A British budget airline’s decade-old advertising jingle has unexpectedly gained popularity on TikTok this summer. The jingle has transformed Jet2 into a global phenomenon that transcends the company’s limited UK market presence. Jet2holidays, a package vacation company catering almost exclusively to British travelers, now finds its “Nothing beats a Jet2holiday” slogan and Jess Glynne’s 2015 hit “Hold My Hand” soundtrack at the center of a viral social media storm.
The unlikely trend has exploded across TikTok as creators worldwide. These social media users repurpose the infectiously upbeat tune to showcase their vacation disasters, travel mishaps, and holiday disappointments. Despite Jet2’s operations being primarily focused on flying British holidaymakers to European destinations, the catchy jingle has resonated with social media users globally. It has created a marketing windfall that many travel brands could only dream of achieving.
What started as a standard example of British online humor has evolved into an international megatrend. There are now nearly 16,000 posts (and counting) featuring the 12-second clip from the advertisement.
Why This Jet2 Unexpected Viral Moment Happened
The simplicity of Jet2’s messaging, combined with Glynne’s catchy pop beat, created the perfect formula for Gen Z remix culture. The advertisement’s straightforward voiceover, exclaiming “Nothing beats a Jet2holiday. And right now you can save £50 off per person,” has become embedded in British consciousness after years of a “non-stop onslaught,” even playing in nightclubs throughout the UK.
TikTok creators have embraced travel schadenfreude, setting their vacation fails against the cheerful Jet2 audio backdrop. Popular videos feature everything from tourists getting tossed while whitewater rafting to hotel room disappointments where travelers pull back curtains to reveal tiny windows. One viral video showing rafters flipping into water has amassed 3.7 million likes. Another post features a cruise ship passenger stuck in a waterslide, reportedly causing an emergency evacuation.
The viral phenomenon has catapulted Jet2 into global conversations despite its regional operations. For many Americans and international TikTok users, this represents their first exposure to the British travel brand.