How a Viral TikTok Trend Accidentally Added 750,000 Passengers to an Airline
Jet2 did not plan to create a viral moment. There was no influencer-led campaign or social media stunt designed to dominate the TikTok platform. Instead, a long-running advertising slogan paired with a familiar pop song drifted beyond its original purpose and became part of online culture.
Over the course of six months, that unexpected exposure coincided with a measurable jump in bookings by adding roughly 750,000 passengers to the airline’s total.
How a Routine Ad Escaped Its Original Context
You likely heard the phrase “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” on TikTok, but it has been used in Jet2 advertising for years. The message, set to Jess Glynne’s 2015 song Hold My Hand, was meant to emphasize reliability and comfort. In 2025, however, TikTok users began using the audio in a very different way.
Instead of polished travel clips, the sound was paired with videos showing holiday frustrations, such as tents collapsing in high winds, hotel rooms with underwhelming views, transport delays, and other familiar mishaps. The contrast between the upbeat narration and the visuals made the format easy to follow and understand.
The joke did not depend on Jet2 itself, which helped the trend spread well beyond the airline’s customer base. Within months, the sound appeared in approximately 11.8 million social media posts and generated more than 80 billion views across platforms.
At that point, the slogan had shifted from advertising copy to a widely recognized reference.
Visibility Without Message Control
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland
For Jet2, the trend presented a challenge. The brand name was associated with numerous videos of imperfect travel experiences, many of which were unrelated to the airline. Rather than intervening, the company allowed the trend to continue organically.
Even when the tone was ironic, Jet2 remained highly visible. Among younger users in particular, the slogan became associated with summer travel more broadly.
Jess Glynne’s Hold My Hand was later named TikTok’s global Song of the Summer 2025, which further extended the campaign’s reach. By then, Jet2’s advertising audio had become part of a shared online language.
Passenger Growth That Coincided With the Trend
Jet2’s interim financial results for the first half of 2025 showed a clear rise in demand. The airline carried approximately 14.1 million passengers during those six months, an increase of 750,000 compared with the previous year.
Group revenue reached £5.34 billion, up five percent year over year. Pre-tax profits rose to £800.3 million, reflecting a one percent increase. While Jet2 did not attribute these results solely to social media exposure, the company acknowledged that the viral campaign significantly expanded brand awareness, particularly among younger travelers. The increase in passengers occurred during the same period that the audio dominated TikTok feeds.
Trend Translating Into Bookings
Image via Canva/kasto
The viral moment did not operate in isolation. Jet2’s broader strategy helped convert attention into travel plans. Average package holiday prices increased by 3 percent to £933, a relatively modest rise compared with wider inflation in the travel sector. Promotional pricing also reduced flight-only ticket yields.
Capacity expanded, too. On-sale seat availability rose by 7.7 percent year over year, with 5.5 million seats offered for the winter season. New operating bases at Bournemouth and London Luton contributed additional growth, while plans for a Gatwick base signaled confidence in sustained demand.
For travelers already considering a trip, Jet2 remained visible during the decision-making window, even when the original content was humorous or self-critical.
An Unplanned Marketing Case Study
What distinguishes Jet2’s experience is the lack of orchestration. The airline did not prompt users to remix the sound or encourage parody. The format evolved on its own, driven by audience behavior.
Marketing analysts note that this type of exposure is difficult to design intentionally. The same level of attention could have produced negative outcomes under different circumstances. In Jet2’s case, the scale of repetition worked in its favor by strengthening familiarity rather than eroding trust.
By the end of the summer season, Jet2 reported higher passenger numbers, increased revenue, and a broader customer base.