Liverpool Airport Launch
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays celebrate first flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays celebrated a major milestone in their continued growth and success story with customers this morning (Thursday 28th March), as the leading leisure airline and tour operator waved off their first ever flight from their 11th UK base airport - Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
It comes just days after the leading leisure airline and UK’s largest tour operator announced that they are expanding their UK footprint even further – by launching award-winning flights and holidays from Bournemouth Airport - which will become their 12th UK base airport.
The full flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport departed to Tenerife, signalling the start of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays operating award-winning flights and package holidays from the airport. This inaugural flight was followed by another full flight, to Lanzarote, with holidaymakers jetting off to the popular sunshine destination for the Easter holidays.
There were celebrations in the air at the airport for the first day of flying, as 100s of holidaymakers were treated to a VIP customer experience, including a red-carpet welcome and personalised gifts. As customers waited to board the first flight, a Beatles tribute band called The Beatles for Sale entertained them at an exclusive launch event, one lucky customer received a seven-night family holiday to Tenerife, and the first ten holidaymakers to check-in at the airport were surprised with a pair of Jet2.com flight vouchers.
The official arrival of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays in Liverpool further expands the companies’ UK footprint and means holidaymakers and independent travel agents in Merseyside and the surrounding region can now benefit from the Which? Travel Brand of the Year offering flights and ATOL protected package holidays from their local airport.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have a total of 20 sunshine destinations on sale for Summer 24 from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with a fleet of four based aircraft flying customers to a wide choice of destinations across Mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal, Madeira and Cyprus (full list of destinations below). The flying programme includes six destinations that are exclusive to Jet2.com and Jet2holidays from Liverpool John Lennon Airport - Gran Canaria, Menorca, Rhodes, Zante, Madeira and Bourgas (Bulgaria).
This is a significant programme for the companies’ first summer of operations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, representing 565,000 seats on sale and up to 54 weekly flights during peak periods. With multiple weekly flights to many destinations, it means that customers can enjoy fantastic choice and flexibility when it comes to their next holiday.
Since putting flights and holidays on sale from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the companies have reported phenomenal demand from customers and independent travel agents. As a result, the airline and tour operator have already added more routes and aircraft to their programme for Summer 25. This means an even bigger programme of flights and holidays for next summer, with three brand-new destinations (Malaga, Malta and Reus) and over 730,000 seats on sale, representing a capacity increase of over 28% compared to Summer 24. An additional aircraft will come into operation to support this growth, meaning a fleet of five-based aircraft.
The companies have also recently announced the launch of their first ever Jet2.com and Jet2CityBreaks Christmas Markets programme from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Flights and city breaks are now on sale from the airport to Krakow and Prague for Winter 24/25, meaning the companies have a total of ten winter destinations on sale for their first winter of operations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
The start of operations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport follows the recent launch of the companies’ 12th UK base airport – Bournemouth Airport. On Tuesday, the UK’s largest tour operator and third largest airline announced that they would be expanding their operations once again by putting flights and holidays on sale to 16 destinations across Europe, the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean from Bournemouth Airport for Summer 25. Based on the years of demand for Jet2 to start operations from Bournemouth Airport, this latest expansion has resulted in tremendous feedback from both customers and independent travel agents.
In addition to booking and travelling on award-winning flights and ATOL protected holidays to this huge range of destinations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, customers in Merseyside and the surrounding region can experience and enjoy the VIP customer service which has seen Jet2.com and Jet2holidays continually grow its business whilst repeatedly winning high-profile accolades. These include Which? Travel Brand of the Year, Which? Recommended Provider status and being recognised as the Best Airline and Best Tour Operator according to the Institute of Customer Service.
These customer service accolades complement those of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which in recent years has been voted the Which? Best UK Airport as well as Which? Recommended Provider and commended for its high levels of customer service, with travellers able to take advantage of the Airport’s faster, easier and friendlier passenger experience.
The Jet2 VIP customer service includes friendly flight times and a generous 22kg baggage allowance through a flight-only booking with Jet2.com. Customers also get that very same VIP customer service along with 2-5 star accommodation, in-resort Customer Helpers, transfers, Free Child Place Holidays and ATOL protection through a package holiday booked with the UK’s largest tour operator, Jet2holidays.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ arrival at Liverpool John Lennon Airport has resulted in significant investment for the region too, with more than 250 new jobs created across flight deck and cabin crew, engineering, and ground operations.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “We have got off to a flying start in every sense at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and we are delighted to see our first flights take off today from our 11th UK base airport. Since announcing the launch our award-winning flights and ATOL protected package holidays from Liverpool, our absolute focus has been on ensuring everything is ready to launch operations so we can showcase our award-winning product to customers across the region.
“The reaction we have received from customers and independent travel agents since going on sale from Liverpool has been truly phenomenal, and we look forward to continuing to enjoy enormous success and growth at our newest airport. We have built up a strong reputation for leading the industry when it comes to looking after customers, and from today holidaymakers across the region can experience our family friendly ethos, great value package holidays and award-winning customer service. Our formula is proven, and we are very excited to be bringing this to our new customers at Liverpool John Lennon.
“Just days ago, we announced Bournemouth Airport as our 12th UK base airport. This significant expansion, along with our inaugural flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, shows that we have every confidence in our award-winning product.”
John Irving, CEO Liverpool John Lennon Airport, commented: “Today is an important milestone in the airport’s history as we welcome the first of many passengers jetting off on Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ departures from Liverpool this summer.
“Following the announcement last May that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays had chosen Liverpool to become their newest UK departure airport, a lot of work has been going on to make sure that our passengers continue to enjoy our award winning Faster Easier Friendlier airport experience and we look forward to welcoming thousands of Jet2 customers over the coming months.
“Customers and travel agents from across the region have been asking to see Jet2.com and Jet2holidays commence flights from Liverpool for some time, so it’s great to see the first passengers jet off from here today, with exciting further growth planned, following more recent commitments for their winter and summer 2025 holiday programmes. Today marks the start of what I am sure will be a great partnership.”
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ Summer 24 Programme from Liverpool John Lennon Airport:
Mainland Spain
- Alicante – up to four weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday)
Canary Islands – highest frequency of services from Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Fuerteventura – up to two weekly services (Wednesday and Saturday)
- Gran Canaria - up to two weekly services (Tuesday and Saturday) – exclusive route
- Lanzarote – up to three weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday)
- Tenerife – up to five weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Balearic Islands
- Ibiza – up to three weekly services (Monday, Friday and Saturday)
- Majorca – up to seven weekly services (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
- Menorca – up to two weekly services (Wednesday and Sunday) - exclusive route
Portugal
- Faro – up to four weekly services (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday)
- Madeira – weekly Monday services - exclusive route
Greece
- Corfu – up to two weekly services (Monday and Friday)
- Crete (Heraklion) - up to two weekly services (Tuesday and Friday)
- Kos – weekly Friday services
- Rhodes – up to two weekly services (Monday and Thursday) – exclusive route
- Zante - weekly Wednesday services - exclusive route
Cyprus
- Paphos – weekly Wednesday services
Turkey - highest frequency of services from Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Antalya – up to four weekly services (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday)
- Dalaman – up to four weekly services (Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday)
- Bodrum - up to two weekly services (Wednesday and Sunday)
Bulgaria – exclusive from Liverpool Airport
- Bourgas – up to two weekly services (Monday and Thursday) - exclusive route