Danes book autumn holidays in record numbers as Spies expands charter capacity

Danes book autumn holidays in record numbers as Spies expands charter capacity

Booking figures for the Danish autumn school holiday point to another record year for Spies, Denmark’s largest travel agency. The company is increasing capacity for week 42, sending 49 charter flights from Denmark in just five days. Charter flight capacity is up 20 percent compared with last year, and six out of ten trips are already sold.

Capacity up sharply as demand grows

Summer officially ends tomorrow, but Danes are far from done with sun and warmth. Bookings for the autumn holiday abroad are coming in strongly at Spies, which expects record numbers of charter guests in week 42 and has expanded flight capacity by 20 percent compared with last year.

Spies now has 10,000 charter seats available for the autumn school holiday, up from 8,000 last year. From Thursday 8 October to Monday 12 October, 49 charter flights carrying Spies guests will depart from Denmark.

Despite the significantly larger capacity, six out of ten charter trips for the autumn holiday have already been sold. Spies communications director Sofie Folden Lund notes that 49 charter flights in five days shows how large a travel week the autumn holiday has become, with many Danes booking their next trip almost as soon as they return from summer holiday, particularly those who did not travel south during the school summer break.

Heading for another record year

Last year Spies set a historic record in October, selling all 22,000 charter seats during the month. Early booking figures suggest this year’s autumn holiday could again reach record levels. Beyond charter guests, Spies expects to send around 1,500 guests on package trips using scheduled flights, to cities as well as destinations such as Mauritius.

The travel operator expects total revenue of more than 100 million kroner on trips around the autumn holiday.

Folden Lund says last year’s record gave the company confidence to expand further this year, and with charter capacity up 20 percent alongside stronger sales than at the same point last year, week 42 has become one of the biggest travel weeks of the year.

One last taste of summer

Sun and warmth remain the main draw for Danish travellers heading south. Cyprus, Rhodes and Gran Canaria are currently the three most booked charter destinations at Spies for the autumn holiday. Where the autumn break was once a quiet pause at home for many, week 42 has increasingly become a genuine holiday week, with October still offering summer temperatures at several popular destinations.

Folden Lund describes the autumn holiday as Danes’ last real chance for a taste of summer before winter sets in properly, no longer just a short break in the calendar but an established holiday week alongside the winter and summer breaks. For families with children, it also represents the last realistic chance for a full week away together before Christmas, a trend clearly reflected in demand.

The most popular charter destinations among Danes for the autumn holiday right now:

• Cyprus
• Rhodes
• Crete
• Gran Canaria
• Mallorca

Fuel efficient aircraft and renewable energy at hotels

The high number of departures also means a busy period for Spies’ own airline, Sunclass Airlines, which operates 42 of the 49 charter flights. A large share of these will be flown using the new Airbus Neo aircraft, which emit up to 22 percent less CO2 per passenger kilometre than the aircraft they replace.

Sunclass Airlines is in the process of renewing its entire fleet, with the goal of having all aircraft replaced with new Airbus Neo models by the end of 2030.

Destinations have also seen changes. Since 2025, Spies’ own concept hotels have been powered entirely by renewable energy from solar, wind and hydro sources.

Folden Lund acknowledges that the green transition of holiday travel is not complete, but says the company is investing heavily in reducing its footprint where possible, adding that sun, wind and water are already central to what makes a good holiday, so it makes sense that the same forces power the company’s own hotels.

The autumn holiday at Spies in numbers