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easyJet Opens New Newcastle Base and Doubles Flights to Alicante

 

London/Newcastle/Alicante / 25 March 2026

 

British airline easyJet has announced a major expansion of its UK operations with the opening of a new base at Newcastle International Airport, alongside a significant increase in flights to Spain’s Costa Blanca.

 

The new base, easyJet’s 11th in the UK, is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and support economic growth in northeast England, while also boosting capacity to popular European destinations.

 

More flights to Alicante-Elche

As part of the expansion, easyJet will double its weekly flights between Newcastle and Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, increasing from two to four services per week.

 

Flights will now operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, offering greater flexibility for both leisure travellers and the large expatriate community travelling between the UK and Spain.

The Costa Blanca remains one of the airline’s top-performing destinations, alongside Palma de Mallorca and Rhodes, reflecting continued strong demand for sunshine routes.

 

Expanded network and capacity growth

The Newcastle base will operate 86 weekly flights to 22 destinations, including key cities such as Amsterdam, Lisbon, Paris and Rome, as well as major Mediterranean holiday hotspots.

 

easyJet has confirmed it will offer around 800,000 seats from Newcastle during the summer season, marking its largest ever capacity from the airport.

 

Airline and airport response

easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said the launch represents a key milestone in the airline’s UK growth strategy:

“By strengthening connectivity in Newcastle, we are giving customers more choice of destinations while supporting jobs and economic growth in the region.”

 

Airport officials at Newcastle also welcomed the move, highlighting the creation of new jobs and the strengthening of the airport’s position as a major regional travel hub.

 

Boost for UK–Spain travel links

The increased Alicante route underlines the continued importance of UK–Spain travel corridors, particularly to the Costa Blanca, which remains one of the most popular destinations for British tourists and second-home owners.

 

Industry observers say the expansion reflects strong post-pandemic demand for leisure travel, as well as the resilience of Spain’s tourism sector.

 

Wider aviation context

The announcement comes amid broader competition among airlines to expand UK regional bases and capture demand for European travel, with carriers increasing frequencies on key sun routes ahead of the peak summer season.