Londoners dreaming of swapping grey winter skies for sunshine, fresh Alpine powder or the scent of mulled wine at a Christmas market have just been handed far more choice. Jet2 has unveiled its largest-ever winter programme for 2026/27, headlined by 13 brand-new routes from Gatwick Airport.
The expansion marks the airline’s first full winter season at Gatwick, where it only began operating earlier this year. Bosses say the new routes are a direct response to strong demand from holidaymakers and independent travel agents for every kind of winter getaway.
Winter sun from Gatwick
For those chasing warmth, the new schedule adds Agadir in Morocco plus Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada in Egypt, alongside Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira. All four stay mild through the coldest months, making them reliable bets for a midwinter escape. Egypt’s Red Sea resorts have long been a favourite with British travellers seeking guaranteed sunshine without a long-haul flight, while Morocco’s Atlantic coast has been steadily winning over winter-sun seekers in recent years.
City breaks and Christmas markets
Travellers after a festive short break can now fly direct to Vienna, Tallinn, Cologne and Gdansk — four cities whose Christmas markets and old-town squares draw huge crowds each December. Vienna’s imperial architecture under snow, Tallinn’s medieval old town and the riverside markets of Cologne are among Europe’s most atmospheric winter destinations.
Ski gateways
Skiers and snowboarders get five new Alpine gateways: Grenoble and Chambery in France, Geneva in Switzerland, Turin in Italy and Salzburg in Austria. Between them they open up easy transfers to many of Europe’s best-known ski areas, from the French Three Valleys to resorts across the Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps.
The full list of new Gatwick routes is: Agadir, Funchal, Tallinn, Vienna, Cologne, Gdansk, Grenoble, Turin, Geneva, Salzburg, Chambery, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.
A big bet on Gatwick
The move underlines how quickly Jet2 has grown at Gatwick since touching down earlier this year. The Sussex airport is London’s main leisure gateway, serving millions of holidaymakers from the capital and the south east each year, and competition for winter sun and ski routes there is fierce.
Travellers heading to the airport should allow plenty of time for the journey — disruption has previously hit Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express services around the airport, so it is worth checking rail services before you travel.
34 new routes across the UK
The Gatwick additions form part of a UK-wide expansion, with 34 new winter routes going on sale and 6.3 million seats available to 42 destinations. Birmingham gains flights to Copenhagen, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, Bristol adds Cologne, and East Midlands passengers can now reach Agadir, Gdansk, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. Edinburgh gets a new Strasbourg route, Glasgow gains Hurghada, and Leeds Bradford adds Tallinn, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.
Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy said the airline was seeing strong demand “for all kinds of winter holidays”, adding that the expanded programme gives customers “more choice and flexibility than ever before”.
Booking notes
The new Jet2 Gatwick winter routes are on sale now. As with any winter getaway, booking early tends to pay off for the most popular dates — particularly the run-up to Christmas, when city-break demand peaks. Travellers should compare flight-only fares with package options, which can work out better value once transfers and baggage are factored in, and make sure travel insurance covers winter sports if heading to the slopes. It is also worth checking passport validity well ahead of travel, as EU destinations require passports to meet post-Brexit validity rules.
And for those who would rather embrace winter at home, the capital has plenty to offer too — with winter gig season taking over the O2, and one Heathrow lounge recently ranked among the world’s best independent airport lounges for anyone jetting off elsewhere.
