easyJet (U2) has announced three new routes from the UK for winter 2026, headlined by the airline’s first-ever direct service between the UK and Kosovo. The low-cost carrier will fly from London Luton Airport (LTN) to Pristina, alongside new routes from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Strasbourg in France and between Belfast International Airport (BFS) and Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ).
The announcement was made on 23 July 2026 through easyJet’s official press release, with all three routes now open for booking on the airline’s website and app. The launch expands the carrier’s regional UK network ahead of the winter season, with fares starting from £18.99 one way, and easyJet holidays offering flight-and-hotel packages on two of the three routes.
What the Three New easyJet Winter Routes Look Like
Each route targets a different type of traveller, from Balkans city breaks to Christmas market getaways to intra-UK domestic connectivity. The carrier confirmed the following schedule and fares:
- London Luton to Pristina, Kosovo: starts 7 December, three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, fares from £43.99 one way.
- Bristol to Strasbourg, France: starts 20 November, twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, fares from £49.99 one way.
- Belfast International to Aberdeen: starts 4 January, twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, fares from £18.99 one way.
easyJet holidays is also selling three-night package breaks to Strasbourg from £268 per person, with packages available for Aberdeen and Belfast.
London Luton to Pristina Marks easyJet’s Return to Kosovo
The Luton-Pristina route is easyJet’s first-ever direct link between the UK and Kosovo, giving the carrier a new foothold in the Balkans. Kevin Doyle, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, called it “our first route from the UK to Kosovo” in the airline’s official statement.
The route is aimed at both leisure travellers and the UK’s Kosovan diaspora community, offering a direct link to a country known for its historic Ottoman-era old towns and mountainous terrain. Flights will run three times a week, giving passengers a schedule suited to short winter breaks.
Pristina International Airport, officially named Adem Jashari International Airport, has seen growing low-cost interest from Western European carriers in recent years as demand for Balkans travel rises. easyJet’s arrival adds a UK option to a route network historically dominated by regional carriers.
Bristol to Strasbourg Gives easyJet a Monopoly on the ‘Capital of Christmas’
The new Bristol-Strasbourg route gives easyJet the only direct connection between the two cities. Strasbourg is widely marketed across Europe as the “Capital of Christmas” because of its long-running festive markets, a branding easyJet is using for this launch.
Flights begin on 20 November, timed to catch the start of the Christmas market season, and will run twice weekly through the winter period. Chris Tibbett, Executive Director of Aviation and Commercial at AGS Airports, welcomed the move, saying easyJet is “further expanding” its route choices for regional UK travellers.
Because no other airline flies the route directly today, easyJet avoids direct competition on pricing while building a seasonal niche around one of Europe’s most visited Christmas markets. The route also complements easyJet’s wider push into secondary European cities, where landing fees and slot competition are typically lower than at major hubs.
Belfast to Aberdeen Strengthens Domestic Links Between Northern Ireland and Scotland
The third new route connects Belfast International Airport with Aberdeen International Airport, starting 4 January and running twice weekly. easyJet says it will be the only carrier flying the route directly, filling a gap between Northern Ireland and northeast Scotland.
This route leans more toward business and visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic than the two international additions. Aberdeen’s oil and gas sector, along with its transport links into the Scottish Highlands, gives the route a commercial dimension that the Kosovo and Strasbourg launches do not share.
Package holidays are available in both directions through easyJet holidays, combining flights with hotel stays for travellers heading either into Scotland or Northern Ireland.
How This Compares to easyJet’s Other Recent Network Moves
This winter expansion follows a familiar pattern for easyJet, which has repeatedly targeted secondary cities where it can secure exclusive routes rather than compete on established corridors. Earlier in 2026, the carrier expanded its Marrakech base in Morocco with six new routes, converting several seasonal European links to year-round service as part of a wider diaspora and leisure travel strategy.
Both moves share a common thread: easyJet is prioritising underserved city pairs, whether that means Marrakech-Hamburg or Belfast-Aberdeen, over adding frequency to already crowded routes. The airline’s UK network additions also arrive as European short-haul aviation faces a more complicated regulatory picture, with France weighing tighter restrictions on domestic short-haul flights for environmental reasons even as the UK’s aviation regulator continues to support new regional connections.
That contrast means easyJet’s Bristol-Strasbourg launch adds a new France route at a time when short-haul flying within France itself faces growing scrutiny, even though the new route falls outside the restrictions under discussion.
What Passengers Should Know Before Booking
All three routes are open for booking now at easyJet.com and via the airline’s mobile app. Passengers flying from UK airports on any of the three routes remain covered by UK261 delay and cancellation protections, which can entitle travellers to compensation for controllable delays beyond three hours.
Fares are quoted one way per person including taxes, and prices are likely to rise closer to each route’s winter launch dates as seats sell down. Travellers booking package holidays through easyJet holidays benefit from the airline’s standard low-deposit and refund-guarantee terms.