Regional airline FlyBe will begin flying daily between Newcastle and Gatwick at the end of March when rival Jet2.com pulls off the route.
Flybe will launch the service on March 30, operating three times a day Monday to Friday and once each on Saturday and Sunday.
It will also begin flying to Aberdeen from Newcastle six days a week from March 30. Passengers booked on the Gatwick route with Leeds-based Jet2.com can transfer to Flybe at no extra cost.
Flybe has grown rapidly to become Europe’s biggest regional carrier, operating as a low-cost airline but offering business lounges and a loyalty scheme. It has promised a business lounge at Newcastle, from which it will also launch a weekly summer service to Rennes at the end of May.