FLIGHTS to a popular holiday destination will be returning to Southend Airport next year after a successful first summer, it has been confirmed.

Southend Airport has announced trips to Bourgas in Bulgaria, operated by Balkan Holidays, will return for 2025 after the charter service's successful first season this summer.

The flights will run every Monday for 12 weeks, starting on June 23 until September 1 2025.

This comes as bosses have revealed summer 2025 is set to be Southend Airport's busiest since before the Covid pandemic.

Success - Nigel Mayes with airport staff on the boarding ramp as the Bulgaria flights were launched this summerSuccess - Business development director Nigel Mayes with airport staff on the boarding ramp as the Bulgaria flights were launched this summer (Image: Newsquest) Coastal - the sunny resort of BourgasCoastal - the sunny resort of Bourgas (Image: Southend Airport)

Nigel Mayes, business development director of Southend Airport, said: “We are thrilled to see that Balkan Holidays will return to the airport for next year’s peak summer programme.

“Clearly travellers from Essex, the east of London and the southeast have enjoyed what Bourgas has to offer this year. Summer 2025 is gearing up to be our busiest since 2019 and we look forward to welcoming sun-seekers off again to Bulgaria next year.”

The return of the Bourgas service will enhance Southend Airport's holiday offer next summer, joining new routes such as Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey, Pisa in Italy, Marrakech in Morocco, and Enfidha in Tunisia, as well as the more recently announced Almeria, Reus and Malta. All of which are being flown by easyJet and easyJet holidays, as the popular budget airline is re-launching its base at the airport in March.

Bourgas is known for having some of the best beaches and nightlife on the Black Sea, as well as being just a 30-minute drive away from Nessebar - the only city in Bulgaria with an old town which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Delighted - Nigel MayesDelighted - Nigel Mayes (Image: Southend Airport)

The resort also achieved the number two spot in Europe for "best value for money" out of 40 worldwide destinations in the 2024 Post Office Holiday Money survey. The report looks at the costs for a basket of holiday items, including a three-course meal, suncream and a beer.

"We are delighted to be operating our charter flights to Bourgas from Southend again for summer 2025,” Chris Rand, marketing manager at Balkan Holidays added.

“Our holidays to Bulgaria provide wonderful weather, sandy beaches and exceptional value for money and they proved very popular this summer, so we look forward to another successful season next year.”

Holidays are available to book on the Balkan Holidays website or from travel agents across south Essex. The tour operator is currently offering savings of up to £675 in its summer 2025 sale, which runs until Monday, September 30.