UK airport gets 7 new routes connecting Britons to vibrant cities, white sandy beaches and more top tourist spots

The new services come from a number of popular carriers, including easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and SunExpress, giving holidaymakers plenty of options.

And there is more to come in 2026 - the airport says additional routes are expected to be announced throughout the year.

Some new highlights include:

Montpellier: easyJet launches flights on March 30. This southern French gem sits near coastal spots like Palavas-les-Flots and Sète, perfect for water sports fans and seafood lovers.
Preveza: easyJet starts flying on June 24 to this Greek mainland gateway for Lefkada, now rivalling Corfu for stunning beaches and Venetian charm.
La Palma: Jet2.com begins services on April 3 to this quieter Canary Island, ideal for nature enthusiasts looking for volcanic landscapes and black sand beaches.
Palermo: Jet2.com's first-ever direct Sicily service kicks off on May 1, offering UNESCO-listed Old Town streets and must-visit beaches nearby.
Samos: From May 5, Jet2.com exclusively connects Manchester to this Instagram-famous Greek island known for honey, cheese and Muscat wine.
Castellon: Ryanair starts on June 1, opening up Spain's hidden Costa del Azahar - the birthplace of paella.
Bodrum: SunExpress joins the Turkish Riviera action from May 4.

The airport recorded its busiest year ever in 2025 when passenger numbers reaching new highs every month, and bosses expect even more flights and destinations this year.

Manchester already boasts a route network that's unmatched outside London, connecting travellers to over 200 destinations through 50 different airlines.

The infrastructure is also undergoing a major upgrade – a decade-long, £ 1.3 billion transformation of Terminal 2 is just weeks away from completion. Work has also begun for improvements to Terminal 1.

Last year saw long-haul additions, including Norse flights to Bangkok, IndiGo services to Mumbai and Delhi, and PIA connections to Islamabad.

Manchester Airport managing director, Chris Woodroofe, said: "We're proud to connect the North with more destinations than any of our competitors, and to also offer more frequent flights to well-established holiday favourites, giving passengers flexibility and choice when booking their next trip. Our route network is unrivalled, with more than 200 destinations across the planet, but we're not content to stop there.

"We have a list here of what we refer to as our biggest unserved destinations, that's the destinations that we don't have direct flights to but have the greatest demand, demonstrated by people from the region travelling to them either on connecting flights or from other airports.

"Those destinations are always our priority. At the start of last year, the biggest names on that list were Bangkok, Delhi, Mumbai and Islamabad and we've now launched flights to all of those. This year we'll carry on through the list."