Despite continuing pressure on household finances, holidays remain important to British consumers. Six in ten UK adults have taken a foreign holiday in the past three years, rising to 71% among 18–34s. Among parents, 61% say going abroad is an important part of having a good time.

But while the desire to travel remains strong, our latest RED C Brand Reaction Index reveals a very different picture when it comes to how consumers feel about the brands getting them there.

The strongest-performing travel brands aren’t simply delivering a journey. They are creating experiences around it, building anticipation, reassurance, familiarity and positive moments that extend beyond getting from A to B. This is particularly evident among holiday operators, which can influence more of the customer experience, from booking and flights to accommodation and support.

Our 2026 Brand Reaction Index, which measures consumers’ immediate emotional responses to brands, reveals just how significant those differences can be. BRI scores range from -100 to +100, with higher scores indicating stronger emotional connection. Among the travel brands measured, scores range from +21 for Jet2holidays to -19 for Ryanair, against a category average of +6. So, what can we learn from those brands creating the strongest connections?

 

Jet2holidays turns the holiday into the brand experience

Jet2holidays leads the travel category with a BRI score of +21 and is the only travel brand to make the top 40 of the 131 brands included in our study. Its performance illustrates how the experience surrounding travel can become part of the brand itself. A recognisable tagline and soundtrack have given Jet2holidays a distinctive cultural presence, while consistent, customer-first delivery helps reinforce that promise when people actually travel. Crucially, Jet2holidays isn’t connecting with just one type of traveller. Its scores remain positive across every generation measured, from +24 among Gen Z and +25 among Millennials to +16 among Gen X and +20 among Baby Boomers. That broad appeal matters. The experience Jet2holidays creates is not simply about getting customers to their destination. It encompasses the wider holiday, giving the brand more opportunities to create positive associations throughout the experience.

 

EasyJet shows the importance of understanding different audiences

easyJet’s overall BRI score of +8 sits closer to the travel category average of +6. Look beneath the overall figure, however, and a different story emerges. Among Gen Z, easyJet scores +26, compared with +3 among Millennials, +10 among Gen X and +4 among Baby Boomers. In fact, its Gen Z score is higher than any of the other holiday and low-cost airline brands measured among this generation. It reinforces the need to understand where emotional connection exists, not simply whether a brand has a strong total score. The experiences, associations and expectations that resonate with one generation may not translate equally strongly to another. For travel brands looking to strengthen emotional connection, understanding those differences can help identify where there is already a strong foundation and where there is more work to do.

 


British Airways shows how premium can extend beyond the flight

Experience also matters at the premium end of the market. British Airways leads the premium brands measured with a BRI score of +15, ahead of Emirates (+11), Eurostar (+10), Virgin Atlantic (+7) and Qatar Airways (+6). Our analysis points to three elements of the BA proposition: trust and familiarity, an ongoing relationship through Avios and The Club, and creating value beyond transportation itself. Lounges, onboard food and drink and service all help extend the customer experience around the core flight. Its recently announced investment in refitting its A380 fleet, including what BA says will be its largest ever Business Class cabin, is another example of investment in that wider passenger experience. But being a premium brand doesn’t automatically mean consumers feel a stronger connection to it. The opportunity is to turn premium credentials into experiences that consumers genuinely value and remember.

 

The opportunity for travel brands is bigger than the journey

Taken together, the findings point towards a clear theme. The strongest travel brands give consumers more to connect with than the functional journey itself. Holiday operators can build emotion through anticipation and ownership of more touchpoints. Jet2holidays combines distinctive communications with consistent delivery. British Airways extends the relationship through familiarity, loyalty and investment in the passenger experience. And easyJet shows why understanding emotional connection at an audience level matters too. For brands lower down the BRI ranking, the opportunity is therefore not simply to deliver the journey more efficiently, but to find the moments around that journey that consumers genuinely value and remember. Because ultimately, the journey gets people to their destination. The wider experience is where brands have the opportunity to build a deeper connection.

Download the full RED C Brand Reaction Index 2026 Travel Deep Dive

Want to understand what is driving emotional connection with your brand, and where the opportunities lie?


Get in touch with our Places & Spaces teams:

UK – Amy, Annabelle and Emily
Ireland – Jane, Bryan and Colm