Jet2holidays remains licensed to carry just over seven million Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of September 2026, meaning it retains its crown as the UK's single largest Atol holder.
However, it is the first time the operator has put the brakes on its rapid expansion since the collapse of Thomas Cook in September 2019, barring a slight reduction during the pandemic.
EasyJet holidays, which on Thursday (2 October) launched its new premium brand Luxury Collection, has extended its Atol by just over 400,000 seats (17%) from 3,055,272 to 3,455,570 for the 12 months to the end of September 2026. It comes after it grew its Atol by around 750,000 seats this time last year.
Tui, meanwhile, has upped its Atol by 90,872 seats – 1.5% – for the same period after freezing its licence this time last year.
Travel's three largest operators – Jet2, Tui and easyJet holidays – all renew their Atols in the autumn renewal window.
Loveholidays, which renewed its Atol in April, remains the UK's third largest Atol holder and largest OTA, with easyJet holidays fourth and On the Beach fifth – another spring renewing Atol holder.
British Airways Holidays is the only other notable mover, going up from seventh to sixth in the ranking owing to Booking.com taking 157,197 seats off its Atol, which now stands at 1,114,151. BA Holidays is another spring renewal.
BravoNext (Lastminute.com) is the UK's eighth largest Atol holder, with Marella Cruises ninth and Expedia 10th.
Jet2 in holding pattern
Jet2 became the UK's largest tour operator in 2023 and extended its lead later that year, before breaking through the seven million passenger barrier at last September's renewal.
Earlier this year, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said it would increase capacity over the coming year by nearly 10%, with plans to put 24.4 million air seats on sale for the 12 months from March.
However, in a trading update issued in September, Jet2 revealed it had taken around 200,000 seats off sale for the coming winter, citing a "difficult market" and "less-certain consumer environment".
It also noted that while it is continuing to see modest growth in average package holiday pricing, net ticket yields for its flight-only product had become "increasingly attractive", which Jet2 put down – in part – to reallocated marketing spend.
In addition, despite the taking seats out of the market, Jet2's on sale capacity for winter 2025/26 still represents growth of 9% on last year.
Atol market growing
Outside the top 10 Atol holders, easyJet's airline Atol remains 11th, Virgin Holidays 12th, Southall Travel 13th and Carnival plc 14th.
Thomas Cook drops from 15th to 17th after reducing its Atol from 215,060 authorisations to 165,103 (-23%). Trailfinders takes its place after extending its Atol by 16% from 203,617 seats to 237,088 while Hays Tour Operating jumps up to 16th after growing its Atol from 168,191 seats to 203,986 (+21%).
Travel Counsellors remains 18th and Emirates Holidays 19th, but there is a notable new entrant in the top 20 – Trip.com Travel, which has nearly tripled the size of its Atol from 35,200 authorisations to 100,820.
Of the 1,035 Atol licences due for renewal at the end of September, 934 were renewed, with a further 45 renewals either in progress or yet to meet the necessary licensing conditions.
It means 56 licences have lapsed compared with last September's renewal, resulting in a total Atol-licensed cohort of 1,612 businesses – just under 600 of whom will be due to renew in the spring.
The CAA on Thursday (2 October) confirmed 20 million passengers travelled with Atol protection in the year to the end of September, a year-on-year increase of more than one million.
Michael Budge, the CAA's outgoing head of Atol, said: "The continued growth in Atol-protected holidays shows that travel remains a key priority for UK consumers. It also reinforces the value people place on financial protection and peace of mind when booking their trips."
