easyJet Unveils 17 New France Routes For Winter
ID 18151702 © Brett Critchley | Dreamstime.com
easyJet will add 17 new winter routes across France, tightening links with the UK and opening fresh city-break and winter-sun options. Flagship launches include Bordeaux–Budapest (BOD–BUD), Lyon–Sharm el-Sheikh (LYS–SSH), and Paris–Luxor (LXR). The network also bolsters French Alps access and restores key UK–France connectivity. Most routes run 2–3x weekly (seasonal), with intro fares from ~€35.
UK–France links (highlights)
-
Paris – Aberdeen (ABZ) — new city pair aimed at business/VFR and weekenders.
-
Grenoble – Southend (GNB–SEN) — direct gateway to the Alps for London-south/east catchments.
-
Grenoble – Birmingham (GNB–BHX) — more midlands access to the slopes.
-
Toulouse – London Gatwick (TLS–LGW) — returning, up to 6x weekly at peak.
City-break & CEE additions
-
Bordeaux – Budapest (BOD–BUD) — culture-first city break with strong weekend demand.
-
Lyon – Priština (LYS–PRN) — diaspora/VFR-led corridor with winter season potential.
Egypt winter-sun
-
Lyon – Sharm el-Sheikh (LYS–SSH) — Red Sea leisure.
-
Paris – Luxor (LXR) — Upper Egypt culture/touring gateway.
Alps focus: how the ski flying shapes up
easyJet is leaning into Grenoble (GNB) as an Alps gateway, adding SEN and BHX while layering higher weekend frequencies when snow demand peaks. These complement existing Alps capacity (and reduce surface transfers) for UK skiers seeking direct hops to the Isère/Savoie domains.
ID 14524672 © Tommy Beattie | Dreamstime.com
Aircraft, schedules & fares
-
Equipment: Airbus A320 family (A319/A320/A321), single-class, high-utilization winter patterns.
-
Frequencies: Mostly 2–3x weekly, with selected routes (e.g., TLS–LGW) ramping to 6x weekly at peak weeks.
-
Seasonality: Core winter period with shoulder-season tapering depending on route performance.
-
Pricing: From ~€35 one-way (base fare), typical ULCC ancillaries for bags/seat selection.
Why this matters
-
White-space focus: Many of these pairs are exclusive or lightly contested, giving easyJet pricing power and schedule relevance.
-
Balanced mix: Ski + city + sun spreads weather risk and demand seasonality, improving aircraft utilization.
-
Secondary city strategy: Deeper UK regional ↔ French gateway links reduce reliance on primary hubs and tap under-served catchments.
-
Tourism stimulus: New CEE links (e.g., BOD–BUD, LYS–PRN) channel inbound city-break traffic into French regions outside Paris.
Bottom line
easyJet’s 17-route winter push in France smartly blends Alps access, culture-city breaks, and Red Sea sun, while restoring selective UK links. Expect mostly A320-family operations, 2–3x weekly patterns, and sharp entry pricing. For travelers, it’s more nonstops to the slopes, new city-pair options, and added winter-sun capacity just as the peak season hits.
