Budget carrier Ryanair will start operating flights to Malaga from Teesside airport in summer 2025.
The airport said a service to the resort on the Costa del Sol has been the most requested by its passengers.
Furthermore, the new route delivers an election pledge made by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen (pictured) to bring flights from the airport to the resort.
Twice-weekly flights with Ryanair will start on March 31 and run until late October, operating on Mondays and Thursday. Bookings will open “imminently”, said the airport.
Mayor Houchen said: “The people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have been asking for more sunshine destinations, and we’ve delivered exactly that with Ryanair’s fantastic support.
“This is a huge win for our airport and our region, but we’re not stopping here. Our goal is to keep growing, breaking records and getting more holiday flights for local people.”
The airport said in a statement: “The announcement follows another successful summer for Ryanair at Teesside, where routes to holiday hotspots including Majorca, Faro and Corfu have seen booming demand.”
Ryanair has extended its 2024 Corfu flights, adding additional outbound trips in October, and it continues to maintain its year-round service to Alicante.
Phil Forster, the airport’s managing director, said: “Behind the scenes, we’ve been working to get Teesside airport’s name out there at major industry events, and all our staff have played their part in keeping our swift turnaround on track.”
The announcement comes after the airport recently reported its first profit since its return to public ownership.
“The move back into the black has been driven by rising demand, with the airport enjoying its highest passenger numbers in more than a decade for the second year running this summer,” said the airport statement.
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