• Average age today's children first take to skies is 5 and three quarter years old
• 81% of over 50s spent their childhood holidaying in the UK
• One in three UK kids now holiday in far flung destinations
• Welsh over 50s take the most holidays of all UK residents 

(Luton, UK – 26 January 2016) Pre-schoolers enjoying sunshine breaks in far flung resorts, and silver surfers checking in online – the way the nation holidays has never been so adventurous.

The survey by UK airline and tour operator, Monarch polled 2,000 UK adults and children about their holidaying habits, revealing how the nation's family breaks have changed throughout the years.

The destination for the nation's first family breaks has seen a significant change over the years – when asked where they had spent their first-ever holiday, only 19% of over 50s had spent it abroad, compared with 37% of today's generation of children. 

The average age at which today's jet set kids first travel on a plane is 5 and three quarter years old – whereas almost two thirds (64%) of the over 50s polled didn't take to the skies until at least their 16th birthday.  While their grandparents most likely spent their childhood holidays in British seaside resorts, 36% of UK kids are holidaying in Spain, one in five head to France and almost a third are even jetting off to far flung destinations, such as America, the Caribbean and Asia.

Trips abroad with groups such as schools or clubs appear to have fallen out of favour in recent years, with only three in 10 children (32%) being treated to these group trips, compared with almost half (46%) of their parents' generation.

Although younger adults often see the introduction of modern technologies into their holiday experience as more of a positive than the over 50s, it seems that the more mature traveller is almost just as tech-savvy. Only 15% of over 50s polled saw online check-in ahead of travel as a negative, and half (49%) consider ticketless check-in a positive.

More mature Brits are certainly doing a lot of travelling – more than half (55%) of the over 50s polled take two or more holidays each year, compared with only 29% of younger adults. The most well-holidayed over 50s are the Welsh, with over two thirds taking multiple holidays each year.  This may be making up for a childhood spent firmly in the UK – of those over 50s polled, 100% of the Welsh respondents spent their first ever holiday in the British Isles, the highest of any region surveyed. Over 50s from the North East are the least travelled group in the country, with one in ten (10%) having never left the UK.

Holidaying as a wider family group is a popular concept right across the ages, with almost two thirds (62%) of over 50s holidaying regularly with their grown up children and 77% revealing the main reason for these family breaks is simply because they enjoy their company. Younger adults also see their parents' company as the primary reason to holiday together (68%), however almost a quarter did admit to there being more practical benefits such as looking after the grandchildren.

Ian Chambers, Head of Digital and Marketing at Monarch says: “The arrival of the package holiday is often credited with transforming the nation's holidaying habits, and our poll has revealed the significant impact that affordable foreign travel has had on the types of breaks we have taken over the last 40 years.

“The introduction in the 1970s of affordable package holidays made international travel a reality for many British families, and transformed the range of holiday options available for a whole new generation.

“In recent years, technological developments have meant that the way we travel continues to develop – from online and ticketless check in, to 24/7 access to a holiday rep even before you travel via email, this survey shows just how well these changes are received by every age group.

“Best of all, it's great to see that holidays, whether taken abroad or in the UK, continue to bring every generation together to enjoy each other's company and make life-long memories – and that's what it's all about.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

A collection of Monarch archive images showing flight and holiday services throughout the years can be found here:

http://bigdogftp.bigdogagency.com/?u=rcS4&p=xruP

Survey of 2,000 UK participants, conducted by 72 Point on behalf of Monarch, November 2015

About Monarch:

Monarch is a leading UK independent airline group. The company includes a scheduled airline, in-house tour operator and an award-winning engineering division.  Flying from 5 UK bases, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds-Bradford and Luton where it is headquartered; the airline offers 7million sector seats to leisure destinations.  The tour operating division offers package holidays across the airlines scheduled network focussing on beach, city and ski breaks.

Operating globally, Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL) supports the airline and provides aircraft maintenance services to third party customers located in east and west Europe, the Middle East, Australia and North America. MAEL is a leading MRO for new technology aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for which it is one of a small group of  worldwide Boeing-approved GoldCare providers.

For further information please contact the Press Office

Email: press.office@monarch.co.uk

Tel: 01582 398 241

Monarch PR Team Contacts:

Liz Falconer

Director of PR & Communications

The Monarch Group

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Colette Eagles

Press & PR Manager

The Monarch Group

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Charlotte Hawley

Senior PR & Communications Executive

The Monarch Group

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Josh Engleman

PR & Press Office Assistant

The Monarch Group

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Michelle Wiles

Marketing & PR Executive

Monarch Aircraft Engineering

Follow Monarch.co.uk on Twitter @monarch and on Facebook facebook.com/Monarch 

For further information or to book Monarch flights please visit www.monarch.co.uk