Jet2 is tightening its grip on the Greek holiday market for Summer 2026, unveiling extra seats, new routes and extended seasons that cement its status as the United Kingdom’s leading airline to Greece.

Building on record demand for Mediterranean breaks, the carrier and its sister tour operator Jet2holidays are expanding services from key UK bases to a growing list of Greek islands and mainland resorts, promising more flexibility and choice for British travellers eager to lock in sunshine escapes well ahead of departure.

Jet2 aircraft at UK airport, blending into panoramic view of Greek holiday destinations.

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Jet2 Confirms Biggest-Ever Greece Programme For 2026

The backbone of Jet2’s latest announcement is a significantly enlarged Greece schedule for Summer 2026, which the company describes as its biggest programme to the country to date. Across its UK network, Jet2 and Jet2holidays plan to serve around 15 Greek airports, including perennial favourites such as Heraklion and Chania in Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Santorini, Skiathos and Zante, alongside Athens and emerging destinations on the mainland and in the Aegean.

The airline has steadily grown its presence in Greece over recent years and is now operating more routes between the UK and Greek destinations than any other carrier. For 2026, that reach extends from Belfast International and Glasgow in the north to Bristol and Bournemouth in the south, giving holidaymakers in most regions a direct gateway to multiple Greek islands. The company’s early on-sale strategy is designed to capture strong advance demand, with British families and couples increasingly inclined to secure next-summer bookings many months ahead.

Industry data and the airline’s own booking trends show that Greece has bounced back more robustly than many other Mediterranean markets. Jet2 is positioning its enlarged 2026 programme as a response to that continued appetite, rather than a speculative bet. Its network planners have focused on shoring up peak-season frequencies to the most popular islands, while also adding capacity at the shoulders of the season in May and October to appeal to travellers looking for quieter resorts and milder temperatures.

30,000 Extra Seats To In-Demand Greek Islands

Central to the Summer 2026 strategy is a major capacity boost to three of Greece’s most sought-after island destinations: Crete, Kos and Santorini. Jet2 has added about 30,000 extra seats to these islands for the core summer months of July, August and September 2026, supplied through additional flights from four of its busiest UK bases: Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and London Stansted.

On Crete, the extra capacity is being split between Chania in the west and Heraklion in the east, allowing travellers to choose between the Venetian charm and beaches around Chania or the livelier resort belt stretching out from Heraklion. Kos, long popular with families and beach-focused visitors, receives more weekly frequencies, while Santorini benefits from additional services geared toward couples and honeymooners drawn by its caldera views and boutique hotels.

The 30,000 extra seats signal Jet2’s confidence that demand for Greek island breaks will not only hold but grow into 2026, even as British consumers face wider economic pressures. For travel agents and tour operators in the UK, the uplift offers more inventory to sell at prime times, while Greek hoteliers and local tourism businesses can expect a further lift in arrivals from some of their most established source markets.

New Routes and Bases Deepen UK-Greece Connectivity

Beyond adding seats on existing services, Jet2 is also using Summer 2026 to broaden its reach with fresh routes and bases into Greece. From East Midlands Airport, the airline will introduce a brand-new weekly service to Chania, operating on Tuesdays between late May and late October 2026. It marks the first time East Midlands holidaymakers have had direct access with Jet2 to western Crete, bringing the total number of Greek destinations served from the Midlands hub to ten.

In Scotland, Jet2 will strengthen its presence at Glasgow Airport with the launch of flights to Kos for Summer 2026. Weekly Tuesday services between late May and October will provide Scottish sunseekers with a direct link to the Dodecanese island, complementing existing flights from Glasgow to other Greek favourites such as Rhodes, Zante, Corfu, Kefalonia and Heraklion. The move underscores Jet2’s strategy of ensuring that regional airports, not just London and Manchester, are firmly connected to Greece.

These route launches sit alongside earlier network growth for Summer 2026, including additional Greek options from Bristol, Belfast International, Leeds Bradford and Newcastle. The result is a mesh of more than a hundred UK–Greece routes across the Jet2 portfolio, giving British travellers a wider list of airport pairings and departure days than at any previous time.

Samos, Olympus Riviera And Meganisi Join The Line-Up

While Jet2 is reinforcing its core Greek island portfolio, the airline is also pushing into lesser-known corners of the country that appeal to more adventurous or repeat visitors. Samos, a lush island in the eastern Aegean, has been confirmed as a new destination for Summer 2026. Initially launched with services from Manchester and London Stansted, the route has already been expanded to include Birmingham, bringing the number of UK departure points for Samos to three.

The Samos schedule for 2026 features weekly or twice-weekly services from early May through to late October, adding nearly 10,000 extra seats from Birmingham alone. Jet2holidays is backing the route with a dedicated programme of more than 30 hotels across a string of resorts including Samos Town, Pythagorion, Karlovasi and Kokkari, targeting travellers looking for quieter beaches, traditional tavernas and a slower pace than is found on some of the larger islands.

On the Greek mainland, Jet2 has also introduced holidays to the Olympus Riviera, a coastal region framed by the slopes of Mount Olympus and the Aegean Sea. Accessible via Thessaloniki, the Olympus Riviera is now bookable from several UK airports, including Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and London Stansted for Summer 2026. The region is being promoted as a blend of seaside relaxation and cultural exploration, with ancient sites and mountain trails within easy reach of the shoreline.

Meanwhile, the small Ionian island of Meganisi joins the network as another niche addition. Reached via flights into Preveza and followed by transfers out to the island, Meganisi is pitched at travellers seeking boutique stays, calm bays and sailing opportunities. Together with Samos and the Olympus Riviera, Meganisi rounds out a trio of newer Greek options that sit alongside better-known islands, giving Jet2holidays a ladder of experiences for customers at different stages of their Greece journey.

Why Greece Keeps Winning With British Holidaymakers

Jet2’s intensified 2026 focus on Greece reflects the country’s enduring appeal in the UK market. In consumer research and booking patterns, Greek destinations consistently rank among the top choices for British summer holidays, often alongside Spain and Portugal. A combination of reliable sunshine, competitive prices, extensive accommodation options and diverse islands means travellers can match specific Greek regions to their preferences, from party towns to quiet fishing villages.

For families, the wide availability of self-catering apartments, all-inclusive hotels and family-friendly resorts makes Greece a straightforward choice, particularly when combined with Jet2’s package holiday model that bundles flights, transfers, baggage allowance and resort support. Couples and groups, meanwhile, are drawn to islands such as Santorini, Mykonos and Skiathos for scenery, nightlife and dining, while the mainland and quieter islands cater to walkers, history enthusiasts and food-focused travellers.

Another factor underpinning Greece’s resilience is shoulder-season travel. As British holidaymakers increasingly look beyond the peak school holiday weeks, destinations with warm springs and long autumns gain in importance. Jet2’s decision to run many of its Greek services from early May into late October 2026 acknowledges this trend. It allows the airline to spread demand over a longer window, while also boosting visitor numbers at times when Greek hotels and local businesses benefit from an extended season.

Benefits For UK Regions And Greek Tourism Economy

The 2026 expansion further entrenches Jet2 as a key driver of outbound leisure travel from regional UK airports. By basing aircraft and crews at twelve UK gateways and layering in additional Greek capacity from locations such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds Bradford and Bristol, the airline offers direct flights to sun destinations without the need for passengers to route through London. This decentralised approach has been central to Jet2’s growth and is particularly valued by families looking to start holidays as close to home as possible.

On the other side of the route map, Greek tourism authorities and local businesses are likely to welcome the added seats and new destinations. Extra flights to islands including Crete, Kos, Santorini and Samos, as well as to mainland gateways such as Thessaloniki and Preveza, translate into higher potential visitor numbers, more overnight stays and increased spending in resorts, restaurants and attractions. For lesser-known regions such as the Olympus Riviera and Meganisi, featuring in the programme of a major UK operator can be a turning point in international visibility.

With package holidays remaining a dominant mode of travel to Greece, Jet2holidays also plays an important role in curating where British travellers go and which areas see the strongest growth. Its decisions on hotel partnerships, resort focus and marketing campaigns influence not just flight loads but also the distribution of tourism flows across the Greek islands and mainland coast. The 2026 plan, with its mix of established hot spots and rising destinations, indicates a strategy of both consolidation and measured diversification.

What Travellers Can Expect From Jet2’s 2026 Greek Offering

For holidaymakers planning a Greek escape in 2026, Jet2’s enlarged programme brings both practical and experiential benefits. On a practical level, additional flights mean more choice of departure days and times, helping travellers align trips with work schedules, school terms and accommodation availability. More regional departures also reduce travel time within the UK, an important consideration for families with children or older passengers.

Onboard, Jet2 will continue to operate a single-class, short-haul product tailored to leisure travellers, with pre-bookable seats, buy-on-board catering and generous baggage allowances compared with many rival low-cost carriers. For those booking package holidays through Jet2holidays, the company highlights in-resort support teams, airport transfers and a growing selection of hotels spanning two- to five-star categories in coastal and city locations across Greece.

The expansion also gives frequent visitors to Greece fresh options to explore. Someone who has previously visited Rhodes or Zante might consider Samos, the Olympus Riviera or Meganisi as a next step, while those loyal to Crete can now access different regions of the island more easily thanks to increased capacity at both Chania and Heraklion. In all cases, the early release of the 2026 schedule means that travellers keen to secure specific hotels or room types can do so well in advance.

FAQ

Q1. What is new about Jet2’s Greece programme for Summer 2026?
Jet2 has confirmed its biggest Greek schedule yet for Summer 2026, adding around 30,000 extra seats to Crete, Kos and Santorini, introducing new routes such as East Midlands to Chania and Glasgow to Kos, and expanding to newer destinations including Samos, the Olympus Riviera and Meganisi.

Q2. From which UK airports will Jet2 fly to Greece in 2026?
For Summer 2026, Jet2 plans to operate Greece flights from a broad spread of UK bases, including Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle, giving most UK regions direct access to multiple Greek destinations.

Q3. How many extra seats is Jet2 adding to Greek routes for 2026?
Jet2 is adding about 30,000 extra seats on services to Crete, Kos and Santorini for the core summer months of 2026, in addition to wider capacity growth across its Greek network as it scales up to serve around 15 airports in the country.

Q4. Which new Greek destinations are being introduced?
Among the newest additions to Jet2’s Greek line-up for Summer 2026 are Samos in the eastern Aegean, the Olympus Riviera on the mainland coast near Mount Olympus, and the Ionian island of Meganisi, all positioned as more relaxed and authentic alternatives to the busiest resorts.

Q5. When will the new Samos flights operate?
Flights to Samos for Summer 2026 are scheduled from early May through to late October, with services from Manchester, London Stansted and Birmingham, giving travellers options across early, peak and late summer travel periods.

Q6. What does the expansion mean for travellers using regional UK airports?
The 2026 expansion strengthens Jet2’s offer from regional bases such as East Midlands, Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds Bradford, providing more direct routes and additional weekly frequencies to Greece so passengers can start their holidays closer to home without having to travel via London.

Q7. How is Jet2 supporting the newer destinations like Olympus Riviera and Meganisi?
Jet2holidays is backing these newer destinations with curated hotel programmes and inclusive transfers, marketing them as options for travellers seeking scenery, culture and quieter coastal resorts, and linking them to UK flights via gateways such as Thessaloniki and Preveza.

Q8. Why is Greece such an important market for Jet2?
Greece consistently ranks among the most popular choices for British summer holidays thanks to its climate, range of islands, competitive pricing and variety of accommodation. Strong, sustained demand has encouraged Jet2 to keep growing capacity and to position itself as the leading UK airline to the country.

Q9. Will there be more choice outside the peak school holidays?
Yes, many of Jet2’s Greek routes for 2026 are planned to operate from early May into late October, which increases options for travellers who can avoid the school holiday period and prefer quieter resorts and slightly cooler temperatures.

Q10. How can travellers benefit from booking Jet2 holidays to Greece early for 2026?
Booking early allows travellers to take advantage of the wider choice created by Jet2’s expanded 2026 programme, securing preferred departure dates, airports and specific hotels or room types before peak demand sets in and availability becomes more limited.