When UK holiday-makers think of beach breaks, one name that often crops up is On the Beach. Founded in 2004, this online travel retailer has carved out a reputation as a go-to for affordable flight + hotel packages, beach destinations, and flexible bookings. But like many players in the travel industry, its journey has had ups and downs. Here’s a look at who On the Beach is, how it works, and what holiday-makers need to know.
Who Are They?
- On the Beach is a UK-based travel company, specialising in short to medium haul “flight + hotel” packages, especially to Europe’s beach destinations.
- Headquartered in Manchester (Aeroworks building, Ancoats), they’ve grown from humble beginnings to being publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange.
- Leadership includes Shaun Morton as CEO. The company generates substantial revenue, showing robust growth in recent years.
What Do They Offer?
On the Beach isn’t just another travel broker. Their business and service model includes:
- Flight + Hotel Package Holidays: The core offering. You pay for both together, which usually gives better deals than booking separately.
- Package Holidays that are ATOL-protected: This is a big plus. If things go wrong (airline issues, insolvency etc.), customers have a layer of financial protection.
- Flexible Payment Options: Low deposits, instalment payments, etc. Helps people book earlier without having to pay everything up front.
- User-Friendly Website / Filters: They offer many filters (destination, price, flight times, quality of hotels, board basis etc.), helping customers find holidays that match their preference.
- Add-ons / Extras: Transfers, sometimes holiday extras, travel insurance. Those help complete the holiday package.
Recent Performance & Strategy
- On the Beach has been seeing strong growth in bookings, especially for all-inclusive and higher star properties.
- Customer demand has stayed resilient even when inflation and economic concerns are impacting many other sectors. People still want holidays.
- The company is also working on broadening its offerings (e.g. city-breaks) and improving its technology. These steps help appeal to more customers with different preferences.
What People Like — And What They Don’t
✅ The Positives
- Competitive pricing: Many find On the Beach gives good value, especially when flight + hotel is bundled.
- Booking flexibility: Payment plans, ATOL protection, easy filter tools.
- Wide variety: A lot of destinations, many hotels, choice of board basis etc.
⚠️ The Criticisms
- Customer Service: Some users report issues with communication, delays, or uncertainty in bookings.
- Hidden or changing costs: Sometimes the full cost (or what is/isn’t included) is not obvious until later in the booking process.
- Booking availability / last minute problems: Because they don’t own the hotels or flights, sometimes bookings are “on request” or subject to confirmation, which can result in surprises.
What Makes On the Beach Stand Out
- Their niche focus: beach holidays with flight & hotel. They’ve stuck to what they do well.
- Their “customer peace-of-mind” features: financial protections, flexible payments, and decent customer tools.
- Their responsiveness to changing travel preferences: from more demand for all-inclusive luxury, to city break options.
Should You Use On the Beach?
If you are:
- Someone who wants a beach holiday at a relatively good price;
- Want flight + hotel bundled without stress of individually researching each;
- Appreciate options like paying in instalments, good filters, and choice of destinations;
Then On the Beach is probably a solid option.
But if you:
- Need total certainty from booking to arrival (e.g. no chance of last-minute cancellations or changes);
- Prefer to deal directly with hotels/airlines rather than via intermediaries;
- Are very sensitive to hidden fees or want full transparency from the get-go;
Then you’ll want to read reviews carefully, check the terms, and maybe compare with other travel sites or even traditional tour operators.
Conclusion
On the Beach is a good example of how online travel agencies have evolved: blending tech, choice, and flexibility to meet modern traveller expectations. Their strength lies in making beach holidays accessible and easier to manage. But, as with any travel business, there are trade-offs. Knowing what you want, reading the small print, and being aware of the risks can help you pick the right holiday — whether with On the Beach or elsewhere.
