EasyJet holidays is hoping to target “new audiences” with its Luxury Collection, after announcing its entry into the high-end market earlier this month.
The new portfolio features more than 70 five-star hotels, including big name brands such as Four Seasons, Fairmont and One&Only, as well as packages that include fast-track security and private transfers. It’s also still expanding, recently adding Al Moudira Hotel – the brand’s first-ever property in Luxor, Egypt.
In an exclusive interview with TTG Luxury, boss Garry Wilson said the launch of its Luxury Collection “not only opens the door to new audiences but also reinforces our position as a leader in both value and luxury travel".
“It’s not just about offering higher-end holidays, it’s about redefining what luxury travel means for today’s customer and setting a new benchmark for the future of our brand.”
The decision responds to a demand that’s already there; over 75% of easyJet holidays are currently being booked to four or five-star hotels. Its main competitor, Jet2holidays, has also been offering luxury trips with its Indulgent Escapes collection since 2011.
“The Luxury Collection is a natural evolution of that trend,” said Wilson, describing it as “a strategic move that allows us to capture a growing audience of discerning travellers who expect more from every journey”.
Saint Hotel in Oia, Santorini, is one of the hand-picked properties in the Luxury Collection
It’s also a response to the travellers who were booking flights with easyJet and also staying at five-star luxury properties. Connecting the two products was inevitable.
“We’re now enabling these customers to book in one place, with benefits including fast-track security, increased luggage and premium private transfers,” Wilson explained.
The launch of easyJet’s Luxury Collection has been met by mixed reactions from the trade, with some agents welcoming the package as a strong option for more financially thrifty customers.
“We’re fans of easyJet generally and both travel with them regularly,” Ashley Quint of TravelTime World told TTG. “What they are doing with the luxury collection is not bad and it's a really helpful fallback for those who are more price conscious.” Quint added that easyJet has been a preferred choice due to the airline’s base at London Luton, which is less than 30 minutes from TravelTime World’s store in Berkhamsted.
However not all advisors believe easyJet’s Luxury Collection is the right choice for their clients.
“Luxury, for me, includes all the extra touches and attention to detail including a full concierge service, so this wouldn’t work for most serious top-end agents,” one advisor told TTG.
Another admitted they were wary of booking with easyJet Holidays’ Luxury Collection due to the tour operator’s history of “undercutting” agents with discounted rates. TTG has reached out to easyJet holidays for comment on the issue.
As for what’s next for the Luxury Collection, Wilson added that it will “continue to expand the collection across Spain and Greece,” two countries which have proven popular with clients seeking an “ultra-luxury getaway.”
The brand is also in the process of “hand-picking” properties in “Europe’s most celebrated luxury locations, such as the Amalfi Coast.”
