High-End Cruises And USA Trips From Teesside Airport Big Hits At Hays Travel’s Revamped Store

A top-ranking travel agent has revealed how international cities and cruise connections have been big hits from Teesside Airport via Amsterdam.

The summer season has got underway from Teesside with a bang – with the first flight to Malaga in more than a decade jetting off with Ryanair.

Majorca and Faro are now back on departure boards joining Alicante.

And our year-round flights to Amsterdam on KLM have proved to be a big hit for Hays Travel, at Teesside Park, who have put together popular cruise packages and connecting trips across the Atlantic Ocean.

Store Manager Libby Gray has more than 20 years’ experience helping thousands of Teessiders book holidays having worked at Travel Care, Thomas Cook and Hays Travel.

“Sometimes, people don’t want to travel all the way down to Manchester for a direct service to Athens,” she said.

“That’s what is making them want to go Teesside via Amsterdam on KLM.

“We’ve done a few in the past. We had a Celebrity Cruises in-store event recently, and it’s worked well for us throughout the year having that route.

“The one we did recently sailed out to Rome and back into Venice. The connections were great – and they got there before the direct Manchester flight arrived.

“And it’s from a flight on your doorstep.”

The branch is offering a cruise deal on 29 August with Celebrity Cruises at £1,699 per person for a 10-night holiday – including a one-night stay in Athens.

“For a Celebrity Cruise, which is a good high-end product, it’s great,” said Libby.

“People forget you can put these things together. People think of the package deals and Ryanair, but there’s an awful lot we can do with the routes.

“A customer can go from Teesside via Amsterdam – they’re straight through checked-in, they’ve already cleared customs, and their baggage is sorted.

“Plus, their transfer times are good as it’s so streamlined when you get there.”

The former Thomas Cook store, at Teesside Park, has seen a recent refit for its 21 staff.

The branch won the national title of Hays Travel Branch of the Year, and has been nominated as one of the top five travel agent stores in the North East for 2025.

Its interactive wall sponsored by Royal Caribbean Cruises has also been a hit with customers – and has helped sell deals from Teesside.

Libby said there’d been plenty of requests for Teesside Airport from customers.

She added: “To have an airport on your doorstep with a flight which is going to connect for them is great, as city-break flying locally has been a challenge.

“The TUI Marella cruises have been very popular too, and we plug them a lot.

“We do a lot with the whole TUI programme – and we tailor-make package with the Ryanair flights, too.

“There is call for Teesside.

“It’s great. I dropped my mam and dad off in the summer, watched the plane come over.

“It was an early flight coming home, but they’re on their doorstep and they’re back in their front room having a cup of tea in half-an-hour after arriving back.

“It’s just seamless.”

Worldwide connections from Teesside via Schiphol have also been in high demand at the Hays Travel branch.

And she revealed a key destination on their wish list.

Libby said: “New York has been popular – as has Vegas.

“We always try and have Teesside in our windows as it really invites people in – and we always tell people about Teesside as it’s a deal-breaker, a selling point and there’s always high demand.

“A Canaries route for us – maybe Tenerife – would be amazing, especially for the long stays. It would help massively.”

Phil Forster, Managing Director of Teesside Airport, added: “We’ve been working very hard to get the Airport’s name out there at major industry events – and keeping the region’s fantastic network of travel agents informed is a big part of our continued turnaround plan.

“KLM has been a dedicated and loyal partner for the airport for decades, and the links they offer worldwide from Teesside are brilliantly convenient.

“We have a great partnership with agents and operators, our summer season is ramping up and we’re working very hard to show people just how convenient we are – and attract even more routes.”

To get a great deal from Teesside, contact your local travel agent.

For more information on destinations served by Teesside, go to: Destinations – direct from Teesside Airport