easyJet pulls out of Leeds Bradford as Ryanair and Jet2 step up

easyJet will end all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport in January 2027, bringing its 16-year presence at the Yorkshire airport to an end.

“Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January,” easyJet said in a statement, as reported by TTG. “Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.”

easyJet currently links Leeds Bradford with popular holiday destinations including Barcelona, Belfast, Malaga, Mallorca and Paris. It has also operated seasonal Geneva services.

The airline said customers with bookings beyond the withdrawal date had been contacted and could transfer to an easyJet flight from another airport free of charge or receive a refund.

“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport, and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand,” easyJet said.

The airline’s statement was agreed with Leeds Bradford Airport ahead of its release, TTG reported. 

Low-cost rivals Ryanair and Jet2 moved quickly to attract their share of easyJet passengers at the airport.

Ryanair launches ‘rescue fares’ after easyJet withdrawal

On 20 August, Ryanair announced £29.99 “rescue fares” aimed directly at passengers affected by easyJet’s departure.

The promotion focuses particularly on Malaga, one of the markets easyJet served from Leeds Bradford.

Ryanair already operates 10 flights a week between Leeds Bradford and Malaga. Its rescue fares are available for booking until the end of February.

“While EasyJet abandons Leeds Bradford, cutting its full schedule from 5 Jan 2027, Ryanair is saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 for affected passengers,” Ryanair Director of Communications Jade Kirwan said.

The airline has a much larger presence at Leeds Bradford than easyJet.

Ryanair’s summer 2026 programme includes 25 routes, supported by three aircraft based at the airport. The carrier valued that aircraft investment at $300 million.

Its network this summer includes new services to Agadir and Warsaw, as well as additional frequencies to destinations including Alicante, Faro, Gdansk and Krakow.

Leeds Bradford Airport has also highlighted the importance of the relationship. When Ryanair launched its Agadir service in March, Aviation Development Director Declan Maguire said the airport’s partnership with the airline “continues to go from strength to strength”.

Jet2 also targets Leeds Bradford passengers

Ryanair is not the only airline looking to benefit from easyJet’s departure. Leeds-based Jet2 launched its own promotion on 21 August, offering £100 off holiday bookings and 10% off flights from the airport.

Jet2 said it had “moved swiftly to respond to the demand for flights and holidays from Leeds Bradford Airport”.

“We have been proudly operating from Leeds Bradford Airport since 2003, when we launched with just two aircraft, and since then we have grown to become Yorkshire’s leading airline and tour operator,” Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy said in the airline’s announcement. “Our longstanding commitment to the region has never been stronger.”

The leisure carrier currently has 65 destinations on sale from Leeds Bradford, its largest programme yet from the airport. It plans to add six destinations in 2027: Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, Enfidha in Tunisia, Preveza and Santorini in Greece, and Tivat in Montenegro.

The airline will have 15 aircraft based at Leeds Bradford during summer 2027.

easyJet’s Leeds Bradford operation ends after 16 years

easyJet first began serving Leeds Bradford in 2010 with flights to Geneva. Its presence remained relatively small compared with Jet2 and Ryanair, although the airline expanded its route offering from the airport in recent years.

The decision to withdraw removes one airline brand from Leeds Bradford but still leaves the airport with low-cost competition. Jet2 and Ryanair already serve many of the leisure markets that easyJet serves. Other carriers serving the airport include Aer Lingus, KLM, Wizz Air, TUI and SunExpress.

Ryanair has three aircraft based at Leeds Bradford and 25 routes in its summer 2026 schedule. Jet2, whose roots are closely tied to Leeds Bradford, will increase its based fleet there to 15 aircraft next summer.

easyJet, meanwhile, is concentrating capacity elsewhere in northern England. It opened a three-aircraft base at Newcastle Airport in March 2026, expanding its operation in the North East.