The UK’s biggest package holiday company is also the best, according to more than 8,000 travelers asked to rate their beach/resort holidays in our survey.
Jet2holidays now takes nearly six million people on holiday every year – even more than long-established holiday giant Tui. Despite this rapid expansion, and the fact that its holidays are relatively cheap (just £104pp/day on average), it achieved the top customer score, alongside pricier rival, Kuoni.
Customer service proved the difference between the top performers and those further down the rankings, with holidaymakers repeatedly promoting Jet2holidays’ personal touch, reliability and consistently high levels of service. And similar praise was heaped on Kuoni – ‘nothing was too much trouble’, said one customer. Both providers have been at or near the top of our survey for years, proving a commitment to excellent service.
As holiday prices soar, you might be tempted by bargain-basement prices, but be careful: eDreams, the cheapest provider in our table also scored the lowest. It’s a holiday company we repeatedly heard complaints about, and customers didn’t feel that the holidays lived up to the way they were sold on the website; it was the only firm to get two stars for ‘description matching reality’.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options that don’t cost the earth. You can compare customer scores and prices in the table below and, for extra peace of mind, all the companies awarded Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status guarantees that they will not apply surcharges in 2024 – so the price won’t go up after you book.
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Best and worst beach/resort package holiday companies
Using the table In August 2022, we asked 8,361 Which? Connect panel members and the public to complete an online survey about their experiences of booking and going on holiday in the past two years. Star ratings are based on one to five stars. The more stars the better. Sample sizes are in brackets next to each holiday company. n/a indicates we did not receive enough responses to report on a company in that category. Average price Based on the median price per day of holidays taken by survey respondents, within this category, with the company named. Short-haul destinations are defined as anywhere less than a five-hour flight from London. Customer score Based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the company
What is a package holiday?
If you buy two major elements of a holiday – flights and accommodation, for example – in a single transaction, from the same travel company, then you’ve booked a package.
Any package holiday booked in the UK automatically benefits from the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs), which help to ensure that you get the holiday you paid for.
If you’ve booked a package and it includes a flight, then you will also benefit from Atol protection.
Find out more: What is a package holiday and why should you book one?
Which beach/resort holiday companies do Which? recommend?
Jet2holidays – 84%
Jet2holidays has gone from strength to strength, and despite growing to become the UK’s biggest package tour operator, it has managed to maintain the personal touch. It specializes in beach and resort holidays along the Med, although it does do city breaks and villa holidays too.
Customers said Jet2 provided exactly what they wanted from a beach or poolside holiday, alongside exceptional customer service.
Which? verdict The joint best beach/resort holiday provider in our survey, with five-star customer service at a very reasonable price.
Read the full Jet2holidays review or visit the Jet2holidays website directly.
Kuoni – 84%
Kuoni specializes in luxury travel to resorts in exotic destinations, and you told us its high-end holidays are worth every penny.
Customers were impressed with Kuoni’s five-star customer service, accommodation and facilities.
Which? verdict: Joint top with Jet2holidays as the best beach/resort holiday provider, Kuoni is a top choice for a premium long-haul getaway.
Read the full Kuoni review or visit the Kuoni website directly.
Trailfinders – 82%
Trailfinders is consistently one of the UK’s top tour operators and it specializes in adding tailor-made touches to your holiday.
Trailfinders scored well across the board and customers appreciated how well-organized their holiday was, and how well the online description matched the reality.
Which? verdict: If you’re looking for a far-flung or tailor-made beach break, Trailfinders offers five-star customer service.
Read the full Trailfinders review or visit the Trailfinders website directly.
Inghams – 81%
Inghams specializes in lake and mountain holidays.
Customers praised its fantastic organization and holiday representatives who were both helpful and knowledgeable.
Which? verdict: A very good choice for holidays in scenic locations.
Read the full Inghams review or visit the Inghams website directly.
Hays Travel – 80%
Hays Travel is an independent British travel agent and tour operator with more than 450 branches around the UK.
Hays Travel received a raft of five-star ratings and was commended for the time and effort taken by its advisors in finding the ideal holiday for their clients.
Which? verdict: It’s not easy to provide great customer service for holidays costing under £100 a day on average, but Hays Travel does it.
Read the full Hays Travel review or visit the Hays Travel website directly.
How we researched holiday companies
In August 2022, we asked 8,361 Which? Connect panel members and the public to complete an online survey about their experiences of booking and going on holiday in the past two years. We only reported on companies when we received at least 30 responses.
You can have your say on what we research and help us achieve change by joining Which? Connect