Jet2 Opens New Base at London Gatwick With 29 Leisure Routes

Jet2 opened its newest base at London Gatwick on March 26 with an initial Tenerife service, kicking off a summer schedule that will grow to 29 leisure routes supported by six aircraft.

The expansion gives Gatwick travelers direct access to popular Mediterranean and Canary Islands destinations that previously required connections or competing carriers. Routes include Mallorca, Crete, Algarve, Dalaman, and Antalya among others.

Jet2 has positioned itself as a leisure specialist, bundling flights with hotel packages and offering 22-kilogram baggage allowances included in the base fare — a contrast to Ryanair and easyJet, which charge extra for checked bags.

The Gatwick launch follows strong demand at Jet2's existing UK bases in Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. The carrier reported record passenger numbers through the winter season.

For London-area travelers, the new base adds competition on routes where easyJet and British Airways currently dominate, potentially putting downward pressure on summer fares to southern Europe.