With less than a week to go until Christmas Day, millions of Brits are about to embark on a festive exodus from the UK.
Whether it’s ensuring a guaranteed white Christmas with a ski holiday in the Alps, or having Christmas morning in the sun, a trip abroad is a great way to spend the festive season.
More than a million passengers are set to pass through Gatwick Airport alone over the Christmas and New Year period, with both hot and cold destinations popular with festive holidaymakers.
Gatwick has revealed that Switzerland and Dubai are amongst the most popular destinations for travellers flying from the airport.
When it comes to New Year celebrations, it seems the best party is to be found a little closer to home with Edinburgh the most popular NYE destination.
“This year sees a great mix of top Christmas destinations as passengers fly out to enjoy the ski season in Switzerland, visit friends and family across the UK and soak up some winter sun,” said Louisa Craven, Gatwick terminal operations.
Gatwick Airport will be handling a whopping 1.5 million passengers between 17 December and 2 January, with the busiest day set to be Sunday 23 December.
Around 56,000 travellers are due to fly off for some festive fun on Sunday, whether it’s to a winter wonderland or for some out-of-season sun.
But holidaymakers don’t need to wait until they reach their destination to experience some Christmas cheer, as Gatwick has created a winter wonderland of its own.
Passengers flying from the airport can expect photo opportunities with Santa and his reindeer, while carol singers will be providing a festive soundtrack.
“Staff and extra helpers, including the London Ambassadors who made such a great impression during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will be on hand to assist at every stage to ensure our passengers enjoy a great experience at Gatwick with some fun, festive entertainment along the way,” added Ms Craven.
