UK Carrier Broadens European Coverage Across Eight Airports
LEEDS — Jet2 is expanding its European leisure network for the summer 2027 season, adding 17 new routes across its UK base network as competition intensifies in the short-haul holiday travel market.
The Leeds-based airline said the expansion includes the resumption of three previously suspended routes alongside 14 entirely new services linking UK airports with destinations in France, Spain, Greece, Croatia and the Channel Islands.
The new schedule will operate from eight UK airports — Birmingham, Manchester, London Stansted, London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Bristol, East Midlands and Bournemouth — strengthening the airline’s presence in key outbound leisure markets ahead of the 2027 summer season.
Industry publication Aeroroutes first reported the network additions.
Focus on Mediterranean Leisure Markets
Jet2’s latest expansion underscores sustained demand among UK travelers for Mediterranean holiday destinations, particularly in Greece, where the carrier is increasing its footprint with several new direct services.
Kavala, located in northern Greece, will receive new connections from Birmingham, Manchester and London Stansted, while additional Greek destinations including Chania on Crete, Skiathos and Mytilene on the island of Lesbos are also being added to the network.
The airline is also increasing access to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Jersey, both of which will receive services from multiple UK gateways under the new schedule.
Jet2 continues to position itself aggressively in the UK package holiday and leisure aviation market, where airlines have been adding capacity to capitalize on resilient demand for European summer travel despite broader economic uncertainty.
Birmingham and Manchester Gain Multiple New Services
Birmingham Expansion
Birmingham Airport will receive three new Jet2 routes for summer 2027. The airline will restart flights to Bergerac in southwestern France on May 22, 2027, marking the return of a service last operated in September 2023. The route will operate once weekly using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Flights between Birmingham and Jersey will begin on May 2, 2027, initially operating twice weekly before increasing to three weekly services later that month. A new weekly service to Kavala will launch on May 12, 2027.
Manchester Additions
Manchester Airport, one of Jet2’s largest operational bases, will gain four new routes under the expansion plan. The carrier will resume Bergerac services on May 22, 2027, while Jersey flights will begin on May 2, 2027.
A new Kavala service will launch on May 11, 2027, initially operating once weekly before increasing to twice weekly later in the month. Jet2 will also begin four-times-weekly service between Manchester and Paris Charles de Gaulle starting March 25, 2027.
London Airports See New Continental Links
Stansted Growth
London Stansted Airport will receive three new destinations in the summer schedule. Jet2 plans to launch flights to Almeria in Spain on May 1, 2027, beginning with weekly operations before increasing to twice-weekly service.
The airline will also add a weekly Kavala route and introduce four weekly flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle beginning April 30, 2027.
Gatwick Service
London Gatwick will receive a new direct connection to Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos. The weekly route is scheduled to begin on May 2, 2027, using Airbus A321neo aircraft.
Edinburgh, Bristol and Regional Airports Included
Edinburgh Airport is set to gain three new leisure destinations, including Chania in Crete, Croatia’s coastal city of Pula and the return of Skiathos service, which was last operated in 2023.
Bournemouth will receive a new weekly route to Reus in Spain, while Bristol gains a Jersey connection beginning in May 2027. East Midlands Airport will add twice-weekly flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle starting March 26, 2027.
Fleet Strategy Supports Expansion
Jet2 said the new routes will be operated using a combination of Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A321neo aircraft. The Boeing narrowbody fleet will handle the majority of the new short- and medium-haul routes, while the higher-capacity A321neo will be deployed on selected services including Edinburgh–Pula, Edinburgh–Skiathos and London Gatwick–Mytilene.
The airline’s use of the Airbus A321neo aligns with its broader fleet modernization strategy, aimed at improving fuel efficiency and increasing passenger capacity on high-demand leisure routes.
