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Monarch Airlines ceased all operations on October 2, 2017, following the withdrawal of its Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL). This guide provides historical information about the airline.

Monarch Airlines was a British leisure airline headquartered in Luton, Bedfordshire. At the time of its collapse, Monarch was the UK's fifth-largest airline, operating scheduled and charter flights primarily to Mediterranean holiday destinations. The airline's failure was the largest in UK aviation history, leaving approximately 110,000 passengers stranded abroad and requiring the UK's largest peacetime repatriation operation.

Founded in 1967 by the Globus travel group, Monarch began operations with two Bristol Britannia aircraft flying package holidaymakers to destinations in Spain and Portugal. The airline grew steadily through the 1970s and 1980s, expanding its charter operations and fleet. In 1986, the Mantegazza family acquired a majority stake, and Monarch became part of the Globus Gateway group.

For its final decade, Monarch positioned itself as a hybrid carrier, offering both package holiday services through tour operators and scheduled "no-frills" services to compete with low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet. This strategic repositioning proved difficult to execute profitably in an increasingly competitive market.

The airline served over 35 destinations at its peak, primarily beach resorts around the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and Red Sea. Monarch was known for its gold-and-black livery and its positioning as an affordable alternative to flag carriers for leisure travel.