Jersey’s bid to rebuild and expand its air links after a turbulent year has received a major lift, with Loganair announcing four new direct routes from the Channel Island hub to Paris, Dublin, Norwich and East Midlands for summer 2026.
A Strategic Expansion for Jersey and Loganair
The new services, unveiled on 13 February 2026, mark one of the most significant route additions to Jersey’s network in recent years. They also underscore Loganair’s ambitions to cement its presence in the Channel Islands following the collapse of local carrier Blue Islands in late 2025. From late May and early June 2026, the Scottish airline will operate seasonal flights from Jersey to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Dublin, Norwich and East Midlands, creating fresh options for both outbound islanders and inbound visitors.
Loganair describes the expansion as a “major boost” to Jersey’s connectivity, adding international reach through Paris and Dublin alongside greater access to key UK regional markets. The routes will be flown by ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft, a mainstay of the carrier’s regional fleet, offering a balance of capacity, fuel efficiency and short-runway performance suited to island operations.
For Jersey’s authorities, the announcement is more than a routine schedule change. It represents another step in stabilising the island’s transport network after a year of uncertainty, while aligning closely with long-term tourism and economic strategies focused on sustainable, year-round connectivity.
Route Details: Paris, Dublin, Norwich and East Midlands
The headline addition is the new Jersey to Paris Charles de Gaulle service, which will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Planned to run from 31 May until the end of the summer season, the route will be Loganair’s first-ever operation into France, and its first direct link from Jersey to one of Europe’s largest international hubs. One-way fares are set to start in the mid-£90 range, positioning the service as a competitive option for city-break and connecting traffic.
Complementing the French capital link is a twice-weekly Jersey to Dublin service. Operating on Mondays and Fridays from 1 June through the end of summer, the route is designed to cater to short leisure trips, visiting friends and relatives, and connections via Dublin’s growing long-haul network. Indicative starting fares sit just below £90 one way, reflecting Loganair’s regional pricing model while aiming to stimulate new demand.
On the domestic side, Loganair will launch a Norwich service on Saturdays between 9 May and 19 September. While operating just once a week, the route opens up a direct air bridge between the Channel Island and East Anglia, a link that local tourism bodies believe has strong potential for both inbound holidays and outbound short breaks.
Rounding out the package is a daily Jersey to East Midlands operation, scheduled from 31 May until the close of the summer timetable. The high frequency and central UK location give Jersey residents and visitors greater flexibility, with the East Midlands acting as a catchment for cities such as Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, as well as providing onward road and rail links across England.
Timings, Aircraft and Onboard Experience
While exact departure and arrival times remain subject to final operational planning, the new routes are broadly timed to maximise weekend and short-break opportunities. The Paris and Dublin flights are spread across the week to capture both leisure and business traffic, with Sunday and Monday services particularly attractive to returning weekend travellers, and Thursday and Friday departures primed for outbound holidaymakers.
All four routes will be served by Loganair’s ATR 72-600 aircraft, configured with a single-class cabin and known for relatively quiet operation and lower fuel burn on short sectors. For passengers used to jet aircraft, the turboprop experience is shorter and more utilitarian than long-haul services, but the airline has invested in updated cabin interiors, improved lighting and consistent in-flight service standards across its regional network.
The choice of aircraft is also important for Jersey Airport, where runway length and weather conditions can challenge larger jets at peak periods. The ATR’s performance profile allows for reliable operations in the Channel Islands’ often changeable maritime climate, an important consideration as local authorities emphasise resilience and reliability in transport planning following recent disruptions.
Loganair’s typical service offering on these sectors is expected to include complimentary cabin baggage, with additional options such as hold baggage and flexible fares aimed at frequent travellers. While the carrier operates without the frills of full-service long-haul airlines, it has sought to differentiate itself from ultra-low-cost competitors through inclusive policies and regional-focused customer service.
Rebuilding After Blue Islands’ Collapse
The timing of Loganair’s expansion is closely linked to the fallout from Blue Islands’ sudden suspension of operations in November 2025, which left Jersey facing a short-term capacity crunch and uncertainty over key air links. Within days of the collapse, Loganair moved to operate rescue flights and began building up a presence on lifeline routes to the UK mainland, including Jersey to Bristol, Exeter and Southampton.
In December 2025, the airline publicly reaffirmed its commitment to the Channel Islands, signalling its intention to pursue licences for additional routes and to establish a more permanent operating base in Jersey. The four new services for summer 2026 are the clearest expression yet of that strategy, shifting the narrative from emergency replacement flying to proactive network development.
At the same time, the competitive landscape around Jersey has been evolving. Guernsey-based Aurigny has also increased services on inter-island and UK routes, while other carriers and charter operators have added capacity from mainland airports. The result is a more diverse but also more contested market, with regulators in both Jersey and Guernsey scrutinising applications for essential routes such as the Jersey–Guernsey air link.
Against this backdrop, Loganair’s focus on Jersey as a mini-hub rather than a peripheral destination is notable. The airline is positioning itself as a long-term partner in the Channel Islands, emphasising reliability, frequency and regional connectivity rather than chasing only peak-season tourist demand.
Tourism Ambitions and International Connectivity
Tourism officials on the island have framed the new routes as central to a broader effort to revive visitor numbers, particularly from key European markets. After a softer performance in 2025, Jersey’s tourism authorities have highlighted the need to rebuild French and wider continental traffic, which has been affected by changes in ferry services and the timing of seasonal schedules.
The Paris Charles de Gaulle link is therefore highly symbolic. As one of Europe’s largest aviation hubs, CDG offers extensive onward connections across the continent and to long-haul destinations in North America, Africa and Asia. For Jersey, the route does double duty: it brings in French and European visitors for short island stays and gives residents and UK-based tourists using Jersey as a departure point smoother one-stop access to the wider world.
Dublin plays a similar role on a smaller scale, acting as both a leisure origin market and a connecting hub, particularly for transatlantic flights. Tourism bodies hope that convenient timings and competitive fares will encourage city-break traffic in both directions, with Jersey pitched as an easy-to-reach island escape for Irish travellers, and Dublin marketed to islanders as a lively weekend destination.
Visit Jersey and the island’s government have repeatedly stressed that improved air links are vital not only for tourism but also for the broader visitor economy, including conferences, sporting events and cultural exchanges. The new routes are expected to feature prominently in marketing campaigns for the 2026 season, alongside existing links from UK leisure carriers and regional airlines.
Economic Lifeline for Residents and Businesses
Beyond tourism, the expanded network is expected to bring tangible benefits for Jersey residents and businesses. Daily flights to East Midlands and enhanced connectivity to UK regional centres support sectors ranging from finance and professional services to agriculture and fisheries, all of which rely on predictable, year-round access to mainland markets.
Improved air links also play a social role, making it easier for islanders to visit family, access specialist healthcare and education, and maintain cultural ties with the UK and Europe. Local business groups have long argued that affordable and resilient air connections are essential to sustaining Jersey’s population and diversifying its economy beyond financial services.
Loganair’s decision to base more aircraft and crew in Jersey as part of its Channel Islands strategy is likely to have knock-on benefits for local employment and supply chains. While the airline has not publicly detailed staffing numbers around the new routes, the operation of multiple daily and weekly services from the island typically requires resident or locally based crew, maintenance support and contracted ground handling.
Ports of Jersey, which manages the island’s airport, has welcomed the expansion as a sign that carriers are willing to invest despite the turbulence caused by Blue Islands’ collapse. The airport operator has been working with airlines to optimise schedules, improve terminal throughput and enhance the overall passenger experience, aiming to ensure that additional capacity translates into sustainable growth rather than short-term spikes.
Island Hopping Reimagined in the Channel Islands
For travellers, the new Loganair services are part of a wider reimagining of island hopping in and around the Channel Islands. Where previously many itineraries relied on a patchwork of ferry routes and limited seasonal flights, the emerging air network for 2026 offers more opportunities to combine Jersey with other UK and European destinations in a single trip.
Visitors from East Anglia or the Midlands, for example, will be able to fly directly to Jersey for a week-long break, then continue by air or sea to neighbouring Guernsey, or connect via Jersey back to regional UK airports served by Loganair. Meanwhile, travellers from Paris or Dublin can treat the island as a compact coastal escape, pairing its beaches and walking trails with city stays at either end of their journey.
This shift is changing how local tourism businesses package and market the island. Tour operators are already exploring new multi-stop itineraries that link Jersey with other islands, coastal resorts and cities, taking advantage of increased seat capacity and more predictable seasonal schedules. Hotel and hospitality operators, in turn, are adjusting to a potential rise in shorter, more frequent visits rather than solely relying on traditional week-long stays.
For Jersey itself, the trend offers a chance to broaden its appeal beyond its core UK holiday base, attracting a more diverse mix of visitors while promoting its own identity as a distinct island destination rather than simply an offshore extension of the British mainland.
Looking Ahead to Summer 2026
With tickets already on sale and demand for island getaways expected to remain strong, Loganair and Jersey’s tourism authorities will watch closely how the new routes perform through their first summer. Forward bookings, fare trends and load factors on early flights will provide an early indication of whether the new pattern of island hopping and regional connectivity is resonating with travellers.
The airline has indicated that it will remain flexible in adjusting capacity and schedules in response to demand, with the potential to extend the operating season or add frequencies in future years if the routes prove successful. Conversely, weaker-than-expected performance could prompt fine-tuning of frequencies or the redeployment of aircraft to other parts of the network.
For now, the mood on the island is one of cautious optimism. After a year marked by airline failures, emergency interventions and uncertainty, the launch of four new direct routes for summer 2026 sends a clear signal that carriers still see long-term potential in Jersey. Whether used for a quick city break from Paris, a family holiday from the Midlands or a weekend escape from Dublin, the services promise to make the Channel Island feel a little less remote and a lot more connected.