In an update for the year to the end of March 2023, Jet2 said winter 2022/23 forward bookings continued to strengthen throughout December and January.
As a result, average load factors are now slightly ahead of winter 2018/19 at the same point, with pricing and margins significantly higher.
In addition, the mix of package holiday customers has remained consistent, at around 60% of total departing passengers for the season, 16 percentage points higher than winter 2018/19.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould said: “People are still prizing their week in the sun above almost anything else it seems, with airline and package holidays firm Jet2 becoming the latest name in the sector to unveil upgrades.
“The failure of the shares to really take off on what is a really encouraging update reflected a very strong run for the company in recent months, as industry data and its peer group have offered their own encouraging take on demand for holidays.
“Where Jet2 deserves credit is in the way it has treated customers over the last 12 months – not cutting flights at the last minute, doing its best to look after travellers and taking on board extra costs itself.
“This should help make it a trusted brand in the travel space and one people return to again and again. While volatile costs and economic pressures could lead to turbulence in the short term, Jet2 has done a good job of setting itself on an upwards flight path for the long term.”
