Travel City Direct
Travel City Direct was a British long-haul holiday brand specializing in direct-sell package holidays to Florida and other destinations in the United States.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Travel City Direct was a British holiday brand focused primarily on package holidays to the United States, especially Florida. It originated in 1992 when Roy Boardman, Thomas L. Jones and Trevor Wignall established a new holiday business after selling their Winston Rees Travel retail division to Going Places. The company operated from Crawley, near London Gatwick Airport, and also maintained call-centre operations in Swansea and Blackpool. Its business model combined direct telephone sales with charter or dedicated air capacity and destination arrangements, positioning the company as a specialist alternative to conventional high-street travel agencies. The brand became particularly associated with Florida holidays and Orlando travel. It was described as the United Kingdom's largest direct-sell tour operator to Florida and, during periods of strong demand, operated a substantial schedule of flights to Orlando. In its early years, Travel City Direct chartered aircraft from American Trans Air, including Lockheed L-1011 TriStars. These services used an intermediate fuel stop at Gander, Newfoundland. In 2002, the company moved its operating arrangement to European Aviation, using Boeing 747 aircraft formerly operated by British Airways. Air Atlanta Europe Boeing 747s were added in 2003, helping the company offer more than 20 weekly flights to Orlando during the summer season. The business became part of the wider XL Leisure Group after its acquisition in 2005 by Avion Group of Iceland, which also held a majority stake in XL Airways. Operational changes followed financial difficulties affecting European Aviation in 2004. Travel City Direct moved its flying to Air Atlanta Europe in March of that year and placed its livery on the aircraft used for the program. XL Airways subsequently assumed the operation of Air Atlanta Europe in 2005. The airline group operated year-round services to Orlando Sanford International Airport from Manchester and, in summer, added capacity from London Gatwick, Glasgow and Cardiff. At its peak under the XL structure, the program involved as many as 16 weekly XL Airways flights. The XL Leisure Group experienced severe financial problems in 2008. On 12 September that year, the group entered administration and ceased operations after administrators failed to secure continued funding. Travel City Direct therefore lost its operating platform. On 18 December 2008, Virgin Holidays announced that it had acquired the Travel City Direct trading name. The brand was relaunched on 5 January 2009 under Virgin Holidays' ownership. The revived version differed operationally from the XL-era business: rather than using dedicated Travel City Direct flights to Orlando Sanford, it sold places on Virgin Atlantic scheduled services to Orlando International Airport. The available reference material documents the brand's creation, airline partnerships, ownership transitions and relaunch, but does not establish its later trading status, current ownership arrangements beyond the Virgin Holidays acquisition, present website, or a definitive date of discontinuation. Accordingly, Travel City Direct is best described as a historically documented British travel brand with an uncertain current status.
History
Travel City Direct was established in 1992 by Roy Boardman, Thomas L. Jones and Trevor Wignall, members of a Swansea-based travel-business family. Its formation followed the sale of the founders' Winston Rees Travel retail division to Going Places. The new company adopted a direct-selling model and concentrated on holidays to the United States, particularly Florida. It was based in Crawley near London Gatwick Airport and operated call centres in Swansea and Blackpool. The company's early aviation arrangements used American Trans Air charter services and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar aircraft. Flights stopped at Gander, Newfoundland, for refuelling. In 2002, Travel City Direct changed its airline partner to Bournemouth-based European Aviation and used Boeing 747 aircraft that had previously been operated by British Airways. In 2003, Air Atlanta Europe Boeing 747s were added to the program. The additional aircraft helped the brand offer more than 20 weekly flights to Orlando in the summer of 2003, reflecting its strong specialization in Florida leisure travel. Financial difficulties at European Aviation led Travel City Direct to transfer all of its flying to Air Atlanta Europe in March 2004. Aircraft were presented in Travel City Direct branding. In 2005, XL Airways took over operation of Air Atlanta Europe. During this period, Travel City Direct was part of the XL Leisure Group, following Avion Group's 2005 acquisition of the Really Great Holiday Company. The group structure linked the brand with XL Airways and provided access to a larger charter and leisure-airline platform. XL Airways later operated year-round flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport from Manchester. During the summer season, services were also available from London Gatwick, Glasgow and Cardiff, using Boeing 747 aircraft owned by Air Atlanta Icelandic. The program reached as many as 16 weekly XL Airways flights. In 2006, the XL management team began a management buyout of XL Airways and Travel City Direct, funded by an Avion loan that was due to be repaid in 2008. The XL Leisure Group entered administration on 12 September 2008. Its operations shut down after administrators were unable to secure further funding. This ended the original operating form of Travel City Direct, which had relied on dedicated or closely associated charter capacity. On 18 December 2008, Virgin Holidays announced that it had bought the Travel City Direct trading name. The brand was relaunched on 5 January 2009. The Virgin Holidays version used a different operating model. Rather than recreating the earlier dedicated Travel City Direct flights into Orlando Sanford, it sold holiday packages incorporating seats on Virgin Atlantic scheduled services into Orlando International Airport. The available reference material does not provide enough information to establish the brand's subsequent performance, later corporate structure, current website or definitive closure date. Its documented history therefore ends with the post-2009 Virgin Holidays relaunch and an unresolved present status.
- 2009
The brand relaunched under Virgin Holidays
[1]Travel City Direct resumed trading on 5 January using Virgin Atlantic scheduled services to Orlando International Airport.
- 2008
XL Leisure Group collapsed
[1]The group entered administration on 12 September and Travel City Direct operations stopped.
- 2008
Virgin Holidays acquired the trading name
[1]Virgin Holidays announced its acquisition of the Travel City Direct trading name on 18 December.
- 2005
The brand entered the XL Leisure Group structure
[1]Avion Group acquired the Really Great Holiday Company, bringing Travel City Direct into the XL Leisure Group orbit.
- 2004
Flying moved to Air Atlanta Europe
[1]Following financial instability at European Aviation, Travel City Direct transferred its flying to Air Atlanta Europe in March.
- 2003
Additional Boeing 747 capacity was introduced
[1]Air Atlanta Europe aircraft were added, supporting more than 20 weekly summer flights to Orlando.
- 2002
European Aviation became the principal airline operator
[1]Travel City Direct changed its airline arrangements to European Aviation and began using former British Airways Boeing 747 aircraft.
- 1992
Travel City Direct was established
[1]Roy Boardman, Thomas L. Jones and Trevor Wignall established the business after the sale of their Winston Rees Travel retail division.
Products and positioning
A direct-sell British holiday specialist focused on affordable and convenient United States travel, with particular emphasis on Florida and Orlando. The brand differentiated itself through specialist destination expertise, telephone-based sales and substantial air capacity rather than a conventional retail travel-agency network.
Package holidays · 1992
Florida holiday packages
Travel City Direct's principal offering was direct-sold leisure travel to Florida. Packages were particularly associated with Orlando and combined air travel with holiday arrangements. During the XL era, the brand's distribution model was supported by substantial charter and dedicated flight capacity, while the Virgin Holidays relaunch used seats on scheduled Virgin Atlantic services.
Destination holidays · 1992
Orlando holiday packages
Orlando was the brand's best-documented destination and its main air-travel focus. Earlier packages used flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport, including services from Manchester and seasonal departures from London Gatwick, Glasgow and Cardiff. After the Virgin Holidays relaunch, packages used Virgin Atlantic flights into Orlando International Airport.
International package holidays · 1992
United States holiday packages
Beyond Florida, Travel City Direct was positioned as a specialist holiday company for the United States. The available source does not enumerate the full destination portfolio, so the precise range of non-Florida packages cannot be established.
Brand decisions
2009
Relaunch using Virgin Atlantic scheduled servicesStrategyBackground
Virgin Holidays revived the brand after the collapse of the previous XL Leisure Group operation.
Action taken
The relaunched brand used seats on Virgin Atlantic scheduled flights to Orlando International Airport rather than dedicated Travel City Direct flights to Orlando Sanford.
Aftermath
This represented a shift from the earlier dedicated-charter model to a scheduled-airline package model. Later brand status is not established by the available source.
2008
Acquisition of the Travel City Direct trading name by Virgin HolidaysM&ABackground
The XL Leisure Group entered administration and ceased operations in September 2008.
Action taken
Virgin Holidays acquired the Travel City Direct trading name, with the deal announced on 18 December 2008.
Aftermath
The name was separated from the failed XL operating platform and was relaunched by Virgin Holidays in January 2009.
2004
Transfer of flight operations to Air Atlanta EuropeStrategyBackground
Financial instability at European Aviation affected the brand's aviation arrangements.
Action taken
Travel City Direct moved all of its flying to Air Atlanta Europe in March 2004 and branded the aircraft in Travel City Direct livery.
Aftermath
The change maintained the brand's Florida flight program and preceded the later integration of the operation into the XL Airways structure.
Sources1 sources
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