Wizz Air starts 18 new routes from Gatwick today ahead of the Easter travel peak.
The expansion will see the budget carrier operate a total of 25 routes from the airport as its South Terminal reopened.
The new routes cover Bari, Bourgas, Faro, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Palma, Larnaca, Varna, Venice, Vienna, Catania, Podgorica, Tel Aviv, Chania, Mykonos and Funchal operating on either a seasonal or year-round basis.
One-way fares start at £8.99 to destinations in Italy including Bari, Milan, Naples, Palermo and Venice plus Vienna in Austria.
The carrier opened its base at Gatwick in October 2020 and is now creating 210 new direct jobs.
Wizz Air’s acquisition of 15 daily slots pairs at the airport in December means it will be basing four additional Airbus A321neo aircraft at Gatwick to give a total of five.
The airline is recruiting for cabin and flight crew at Gatwick and is hosting a series of open recruitment days in April
UK managing director Marion Geoffroy said: “Today’s route launches signify the start of an exciting new chapter for Wizz Air UK at Gatwick airport as we embark on the summer travel season.
“Through this significant expansion we are reaffirming our commitment to providing low-fare connectivity to our customers in London and the south of England – and we want them to know that Wizz is here to stay.
“The lifting of all Covid-19 travel restrictions is an extremely positive development for the travel industry and passengers alike, with customers once again being able to travel hassle-free to their favourite destinations.”
Gatwick chief commercial officer Jonathan Pollard added: “Wizz’s expansion and commitment to Gatwick marks the start of an exciting time for the airport as well as the airline, coinciding with the reopening of Gatwick’s South Terminal.
“Wizz’s growing range of destinations is excellent news for passengers across London and the south-east, providing more choice and competition to in-demand destinations.
“Importantly, it’s also fantastic news for the local economy, with more than 200 jobs created as a direct result of the new services.”