If you use social media in any capacity, odds are that you’re now familiar with Leeds-based leisure airline Jet2, and its holiday packages, even if you have no good reason for knowing that. It almost seems like “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” has become the official anthem of summer 2025 travel.
But what’s actually going on here? What is Jet2, and why has this gone so viral? The reason I’m writing about this now is because Ford asked me yesterday what is going on with this whole Jet2 thing, and I realized I don’t exactly have a great explanation…
Basics of the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” ad
In late 2022, British budget airline Jet2 released a 30-second ad, which features a family going on vacation, set to Jess Glynne’s “Hold My Hand” song. The words in the ad are as follows:
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday!
Darling, hold my hand…
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday, and right now, you can save £50 per person. That’s £200 off for a family of four. We’ve got millions of free child place holidays available with 22 kilograms of baggage included. Book now with Jet2 holidays. Package holidays you can trust!
The ad is quite catchy, no doubt, though it’s interesting how it has really only gone viral over two years after being released.
As an aviation geek, I find Jet2 to be a fascinating airline. The company has a fleet of roughly 130 aircraft, and despite its large size, its primary business is selling budget friendly package vacation holidays. For example, roughly 80% of the company’s revenue comes from package holidays, while only around 20% comes from standalone flight bookings.
That’s pretty amazing. Just to contrast that, Ryanair, arguably Europe’s most successful airline, isn’t even in the package holiday business. So it’s cool how the two airlines have both sort of carved out their niches.
Why are Jet2 holidays going so viral, though?
It’s funny, I think we often just go along with some sort of a viral meme or jingle concept, without actually thinking much about it. So when Ford asked me what the hell this Jet2 holiday stuff is about, I tried to answer, but then realized that I don’t actually have a great explanation (based on the fact that his follow-up to my explanation was “why is that funny, though?).
For the most part, people are using the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” jingle in conjunction with travel mishaps. So they book a trip thinking that something is going to be amazing, and then when it isn’t, the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” jingle is used.
But not everyone seems to be on the same page. Some people use the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” thing as the track for just posting a nice video from their vacation.
If we’re going to analyze this, I assume the more correct interpretation would be the former. Jet2 no doubt offers great value and affordable vacation packages, and that’s lovely. However, I don’t think anyone would argue that “nothing beats” a Jet2 holiday.
Regardless, there’s no denying that this has been incredible marketing for Jet2. While the company has good name recognition in the UK, it’s otherwise a pretty unknown entity.
Bottom line
Jet2 has become quite the travel brand name this summer, with “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” perhaps becoming the most recognizable travel jingle in the world. While the Jet2 ad that inspired this is catchy, I think the actual way that this jingle has been used isn’t entirely rational. Then again, that’s often the case for things that go viral.
What do you make of this viral Jet2 holiday ad?
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