policy.

Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance

If you’re planning more than one trip this year, an Annual Multi-Trip policy could offer you better value for money. Get away as many times as you like and be covered up to 31 days per trip, with up to 21 days winter sports insurance included FREE.

Sports and Activities

Over 40 sports and activities are covered as standard with Jet2Insurance policies, including kayaking, organised hot air ballooning pleasure rides and scuba diving up to 18 metres. Whether you’re hiking or hitting the surf, make sure you have the right cover.

Family Travel Insurance

Kids go FREE on our family policies! If you’re travelling with two parents or as a single parent family, you can include up to four children on your family travel insurance policy free of charge. It all helps you get more for your money on your next family holiday. If you have some grown-up getaways lined up too, take a look at our Annual Multi-Trip policies for families – they cover adults to travel independently.

Group or Couples Travel Insurance

Planning a getaway with a group of friends? A group travel insurance policy can be a great way to organise your cover all in one place for up to 10 people. And if you’re either married or in a relationship, choosing a couples policy will usually offer you a cheaper alternative to individual travel insurance policy option.

Winter Sports Travel Insurance

Included FREE for 21 days with Annual Multi-Trip insurance or available to buy as a Single Trip policy, Winter Sports travel insurance covers you for skiing and snowboarding both on and off-piste, within the resort boundary. On your trip you’ll be covered for ski equipment, piste closure and activities like Tobogganing.

Key Benefits

Emergency medical cover up to £10 million, baggage cover up to £2,000, sports and activities cover.

21 Days Winter Sport Cover included FREE on Annual Multi-Trip Policies / Over 40 activities covered as part of your policy, including scuba diving up to 18m

Want to find out more?

Jet2insurance, important information, more from jet2.com.

Jet2Insurance.com is a trading style of Jet2.com, who is an Appointed Representative of ROCK Insurance Group. ROCK Insurance Group is a trading style of Rock Insurance Services Limited who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 300317).

© Jet2.com 2002-2024 A subsidiary of Jet2 PLC

*Single Trip Price for a single passenger, aged under 35, travelling for 7 days to Europe

*Annual Trip Price for a single passenger, aged under 35

If you purchased your policy on or after 30 th  June 2022

If you are abroad and you require Emergency medical assistance please call +44 (0) 204 517 9888 .

To make a gadget claim please call 0330 053 1835 .

For all other claims you can either call 0204 517 9888 or make a claim online below: 

If you purchased your policy before 30 th  June 2022

If you are abroad and you require Emergency Medical Assistance please call +44 (0) 1273 071784 or email [email protected]

For all other claims you can either call 01420 259 048 or you can make a claim online below:

How To Book An Extra Seat On A Jet2 Flight

One of the most significant concerns that a plus-sized traveller may have before flying is whether or not the airline’s seats would be comfortable, particularly when it comes to long-haul flights. You can tailor your flight experience in several ways, such as by verifying the seat measurements ahead of time, choosing the airline that has the largest seats, switching to a different booking class, or reserving an additional seat. Many passengers prefer to book an extra seat in advance to ensure their comfort throughout the flight. 

But how exactly can you book a different seat? The method may vary slightly depending on who you are travelling with. Let’s take a look at Jet2’s additional seat reservation procedures. 

Jet2 is one of my favourite airlines to fly with as a plus size traveller! You can see my review of them here:

@kirstyleannetravels ad ✨ I’m a UK size 26 for reference 🥰✈️ #jet2 #jet2holidays #jet2vibe #jet2review #Jet2flight #flyingwhileplussize #flyingwhilefat #travellingwhilefat #plussizeedition #plussizetraveltips #plussizetravel #plussizetraveltoo #plussize #fatandhappy ♬ I’m Good (Blue) – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha

Things To Think About When Booking An Extra Seat With Jet2

It can be quite difficult to find the information that you need to book an additional seat when you want to, so we have looked at the information for you. To get the information for booking an additional seat with Jet2 , we spoke with a customer service agent on their Whatsapp chat to ensure the information was correct.

When booking an extra seat on any airline, here’s some things you may need to consider: 

• You need to plan to make sure you get your additional seat. 
• You need to do some research before to make sure you follow the procedures in place. 
• Some companies might not be able to take requests for last-minute flights because the process can be hard and take a long time.
• You might need to make your ticket a long time in advance. If you wait until the last minute to fly, you might not be able to do so.
• Even after payment has been made, they can be given away (because of overbooking, mistakes, etc.).
• Since not all planes have arms that can be raised, it might not be worth it to buy a second seat.
• Some companies will give you back the cost of an extra seat if there are other empty seats on the day of your flight. Keep an eye out for this, you may need to request a refund. 

How To Book A Second Seat on Jet2

When you book an extra seat with Jet2, you should first think about what kind of trip you are undertaking. Jet2 sell both package holidays and flight-only tickets so, you need to think about this before you book an extra seat. If you want to book an extra seat on a flight as part of a package holiday, you will also need to book a flight-only seat on the same flight, and then link the bookings by talking to the customer service team. This means that if you book a second seat with Jet2, you may have to keep track of two ticket references. If you just want to book a flight, you can do both at the same time. 

If you book a package trip with Jet2 and need an extra seat, you must: 

• Book your package holiday or flight-only ticket. 
• Book a ticket for just the flight on the same flight as your holiday. Use ‘ Extra Seat’ as the booking name. 
• You need to pay to select your seats with both bookings. 
• Contact Jet2 with both of your references so they can link the bookings. 

Essential considerations you need to make: 

• You will be provided with two booking reference numbers. 
• You will need to book an additional flight-only seat after you have booked your package deal. 
• You will get additional luggage to check in if you pay for this with your ticket, however, you DO  NOT get additional additional 10kg hand luggage. 
• This may not be possible to do on last-minute flights where the seat selection has been open for a while. 

Do You Have To Pay For A Second Seat OnJet2

When you book a second seat on Jet2 for the same person, you have to pay for an extra seat. You have to book a flight-only ticket instead of a package vacation if you want to do this. Both bookings need you to pay for the option of selecting your seats on the plane. Then, you’ll need to get in touch with Jet2 to link the booking numbers and make sure your seats are together. This may be a waste of money if pre-bookable seats have already been open as there may not be any availability of seats together. It’s advisable to book in advance. 

This short reference blog will assist you in reserving an extra seat on a Jet2 flight if you wish to travel in comfort as a plus-size traveller. If you’d rather not reserve an extra seat or incur the cost of booking an extra seat, check out some of our other blog posts for some excellent travel hacks. 

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When are flights released in 2024? Dates for easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, BA, Jet2 & more

• Jimmy Grant
• Published : 14:00, 7 Jun 2024
• Updated : 15:37, 7 Jun 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

PLANNING holidays is always exciting, but ensuring you have a ticket for a journey a long time in advance can be tricky.

As each airline has its own system, here's everything you need to know about when they release their schedules.

How far in advance can you book a flight?

The period for booking ahead of a flight depends on which airline customers are flying with, but it is generally between six months and a year before take-off.

Some airlines have a fixed period of time prior to the scheduled date when they will release flights — for example eleven months.

Others seem to release them completely randomly, sometimes well over a year in advance.

Check out our detailed rundown of when different airlines release their flight schedules below...

When do airlines release flights?

In March easyJet released its spring 2024 schedule featuring 100,000 flights.

Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis said "easyJet's pricing is demand-based, so the more people buying, the higher the price goes - which means the early bird often catches the cheap worm... or flight.

"Could be 5am, 6am, could be 7am. The likelihood is, can't guarantee it, but if you get there very early, you will get the prices very cheap.

"Every time it has worked before but I'm not guaranteeing it."

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easyJet's 2025 winter flights have also been released, taking their clientele all the way until March 2025.

As easyJet spokesperson said: "We encourage customers to book early to get the best fares.

"Fares are demand-driven so they start low and rise as more seats on the aircraft are booked."

But for those times in between spring and winter, people looking for easyJet flights should keep an eye on the company's website, as new deals are frequently released. It explains: "We release our flights on a regular basis.

"Our spring/summer and autumn/winter releases vary, so to ensure you never miss a release, keep an eye on this page (and subscribe to our newsletter) to get the most up-to-date info on our upcoming flight release dates."

While some airlines release their tickets at a certain time, things are less straightforward with  Ryanair — different routes are made available at different times.

However, there is a general rule that can be applied to the Irish airline — check five to six months before you want to fly.

In November 2023, the Ryanair website announced the release of some of their summer 2024 flights.

The airline's statement said: “Operating from the end of March, Ryanair’s summer 2024 schedule offers an unbeatable choice of popular sunny hotspots and city breaks, as well as less-well known destinations to unearth and explore at the lowest fares in Europe."

Passengers can keep up to date with Ryanair flight releases by following their Facebook page and signing up to the myRyanair email service.

Wizz Air doesn't have a set date for when flight schedules become available.

However, they are typically released just under a year in advance of the flight in question.

For example, in November 2023 Wizz Air released its flights — to destinations including Malaga, Lisbon and Istanbul — right up until the third week of November 2024.

A spokesperson for Wizz Air told Metro: "Wizz Air announces new routes as and when they are added to the schedule.

"Passengers should keep an eye out on the Wizz Air website and their social media channels for the latest updates."

British Airways

British Airways allows its customers to book flights up to 355 days in advance.

This applies to tickets bought with both cash and Avios — the reward currency.

To have the best chance of booking Avios reward flights on the dates you want them, it is important to know when British Airways releases them.

For example, if you wanted to fly on June 20, 2025, you would be able to book the outbound journey from June 30, 2024.

Jet2 releases flights a long time in advance, so it is possible to plan well ahead when booking your holiday.

The travel provider launched its schedule for winter 2024/25 in September 2023.

Commenting on the winter 2024/25 services, Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy said: “As well as seeing strong demand from customers and independent travel agents booking a Christmas Market break for this winter, we know that people want to book ahead and get their holidays locked in for next winter too.”

“We have given holidaymakers exactly what they want by putting a fantastic selection of Christmas Market destinations on sale for Winter 24/25.”

“This is the earliest we have ever put our Christmas Markets programme on sale, meaning customers and independent travel agents can book in advance and have the best choice of dates and hotels from across our festive hotspots.”

“We are anticipating a very successful Winter 24/25 and look forward to taking holidaymakers to their favourite Christmas Market destinations, as well as showcasing our award-winning flights and city breaks to them.”

In November 2023, TUI released its flights all the way up to June 2025.

On the company's official website, you can find summer holiday Deals 2025.

So if you have any holiday plans in the next year and half, be sure to check the website now as you can start booking your next trip abroad.

In April 2023, the airline added over one million extra seats  to popular holiday destinations for  next summer.

Andrew Flintham, TUI managing director, said: "Our customers want more flexibility and to be able to choose a departure airport that is close to home – and that is exactly what the new TUI 2024 summer programme has been designed to do.

"We want every one of our customers to be able to create a holiday as unique as they are – departure airport, destination and duration are all key components which come together to make the perfect TUI holiday."

Tickets for Emirates flights become available just over 11 months before take-off.

As the company’s website explains: “You may book flights up to 338 days before departure.

“You can request electronic tickets or pick up your tickets from locations listed during the booking process.

“Please note tickets can be collected only in your country of departure and deliveries can only be made in your country of departure.”

And online purchases become available 10 days after the ticket is released for general sale.

Emirates website continues: “Online booking using real time payment is available for any flights up to 2 hours before scheduled departure time.

“You can purchase a ticket online up to 328 days before the date of travel.”

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic releases its flights continually.

They are released roughly 11 months ahead of departure — 331 days in advance, to be precise.

So at the time of writing in June 2024, flights are available up to March 2025.

Here's a list breaking down each passenger carrier's system:

• easyJet — released in batches, often around a year ahead of departure, but keep an eye on their website as new deals are frequently released
• Ryanair — released in batches, often just under a year ahead of the flight
• Wizz Air — released in batches, typically just under a year in advance of the flight in question
• British Airways — released continually, 355 days ahead of take-off
• Jet2 — released continually, generally 12 to 18 months before departure
• TUI — released a long time on advance, even over a hear and a half before the flight
• Emirates — released continually 338 days before departure
• Virgin Atlantic — released continually, 331 days days in advance

What is the best day to book flights?

Tuesday is widely regarded to be the best day of the week for finding deals when booking flights.

This is because airlines often release sales starting from Monday night or Tuesday morning.

The air travel business is heavily based on supply and demand, so you will most likely get a better deal nearer the start of a sale.

Although there is no best day of the year to book a flight, a number of experts recommend booking on any Sunday in January to get the cheapest prices.

Rather than a specific day, travel expert  Caroline Bologna says there is a sweet spot  for when you can get the best deals called the “ Goldilocks Window ”.

Unsurprisingly, this optimum time for securing bargains lies right in between booking too early and booking too late.

Caroline told the Am I Doing It Wrong? podcast: “There’s this term called the ‘Goldilocks Window’ — which I’m pretty sure Scott Keyes, who founded Scott’s Cheap Flights, which is now called Going.com — coined.

“[If you book] too late, we all know prices can skyrocket, but also you don’t want to book too early, because then you could be unnecessarily paying too much.”

She explained that people who are organised and get things done in advance can be at a disadvantage when booking tickets.

Similarly, those who book at the last minute can also lose out on the best deals.

Caroline advised booking domestic flights four to six weeks before flying, or even as much as eight weeks in advance.

While for international travel it was best to book three to five months before actually jetting off.

But Caroline also issued a warning, as there are exceptions.

She said: “There are always exceptions.

“Holiday season, summer travel — those are times you know are going to be crazy, so you’re going to want to book them pretty far in advance.”

Some people swear that you can get  better deals if you book on a particular day , such as a Sunday or Tuesday, however Caroline rejects this saying that the experts she’s spoken to dismiss this as being a myth.

However, if you  fly on particular days  this can save you money.

Caroline said: “Every expert I’ve ever talked to says [traveling on] Tuesday and Wednesday — those midweek days — are the best.

“Early Saturday can be pretty good as well.”

One of the hosts of the podcast, Noah Michelson, added that if you do fly on holiday, such as Christmas morning, you can save a pile of cash.

But there is a significant risk when using this approach – if there is a problem with your flight, either being delayed or cancelled, you may not make it home for the big day.

How else can I save money on my booking?

Opting for an  unsociable, early-morning flight  can save you money, while also improving your chances of  getting a better seat.

According to  Michael O'Leary , CEO of Ryanair,  booking flights  in the first two months of the year could make them cheaper.

He revealed that fares will often be sold at a loss during January and February in order to fill the planes up.

The same is said for the dates just before the peak school holidays.

Speaking to the  Independent  in January 2024, he said those winter months are the best time of year to find the cheapest air fares.

He explained: “There will always be periods of time, particularly... January, February, before you get to the school mid-term break or the Easter holidays or summer — where we’re trying to fill flights.

“We’re happy to fill flights at loss-making air fares. So there will still be lots of low air fares.”

Even with those lower prices in January and February, O'Leary still sticks by comments he made around this time last year when he said that the days of  £9.99 flights were over .

He said the price of fuel now means the airline cannot afford to go that low anymore.

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He continued: “We’re now paying $80 (£63) a barrel for fuel. I don’t think you’ll see a return to £9.99 air fares but £15, £20, £25 is still a phenomenally cheap air fare."

However, there are still bargains to be had for flights if people look at the right time.

Other tips for saving money on flights

Here are some of the best ways you can save money on flights

Mistake Fares

A mistake fare is essentially an error that occurs when airlines or travel agents accidentally list the wrong price for a flight.

It might happen when airline staff accidentally leave out a zero — or two — while listing the cost of a ticket online.

While the odds of airlines making these mistakes are fairly low, such incidents do occur from time to time — and travellers can save hundreds of pounds by just keeping an eye out.

However, they will have to be quick as airlines will remove these prices as soon as they spot the mistake.

Being flexible

Being fussy about where you go on holiday can reduce your options for saving money.

Going on Google Flights and clicking on the map instead of searching for a specific destination will show you the cheapest rates to a number of cities.

That way you can make sure you head to the most affordable destination, or at least choose somewhere with cheap flights.

Avoid pricey luggage additions

Most airlines now charge extra for passengers to check luggage in during their flights and it's much more affordable to fly with just carry-on.

So practice packing before you fly and make sure you can squash everything into a case or bag that will fit in the airline's hand luggage rules — it could save you a fair amount.

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• Money saving
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• Travel advice

The best (and worst) budget airlines in the UK

T hey’re the airlines we love to hate, whisking passengers to Europe and beyond for miniscule fares with incredible regularity – in theory, at least. But the reality of “budget” airlines , as all-too many of us know, can be fraught with hidden fees, confusing baggage allowances and copious delays.

However, not all budget airlines are created equal. In a bid to find the best low-cost carrier, we’ve compared Wizz Air, Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair on all of the key credentials. There is a clear winner – and loser – but do you agree? Have your say in the poll and comments below. 

Explore the categories

Best for routes and connections, best prices for summer 2024, best for seat comfort, best for punctuality, best for hand baggage allowance, best for fines and fees, best for priority boarding, best rated on trustpilot , best rated by the telegraph readers, the verdict.

By passenger numbers, Ryanair is Europe’s largest airline group: it carried 182 million people in 2023. This summer, it will have a fleet of 600 aircraft – by far the biggest of our survey, serving more than 250 airports across 40 countries.

Ryanair is also the best-connected of the bunch. It flies from 22 UK airports, including lesser-served ones such as Newquay and Teesside, so we’re rating it top for UK range. Its routes include rarer low-cost destinations too, such as Jordan, Montenegro and Morocco . 

Currently operating from 18 UK airports, easyJet serves 155 airports across 36 countries. It is Europe’s second largest airline by passenger numbers (pipped by Ryanair), with a large fleet of 336 planes.

In March, easyJet opened a new three-aircraft base in Birmingham – joining the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh . For connectivity, it comes second place to Ryanair.

In third place is Wizz Air, which serves 95 routes to and from the UK, to more than 30 countries – including cities in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. 

There are 207 aircraft in the Wizz Air fleet, and it has hubs at London Luton and Gatwick. It flies from a further six UK airports: Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Leeds and Liverpool, so has a fair regional coverage.

For routes and connectivity, Jet2 ranks fourth. It flies to over 65 European destinations from 11 UK airports, with a new base at Liverpool opening in March. Other hubs include Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Stansted.

It operates 119 aircraft, and is the UK’s third largest scheduled airline; notable destinations include Norway , Morocco, Cyprus and Iceland . 

The winner: Ryanair

The loser: Wizz Air has a higher number of destinations than Jet2 – but the latter scoops Wizz on its choice of UK airports. It’s a tie.

Let’s say you want to fly from London to Malaga this summer, 13 to 21 July – hand luggage only , on the lowest-cost tariffs. Which airline has the cheapest return fares? 

The price per adult offered by Ryanair currently starts from £127.90 (departing Stansted, though you’ll need to leave Malaga at 5.55am); with easyJet it is £133.98 (from Gatwick, arriving in Malaga just after midnight). 

Wizz Air’s fares start from £219.98 (leaving Gatwick at 5.55am); Jet2’s start from £231 (departing Stansted at 9am). 

Prices were sourced directly from the airlines on April 18, 2024, and are inclusive of booking fees.

The winner: Ryanair, for a superb £127.90 per adult fare, return.

The loser: Jet2. However, this was the airline with the most “decent” flight timings for its cheapest tickets: departs Stansted at 9am, and departs Malaga at 8.25pm.

When it comes to seat width (which the industry generally measures in inches), our four airlines are pretty much equal. On Wizz’s Airbus A320 and easyJet’s Airbus A321neo, the seats are 18in wide. Opt for Jet2’s Boeing 737-300 or Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800, and you’ll miss out on an inch: their seat width is 17in.

But when it comes to seat pitch, there’s a clear winner. This is the distance between any point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front – so is a good measure of not only leg room, but “headspace” and perception of roominess in the cabin. According to Seat Guru, and verified by the airlines, Wizz’s seat pitch is 28in, easyJet’s 29in, Ryanair’s 30in, and Jet2’s 31in. 

The winner: Jet2

The loser: Wizz Air

If you boarded a flight anywhere last summer, chances are it was delayed or cancelled . Airport strikes, wildfires, air traffic meltdowns: which airline fared best against the odds?

The aviation analysts at OAG provided Telegraph Travel with data across more than half a million flights from June 1 to September 3, covering airlines departing from 48 UK airports. 

Ryanair operated 91,897 flights, of which 31.8 per cent arrived or departed on time. For easyJet, 44.7 per cent of its 111,551 flights were on schedule, while 57.7 per cent of Jet2’s 38,986 services ran as planned. 

The data from OAG suggested that Wizz Air managed to depart or arrive on time on just 7.8 per cent of its services. The airline contested the figure, insisting that “almost half” of departures and “almost 40 per cent” of arrivals were on time. It added: “The majority of delays were due to issues outside of Wizz Air’s control, such as the recent air traffic control fault, meaning these statistics are not an accurate representation of our overall performance.”

The loser: According to OAG, Wizz Air experienced the most disruption – though this figure was disputed by the airline – therefore it’s a tie between Wizz Air and Ryanair.

We compared the size and weight limits for free hand baggage, on a standard ticket. 

Jet2: 56 x 45 x 25cm (total volume 63,000cm3); maximum 10kg.

easyJet: 45 x 36 x 20cm (total volume 32,400cm3), “which needs to fit in our baggage gauge and under the seat in front of you”. Maximum 15kg.

Wizz Air: 40 x 30 x 20cm (total volume 24,000cm3), and “must be placed at the feet of the passenger under the seat in front of them”. Maximum 10kg.

Ryanair: 40 x 20 x 25cm (total volume 20,000cm3); no weight limit is listed.

The winner: easyJet’s 15kg limit is the most generous weight – but for size, Jet2 is the best. Its volume allowance is more than three times the size offered by Ryanair.

The loser: Ryanair

Best for checked-in luggage

When you pay to bring a suitcase, the fee structure varies wildly. For ease of comparison, the following covers luggage weighing 20kg or more, booked at the same time as your flight. 

With Ryanair, a 20kg bag costs £18.99 to £59.99, according to your route and travel dates – the lowest weight allowance of our four airlines. Excess baggage ranges from £9 to £11 per kilo, the cheapest fee in this comparison.

Jet2’s baggage add-on covers bags up to 22kg: costs vary, and it doesn’t quote a ballpark fee online if you don’t have a booking. According to mybaggage.com, the average cost is £21 each way. Excess weight is £12 per kilo.

Wizz charges between £8.25 and £87.11 for a 20kg bag, in peak season, with an excess fee of £12 per kilo. On easyJet, 23kg of hold luggage costs from £9.49 per item; excess weight is £12 per kilo.

The winner:  The varying prices make it hard to compare fees, but easyJet’s baggage allowance is the most generous, at 23kg.

The loser: It’s a tie: Ryanair and Wizz Air offer 20kg each. The latter’s upper threshold is the most costly, though Jet2 isn’t transparent about its fees unless you have a booking with them.

To change a name on a booking, Ryanair charges £115 per flight. To change your flights costs £45, plus any additional fare. To check in at the airport rather than on the app, Ryanair charges £30 or £55 if flying from Spain. Boarding pass reissue is £20.

Name changes with Jet2 cost £35; flight changes are £35, plus any additional fare. No charge for airport check-in or boarding pass print-out.

With easyJet, name changes cost £55; flight changes are £25 if more than 60 days before travel, or £49 if within 60 days, plus any additional fare. There is no charge for airport check-in or boarding pass print-out. 

Name changes with Wizz cost £55; flight changes cost £36.50 to £46, plus any additional fare. If you want to check in at the airport, you can pre-book online for £11.50 per flight; airport check-in without pre-booking costs £35.50.

Be warned: in many instances, the above fees are higher if arranged via a customer services agent, rather than online. 

Jet2 is the only airline not to offer speedy boarding as an optional add-on. But if you want to board first (or at least be in the queue to board first), Ryanair’s priority access costs from £6 to £36, and includes two cabin bags.

Wizz’s package costs up to €58.80 (£50.62) when booked in advance, and includes priority boarding and check-in, plus a carry-on wheelie. To get “Speedy Boarding” on easyJet, you’ll need an easyJet Plus card (£215 annually), pay for a Standard Plus or Flexi fare, or add a large cabin bag to your booking – priced “from £5.99”.

The winner: There really isn’t much between easyJet and Ryanair

The loser: Jet2, for not offering the option

On customer review website Trustpilot, Jet2 is by far the best-rated of the airlines – scoring an overall 4.5 (“Excellent”) out of a possible five. It has five-star reviews from 72 per cent of reviewers; four stars from 14 per cent; and one star from 7 per cent. 

“Pleasant and attentive cabin crew,” reads one verified Jet2 customer review. “Friendly and informative captain. Took off an hour late but we made up 25 minutes. Excellent.”

It’s a different story for the rest of the pack. Ryanair and easyJet both score 1.4 stars overall, and Wizz Air 1.3 stars (out of five). A total of 89 per cent of Wizz customers awarded it just one star.

“Robbery,” states a reviewer of one of the airlines. “I don’t understand why people still buy ticket[s] from that airline… [it] should not be allowed to operate in our society.”

The loser: Wizz

In last year’s Telegraph Travel Awards, Jet2 was voted “best short-haul airline” – scooping the top spot for the second consecutive time. Almost 30,000 readers voted in the awards, widely praising Jet2 for its clear contact with passengers, and giving refunds without fuss . 

Further down the table, easyJet took 10th place, Ryanair 22nd and Wizz Air came 23rd – the very last place. Wizz faced criticism from Telegraph readers for its slow refunds, last-minute cancellations and poor customer service .

Bravo to Jet2, which is rated consistently high for customer satisfaction, baggage allowance and comfort – while offering the lowest fees and fines among its peers. Our study suggests it doesn’t come cheap, though: in our fare comparison, it was the most expensive by £103.10.

At the other end of the spectrum, the wooden spoon goes to Wizz. It tallies three individual “loser” titles and three shared ones, and no “wins” to its name – thanks to hefty delays, terrible reviews, reportedly poor service and measly bag allowance.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: “We do not consider these findings to be representative and the results are most certainly not what we are hearing from our customer surveys.

“Our most recent customer data shows Wizz Air’s brand consideration to be higher than our main UK competitor. We also perform better in customer service, refunds, ease of booking and information provided to customers.

“We are proud to have offered more than 90 million customers affordable airfares, getting them from A to B for the lowest price possible.

“Regarding costs, ticket prices and optional extras are clearly outlined on our website and app. We are an ultra-low-cost carrier and to keep our fares low, we offer optional add-ons at an additional charge, such as checked luggage or preferential seating. Unbundling products means that customers only pay for what they need and we can offer the most affordable and exciting travel opportunities.

“In terms of performance, 2023 was one of our strongest summers to date. We completed more than 99.36 per cent of our flights and saw a 67.4 per cent reduction in the number of cancellations. In the last fiscal year, our on-time performance was better than all but one of our major competitors.”

This story was first published in December 2023 and has been revised and updated.

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Holidaymakers asked to pay twice for hotels following collapse of German travel firm

‘we are aware of situations where guests are being asked to pay for their accommodation locally’ – fti subsidiary, youtravel, article bookmarked.

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This week, a big German travel combine, FTI Touristik, collapsed. It was the third-largest tour operator in Europe.

The company is telling passengers: “All travel arrangements booked via FTI Touristik GmbH with a departure date up to and including Friday, 5 July 2024, unfortunately have to be cancelled.”

The number of UK holidaymakers directly affected – ie having packages booked with the defunct German travel giant – is vanishingly low. Furthermore, they are covered by the German Travel Security Fund.

But two subsidiaries of the FTI group are “business-to-business” middlemen that provide hotels, transfers and excursions to online travel agents (OTAs).

They are Youtravel.com and Meeting Point International. Both offshoots are in financial suspended animation while the FTI insolvency is sorted out.

For now, though, British travellers who had no idea part of their holiday was booked through a German firm are told: “Have you booked other touristic services as individual services with FTI, such as excursions, airport transfers, etc.?

“Unfortunately, individual services do not fall under the statutory insurance protection for package tours and are therefore not covered by the German Travel Security Fund.”

These are the key questions and answers.

I booked a Mediterranean holiday with a UK online travel agent. How come my trip could be in peril?

It all comes down to the way that online travel agents construct package holidays. Traditional tour operators – of which Jet2 Holidays and Tui are the largest – generally have direct relationships with Mediterranean hotels, bus companies and excursion providers.

In contrast, OTAs such as Love Holidays and On The Beach often source these elements through intermediaries that, in the realm of accommodation, are known as “bed banks”. One of the biggest bed banks is Youtravel.com, which calls itself “the trade’s favourite supplier”. The UK-based offshoot of FTI had immense buying power and was therefore able to offer hotel rooms at very favourable rates.

Millions of Brits have probably enjoyed holidays that have involved Youtravel.com and been blissfully unaware that a German-owned middleman was involved. But suddenly, the fate of the company is uncertain.

FTI says Youtravel.com is not insolvent and is “working actively” on its future. It aims to “secure our future without the support of FTI”.

Evidently, though, some Mediterranean hoteliers are alarmed at the prospect that they may not get paid by the FTI-owned intermediary. Knowing that the guest will ultimately be reimbursed, they are asking for cash up front. But people may not be able to pay.

Youtravel.com says: “We are aware of situations where guests in destination are being asked to pay for their accommodation locally. “The FTI Touristik failure has resulted in an unprecedented issue in destination and in these instances, we are trying to support where possible by sharing as much information as we can to help our partners resolve the issue for your valued guests.”

Whose responsibility is it to pay? Assuming you did the sensible thing and chose a proper package holiday – with flights and accommodation booked in the same transaction – the responsibility rests with the tour operator (holiday company). It is obliged to deliver the trip you booked. If one of its suppliers suspends operations, that is the for the company to sort out.

Love Holidays says: “A very small portion of our customers’ accommodation arrangements will be affected. However, we’re working hard to honour these bookings with other suppliers to minimise disruption to any holidays.

“If you’re travelling with us soon and your accommodation was booked through Youtravel, please don’t worry. Our team is working on reinstating these bookings so you can travel as normal.”

How can I tell if my booking is with Youtravel?

Love Holidays says: “Please check the hotel voucher on your booking confirmation. If your booking is affected, please rest assured we’re working hard to rebook your accommodation and minimise any disruption to your holiday.”

I can only afford to pay again if I put it on a credit card – who will pay the interest charges?

If you have no choice but to pay again and claim from your holiday company, you should be indemnified in full for the costs involved.

What about transfers and excursions?

Some transfers and excursions were organised by various incarnations of the FTI Meeting Point brand, which was headquartered in Munich but had a range of subsidiaries across Europe and the Middle East.

Again, if you are affected, the voucher for that part of your trip should name the firm. If this is the case, your holiday company should be urgently organising an alternative.

Are bookings with Jet2 Holidays or Tui affected?

Not directly, though some of the hotels they use may be ultimately owned by FTI subsidiary Meeting Point, which has a range of hotel brands. Both firms are telling customers that they are working to protect any affected holidays.

What’s the view of the UK travel industry?

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, told The Independent : “We were shocked to see the news of FTI, one of Europe’s largest tour operators, which is a further blow to the German travel industry, given the Thomas Cook collapse in September 2019.

“It will be a difficult time for all affected staff and customers and no doubt, FTI’s situation will not only have a significant impact on the German holiday market but also have a knock-on impact on the supply chain across Europe and beyond, as we are a globally connected industry.

“We know of a small number of our agent partners who have been impacted and we are keeping them updated with developments as far as we can and with many agents having already secured alternative arrangements for their impacted travellers

“There will be a lot of attention now on getting those impacted on alternative holidays, however, the issue will be one of price and trying to find alternative holidays at a similar price originally paid.”

Does this make further collapses more likely?

No. As with the Thomas Cook in 2019, FTI had been having financial difficulties for some time, even before the Covid pandemic. It was unable to repay government loans, and a planned rescue deal from investors did not materialise.

Generally, if a large player goes out of business, other companies actually prosper.

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