Booking Holdings Inc.

LONDON, Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from KAYAK, the world's leading travel search engine, shows festive flight searches from the UK are up 13% year-on-year suggesting British travellers are leaning into the idea of skipping tradition and seeing out the year abroad.

According to KAYAK's latest Travel Check-In: Christmas & New Year 2025, travellers are prepared to take their festivities abroad with interest rising for long-haul escapes and indulgent upgrades over the festive season.

Trending escapes

KAYAK's data reveals travellers aren't just looking for a quick trip. Flight searches to Africa are up by nearly a quarter (24%) and flight searches to Asia have increased by 5% compared to last year, showing an increased desire for longer-haul travel over the Christmas and New Year period.

In fact, seven of the top 10 trending flight destinations for the festive season are outside of Europe, and flying to more than half of these festive hotspots is cheaper compared to last year.

Five-star festivities

Travellers aren't just going further this festive season, they're upgrading their experiences too. KAYAK data shows a 17% rise in business class flight searches and a 25% increase in desire for five-star hotels, despite luxury prices holding steady year-on-year.

Rachel Mumford, KAYAK's UK Travel Expert, says: "This year, the glow of the Christmas tree is being replaced by the thrill of departure gates. Our data shows that travellers are swapping tradition for exploration, venturing further and embracing bolder ways to celebrate the year's end."

Read more about KAYAK's Travel Check-In, covering top tips, destination insights and planning hacks, here.

About KAYAK  

KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is the world's leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travellers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android, and we also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution.

Notes to Editors  

Flight search methodology:

Flight trends are based on searches made on KAYAK.co.uk between 15 June and 10 September 2025 for travel departing 20 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 and returning between 25 December 2025 – 10 January 2026 from any airport in the UK. Searches were compared year-on-year to the same period in 2024/2025. All prices refer to average economy return fares and may vary. Percentages are approximate.

Data on luxury travel is based on the analysis of return business class flight searches and searches for five-star hotels made on KAYAK.co.uk and associated brands for similar search and travel periods.

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LONDON, Sept. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The return to office working is reshaping how Britain takes its lunch break, with more workers ditching desk sandwiches in favour of dining out, according to new data from OpenTable.

With 41% of businesses increasing their requirement for onsite working over the past year in the UK, as reported by the British Chambers of Commerce, OpenTable dining data reveals that weekday lunchtime dining (12pm – 3pm) has risen by 4% in 2025 to date (1st January - 7th September) compared to the same period in 2024.

This trend correlates to the revival of in-person business interactions. OpenTable's business dining data shows diners are spending 8% more per person on business meals year-on-year (YoY). The £41+ price bracket on OpenTable has seen the largest increase (+8% YoY) between 12pm - 3pm, highlighting that professionals are opting for higher-value meals - whether treating themselves or entertaining clients.

Sasha Shaker, Senior Director at OpenTable in the UK and Ireland, said: "Our recent data highlights a marked rise in UK weekday lunchtime dining, with diners also spending more on business meals. This uptick could reflect the growing popularity of in-person meetings and hybrid work, with the business lunch a key moment for teams to connect and collaborate."

The biggest weekday lunchtime dining increases are being seen mid-to-late week, with Fridays up 7%, Thursdays up 5%, and Wednesdays up 4% year-on-year. Alongside this, solo lunch dining on weekdays has climbed 16% YoY, suggesting that workers may be using their breaks as valuable personal time.

This shift may reflect a broader cultural change: as hybrid work balances time between home and the office, workers seem to be reclaiming lunch breaks as an opportunity to reset, recharge, and reconnect. Whether through solo dining or client-facing meals, the rise of the 'power lunch' underlines the evolving role of the midday break in the UK's work culture.

For more information on the top restaurants in the UK according to OpenTable please visit: https://www.opentable.co.uk/ 

OpenTable Data Methodology: OpenTable looked at weekday online seated diners in UK restaurants active on the OpenTable platform from 1st January - 7th September at key lunchtime slots (12pm - 3pm) and compared it to the corresponding time in 2024 (3rd January - 8th September). Group size, price point, and 'special occasion' selected for reservation was analysed during these time periods.

About OpenTable: OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc.(NASDAQ: BKNG), helps more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.9 billion seats a year. OpenTable's world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most - their team, their guests, and their bottom line - while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-power-lunch-uk-workers-ditch-desk-sandwiches-as-lunchtime-dining-increases-302568117.html