Holidays Travel

Online searches for flights to Portugal soar after quarantine lifted

A hotel complex in Vilamoura, Portugal
A hotel complex in Vilamoura, Portugal A hotel complex in Vilamoura, Portugal

Searches for flights to Portugal have soared after the country was removed from the UK's quarantine list.

Passengers arriving in Northern Ireland and Britain from Portugal will no longer have to self-isolate from 4am tomorrow after an approved travel corridor was confirmed.

The news, announced last night, has caused search traffic for flights to the coastal nation to peak as other popular holiday destinations such as Croatia were removed from the safe travel list.

Google search data shows a significant spike in searches for the term "flights to Portugal" by users in the UK at around 6pm yesterday.

There was smaller peak at 7am today.

A number of easyJet flights from London airports to destinations across Portugal are already unavailable for this weekend.

Jet2 is among the airlines aiming to capitalise on the rush, adding extra seats to Faro from Monday August 23 from across the UK.

Chief executive Steve Heapy said: "Customers are responding to the welcome change in government advice by booking their much-needed holidays in the Portuguese sunshine, and we are responding to that by adding more flights and seats.

"We want our customers to enjoy their well-deserved holidays, and our decision to act quickly and add even more capacity to Faro ensures they will have plenty of choice."

Read more: Restrictions tightened on indoor and outdoor gatherings in Northern Ireland to curb spread of coronavirus