As January trundles on (and on), it feels like years since the last proper bit of sun – and so, with that in mind, you might already be planning your next European getaway.
It’s good news for London Stansted Airport in 2025, as it’s set to launch a whopping eight new routes this year across various airlines, spanning from oh-so-cool Rotterdam in the Netherlands to mountainous Bergen in Norway, and sunny Pula in Croatia.
In 2024, the airport celebrated its busiest year ever, welcoming a record 29.76 million passengers – a substantial increase on the previous record of 28.14 million in 2019.
Stansted is also set to get a cash injection of £1,100,000,000, £600,000,000 of which will be used to expand the airport’s existing terminal.
Just one year after it marked an exciting comeback to the airport, British Airways is introducing a service connecting London to Bergerac in southwestern France, a city in the Dordogne region famous both for its vineyards and architecture.
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From April, passengers will have yet another connection on top of the Eurostar to Rotterdam, an alternative to Amsterdam similarly known for its canals, buzzing nightlife, and innovative architecture. This one’s running through brand new airline Transavia.
Perfect for a spot of sun, Londoners will also now be able to fly from Stansted to Kayseri from July onwards with SunExpress, while Jet2 is launching direct routes to Pula in Croatia and Bergen in Norway in May.
And if you’re in search of a bargain, Ryanair will be running routes to Lübeck and Münster in Germany, as well as Clermont-Ferrand, a French university city in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes just shy of two hours west of Lyon.
‘We’re really excited about these new routes – they’re all about giving our passengers even more choice for their travels,‘ Simon Gorrighan, Stansted’s aviation director shares.
‘Whether it’s unwinding in the vineyards of Bergerac, soaking up the buzz of Rotterdam’s cultural scene, or exploring the stunning landscapes of Cappadocia, there’s truly something for everyone.
‘London Stansted serves more European destinations than any other UK airport, and these new services will further strengthen our route network, which now covers almost 200 destinations across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.’
While Stansted ramps things up, Ryanair is similarly making huge changes to its 2025 schedule – but it’s not good news for the more than 17 million Brits who love holidaying in Spain.
Due to ‘unjustified’ price hikes, the airline will be scrapping or reducing routes to seven Spanish destinations.
It’ll be stopping all flights to and from Jerez (Cádiz) and Vallodolid, and reduce flights in and out of Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Zaragoza, Santander, and Asturias.
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The decision means 800,000 customers have had their flights cancelled completely, equating to an 18% reduction in Ryanair’s operations.
CEO Eddie Wilson said in a statement that the change in schedule came down to Aena, Spain’s state-controlled airport operator, issuing ‘unjustified’ price hike in airport charges.
Airport charges are the fees that airlines pay to use the airport’s facilities. Aena had initially scaled back their charges during the pandemic, but Ryanair says they’ve been increasing since.
All the new routes launching from London Stansted in 2025
Bergerac, France – British Airways
Rotterdam, Netherlands – Transavia
Kayseri, Turkey – SunExpress
Pula, Croatia – Jet2
Bergen, Norway – Jet2
Lübeck, Germany – Ryanair
Clermont-Ferrand, France – Ryanair
Münster, Germany – Ryanair.
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