A host of recently announced routes will connect the UK to new destinations in Europe and beyond
There’s nothing like the feeling of stepping off an aircraft somewhere new. That excitement isn’t limited to clients – there’s a buzz in the trade when an airline launches a route to a previously unserved airport or connects a new part of the UK to a popular destination.
The coming year will see a glut of new routes take off from the UK, plus a new Jet2.com base at Bournemouth airport. Alan Cross, director of travel agent relationships at Jet2holidays, says: “Bournemouth will become Jet2.com’s 12th UK airport base in February 2025, giving customers a choice of 16 European destinations from the south coast.” To get ahead of the curve, explore our selection of exciting new flights set to launch soon.
1. Tbilisi
Hunting for an off-the-beaten-track city break? Tbilisi, on the banks of Georgia’s Kura river, is packed with medieval Orthodox churches, a fortress and even a Disney-esque Old Town. Foodies will love hearty Georgian stews and khachapuri flatbread, while wine connoisseurs will find plenty to tease their palate in Georgia’s viticulture.
Plus, wellness fans can wind down the old-fashioned way in opulent sulphur baths. Direct flights to Georgia stopped during the pandemic, but in September easyJet and British Airways announced flights from London to Tbilisi from next spring. BA’s four-times-weekly flight begins on March 30, 2025, with easyJet’s twice-weekly service taking off on April 1.
Book it: British Airways flies from Heathrow to Tbilisi from £275 return, while easyJet flies from Luton from £158 return.
ba.com; easyjet.com
2. Jerez
Brits just can’t get enough of Spain, and Jet2’s debut of three flights to Jerez from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester will make holidays on the sandy shores of the Costa de la Luz even more tempting. Jerez is currently only served from Gatwick and Stansted.
Besides walking, cycling and swimming at Algarve-like Atlantic beaches, clients could start or end their holiday in Jerez city, tasting the region’s reputed sherry on cobbled streets and watching Andalusian horse dressage. The new Jet2 routes start in May 2025 – just in time for the Feria de Jerez festival from May 17-24.
Book it: Jet2holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Alegria Costa Ballena Aquafun for £719 per person, based on two adults and one child sharing. Includes baggage, transfers and flights departing Birmingham on May 2, 2025.
jet2holidays.com
3. Nashville
Music City has plenty to offer visitors – even if they’re not devoted fans of country music. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the US, Nashville has fascinating art galleries, Civil Rights-era history, scrumptious fried chicken, Tennessee whiskey tastings and Southern hospitality in spades. Non-stop British Airways flights from London to Nashville relaunched in 2022.
But from next April, Aer Lingus will connect travellers from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Southampton with the city via one seamless stop in Dublin. Ireland is the only country in the world where passengers can pre-clear US customs before take-off, so travellers will get to start their adventure in Nashville almost immediately after landing.
Book it: Return flights to Nashville start from £599, with services four times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, from April 12, 2025.
aerlingus.com
4. Djerba
Tunisia is experiencing a tourism renaissance right now, with new hotels including the Radisson Hotel Tunis City Center and a five-star Iberostar property on Djerba’s northeastern coastline, Eolia Djerba.
And, with plenty of sunny weather and temperatures in the teens, winter is a perfect time to explore Tunisia’s whitewashed lanes, towering mosques and rainbow of souks.
This November, easyJet launched flights to the isle of Djerba from Luton and Manchester – the first direct service from the UK. Djerba is North Africa’s largest island and, as of 2023, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Hiking between historic villages and stopping for delicious harissa-based dishes in little cafes is highly recommended, but it’s not just for lovers of tradition: Djerbahood is an open-air gallery of street art, while in the evenings, relaxing resort-side with a stunning beach sunset never gets old.
Book it: EasyJet flights from Luton to Djerba start from £58 return.
easyjet.com
5. Dubai
The city of Dubai offers a fantastic winter sun getaway, plus a raft of new openings and attractions – Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, due to open at the end of the year, and Real Madrid World – provide novel experiences in this well-trodden destination. If Dubai’s desert dunes and year-round sunshine provide an appealing contrast to Scotland, there’s good news: as of November 4, Scottish travellers can fly direct to Dubai from Edinburgh. Emirates relaunched the popular route, which was introduced in 2018 but axed during the pandemic.
The flight from Scotland’s busiest airport will complement the existing Emirates service from Glasgow, providing even more connections to Asia, Oceania and beyond. Departing Edinburgh daily at 8.40pm, each flight will be on one of Emirates’ new Airbus A350s.
Book it: Prices start from £595 return.
emirates.com
6. Norway
Snow-covered mountains, bluer-than-blue fjords and the chance to see the northern lights: Narvik in northern Norway is a gateway to the country’s majestic Arctic. It’s now easier than ever to get there as Norwegian launched the first direct flight from Gatwick on November 2.
Narvik is the nearest airport to the Lofoten Islands, where craggy peaks and adorable fishing villages make for ideal hiking territory – it’s surprisingly mild year-round, so clients can take advantage of midnight sunshine in summer or enjoy ice-free whale-watching trips in winter. Narvikfjellet, Norway’s largest ski area, is accessed via a cable car just outside the city centre and has slopes to suit all level of skier.
Book it: Flights cost from £50 one-way.
norwegian.com
7. Toronto
Virgin Atlantic is set to expand with three new destinations next spring, including a daily service to Toronto, its first foray to Canada in a decade, along with Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Accra in Ghana.
As well as bucket-list attractions from the CN Tower and bohemian Kensington Market to nearby Niagara Falls and Toronto Islands, the cosmopolitan Canadian city is currently experiencing rapid growth in its hospitality scene, with hotly anticipated newcomers including the Nobu Hotel Toronto and an 800-seat ‘MediterrAsian’ fusion restaurant in Toronto’s waterfront, both opening next spring.
Plus, a new theatrical simulator, Flyover, is set to take visitors on a virtual journey across Canada’s epic landscapes from next year.
Book it: Return fares cost from £319.
virginatlantic.com
Best of the rest… new flight routes
Tromsø, Norway
In July, easyJet announced 60 new routes for winter 2024-25. Tromsø, with northern lights-watching opportunities and winter sports, is a new destination for the airline, with routes from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol. All three will be served with twice-weekly flights, with the Bristol route the last to launch on December 5. Return fares start from £49.
Chisinau, Moldova
The Moldovan capital will gain its first UK regional link on December 17 when FlyOne launches twice-weekly flights from Manchester. The new route connects travellers with the underrated vineyards and lively music scene of the eastern European country. Return fares from €70.
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a growing tourist hotspot in West Africa, with Caribbean-style beaches and rainforest national parks. Starting on December 2, Air Sierra Leone will fly three times a week from Gatwick to Freetown – the only direct route to and from the country. Fares from £770 return.
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Kadagan, trabantos, Photo Spirit, KatarzynaZakowska; Visit Norway/Frithjof Fure
