easyJet has reopened its base at Newcastle Airport (NCL), more than five years after it left England’s most northerly major international airport amid COVID-era cuts. Its three-aircraft base is set to support 1,200 jobs and create 140 direct jobs for pilots and cabin crew, while also more than doubling its number of destinations from the site, the low-cost British airline said.

CEO Kenton Jarvis said existing crews were “delighted to be coming home,” adding that he did not think the company had lost the trust of potential employees in the region after closing the site in 2020. “That [site closure] happened in the pandemic and a lot of airlines had to make a lot of tough choices in the pandemic,” he said. While easyJet flights have been calling at Newcastle International over the past six years, basing the three Airbus A320 jets at the site will result in more flights at more times of day.

New routes included Antalya in Turkey, Corfu, Malta, Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt and Tenerife. This marks a continued trajectory of UK growth for the budget airline, as it opens a third base in as many years, following the launch of bases at Birmingham International (BHX) in 2024 and London Southend (SEN) in 2025.

Mr Jarvis added: “Through our expanding fleet, unrivalled short-haul network and unique easyJet holidays offering, we are continuing to capture the opportunities we see in the UK and reinforce our position as the largest UK airline, ensuring travel remains easy, accessible and affordable for more people.”

Following the official opening of its new three-aircraft base at Newcastle, easyJet has expanded its network to a total of 22 destinations. This expansion includes 14 new routes, significantly boosting connectivity to Europe and North Africa. The airline is now operating up to 86 flights a week from Newcastle – a 85% increased compared to last summer and provides over 800,000 seats for holidaymakers.

New destinations according to JLMTravel:

1. Antalya, Turkey
2. Corfu, Greece
3. Dalaman, Turkey
4. Enfidha, Tunisia
5. Faro, Portugal
6. Lisbon, Portugal
7. Malta
8. Nice, France
9. Prague, Czech Republic
10. Reus, Spain
11. Rhodes, Greece
12. Rome Fiumicino, Italy
13. Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
14. Tenerife, Canary Islands

Existing destinations:

1. Alicante, Spain
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
3. Belfast International, UK
4. Bristol, UK
5. Geneva, Switzerland
6. Malaga, Spain
7. Palma de Mallorca, Spain
8. Paris Charles de Gaulle, France

While most of these are flying now, a few specific routes, including Lisbon, Sharm El Sheikh and Tenerife, are scheduled to start their first flights later this summer.