Whether it’s a quick hop over to the continent or a voyage to somewhere far-flung, choosing the right airline can make or break a trip.
The Independent held its first-ever Travel Awards on 8 September, celebrating the destinations, hotels and tour operators that help make a holiday special.
More than 17,000 readers voted for their favourites, and two airlines tied in first place in the best short-haul airline category: Jet2 and easyJet.
Both British airlines offer low-cost fares and holiday packages, flying largely to destinations across Europe.
The airlines are popular with families heading to summer beach holidays and budget-conscious flyers seeking affordable trips.
EasyJet operates 1,207 routes between 164 airports in 38 countries and aims to run simple and convenient services at a low price.
The airline recently announced that it’s seeking to recruit more mature workers for cabin crew positions.
Since introducing a targeted hiring scheme in 2022, easyJet reported that staff aged over 50 have more than doubled, while crew members in their 60s have nearly quadrupled.
Jet2, the UK’s third-largest airline, flies from 14 UK airports to more than 75 destinations across Europe, serving more than 19.8 million customers each year.
The airline recently said it repatriated thousands of customers whose travel plans were cancelled during flight disruption last week caused by an air traffic control glitch.
Jet2 said it had to arrange extra flights, deploy additional teams and use all available aircraft capacity to fly customers home from destinations like Greece, Turkey, Spain and Malta.
More than a dozen extra flights were added by Jet2 to recuperate their flight schedule, alongside ground transport support in the UK.
Jet2 added that “customers whose plans were cancelled will receive a full refund”.
The winner of The Independent Travel Awards category for long-haul airlines was Emirates, a UAE-based company that is often considered a luxurious way to take to the skies.
The airline flies the world’s biggest fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering customers comfort on these wide-body aircraft.
Emirates flies to 140 destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific.
The airline is constantly upgrading its amenities to provide more comfort for its passengers, including a multi-way adjustable headrest designed to provide full neck and head support and plans to fit its first-class suites with en-suite bathrooms.
See the full list of winners at The Independent’s Travel Awards to see who you thought were the best at making holidays extra special.
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