23,000 flights ready for take-off in easyJet’s ‘biggest Christmas getaway’

Airline easyJet says it is braced for its biggest Christmas getaway this year – with more than 23,000 flights taking off across Europe. 

The airline is set to fly up to 4.1 million customers across the peak Christmas and New Year period, while the busiest day of the season will be 27 December with 1,662 flights carrying up to 300,000 customers.

Furthermore, holidaymakers with festive namesakes are strongly represented, with 132 Santas, 28 Rudolphs, 10 Mr Claus’ and 7 Mrs Claus’ flying over the holidays.

In the UK alone, the airline is set to fly up to 2.3 million passengers during the festive season, as many get set to fly from across the UK to spend time with friends and relatives, enjoy Christmas in the sun or ring in the new year in some of Europe’s most iconic cities. 

Paris is proving to be the city of choice, while Geneva, gateway to the Alps, is also among the top destinations as people hit the slopes at the start of ski season.

Tenerife remains the most popular hot spot for those seeking to spend Christmas in the sun.

Sophie Dekkers, easyJet’s chief commercial officer, said: “The winter holidays are an important time of year for travel for millions of people with up to four million of them set to fly with easyJet for our unrivalled choice of destinations across Europe and further afield, for what will be our biggest ever Christmas getaway. 

“We’re looking forward to taking them away for a well-deserved break, wherever and however they are spending it - whether that’s flying somewhere festive for a magical winter break, escaping the cold and chasing the sun, or to visit friends and family.  

“We look forward to welcoming millions more customers onboard in 2025 and we remain focused on providing them with low-cost travel, flying them where they want to go, and always aiming to make the travel experience easy.”