EasyJet to end all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport in January

EasyJet has confirmed it will stop flying from Leeds Bradford Airport after 5 January, ending a 16-year presence at the Yorkshire airport. The airline said the decision followed a review of its route network and that it plans to redirect capacity toward routes with stronger customer demand.

Before the announcement, EasyJet ran six routes from Leeds Bradford. Two, to Palma and Malaga, are seasonal and were already due to end in November. A third, to Geneva, had not operated since June. Services to Barcelona, Belfast International and Paris Charles de Gaulle will continue until the January cutoff.

EasyJet's presence at the airport was modest next to competitors Jet2 and Ryanair. Jet2 has served Leeds Bradford since 2003, starting with two aircraft and growing to 65 destinations. It plans to add six new routes next year, including Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Enfidha-Hammamet, Preveza, Santorini and Tivat, and expects to base 15 aircraft there by summer 2027.

Both Jet2 and Ryanair moved quickly after the EasyJet announcement, cutting fares to attract travellers from the airport. Jet2 offered £100 off holiday bookings and a 10% discount on flights booked before the end of August. Ryanair, which serves 25 destinations from Leeds Bradford, also launched a sale, according to the report.

Separately, EasyJet opened a base earlier this year at Newcastle Airport, also in the north of England, where it now serves 22 destinations with three based aircraft.