Bookings to Spain, Greece and other destinations soared after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement but there is still uncertainty surrounding international travel.
ADVERTISEMENTHoliday bookings to Spain, Greece and other destinations soared Monday evening - after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced travel could restart from mid-May.
EasyJet says reservations on its flights from Britain jumped by more than 300%.
Holiday company TUI UK also reported a 500% increase on bookings - both compared to a week ago.
The airline Jet2 said its bookings had also increased by more than 600%.
There is still uncertainty over exactly how and when international routes can reopen, with many industry executives demanding a clear roadmap for the overall aviation industry to get things moving again.
UK holidaymakers will know more on 12 April, when the government publishes a travel review. It has said that a lockdown ban on most international travel will stay until at least May 17.
However, airlines have said they will need notice to plan summer schedules - a process which takes months.
Britain’s route back to normality is being helped by the rapid progress it is making with its vaccine plan. Over 17.7 million people have already had a first dose of the jab. The government is also considering options for vaccine passports.
However, slower vaccine programmes across Europe could still scupper the recovery in cross-border tourism this summer.
Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director at World Travel Market in London, talked to Euronews about whether such early bookings are risky - and whether airlines are providing new guarantees.
Watch the full interview in the above player.