easyJet announces base at Newcastle Airport from Spring 2026

• Three aircraft UK base will open next March supporting 1200* jobs and providing more low fares and choice for customers in the North East 
• The move supports easyJet’s continued trajectory of UK growth following recent base openings in London Southend and Birmingham and growth of UK fleet 
• Research from the airline this month suggests holidays are increasing in importance for consumers with 88% of Brits prioritising travel abroad in household budgets 

The base opening will enable easyJet to expand its network from Newcastle and serve an extensive catchment area across the North of England and Southern Scotland, helping to support vital UK connectivity outside of London.

easyJet already offers flights and holidays on eight routes from Newcastle to popular beach and city destinations Alicante, Amsterdam, Geneva, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Bristol and Belfast, and a range of new routes and package holidays for next summer are set to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The opening of an 11th UK base is part of easyJet’s strategy to take advantage of key growth opportunities across its network. The additional base strengthens easyJet’s network by enabling the airline to further grow its share of the UK leisure market and drive easyJet holidays’ rapid growth.

The move signals a continued trajectory of growth in the UK for the airline, having already launched a base at London Southend in March and at Birmingham International Airport last year. In addition to this, seven additional aircraft have joined its UK fleet this summer.

The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 56% of all easyJet customers flying to and from UK airports. The airline is set to operate its biggest ever UK flying programme this summer with over 33 million seats – half a million more than last year – and 44 new routes including three new network points, fuelled by strong demand for easyJet’s flights and package holidays.

Nick Jones, Chief Executive at Newcastle Airport, said:

“It is fantastic that easyJet has chosen to open a new base at Newcastle Airport in spring 2026 following such strong demand for flights and package holidays from our passengers.

"This investment will not only offer greater connectivity with the launch of new routes, but it will also deliver hundreds of thousands of additional low-cost seats and package holidays for our passengers; a significant boost to the local economy by creating high-quality jobs and attract more inbound visitors to the region. 

“We already know the Airport is a key economic driver for the North East, contributing more than £1 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) each year.

“The new base will further strengthen our long-standing partnership with easyJet and we’re excited about the opportunities it will bring to the Airport and the wider region.”

Aviation Minister Mike Kane, said: 

“This is fantastic news for the North East and Newcastle Airport, as one of our important regional airports – not only will it provide good jobs for local people and help boost the economy, it also means families will have more holiday destinations to choose from. 

“This is exactly the kind of growth we want to see in the sector, so that the UK becomes one of the best places in the world to fly, and we will continue to support industry to make this happen.”