HOLIDAYMAKERS have a raft of new routes to fly from Southend Airport next summer as bosses have announced a popular European destination will return thanks to a successful trial.

Balkan Holidays trialled a new route to sunny seaside Bourgas this summer, and it has now been confirmed they will return next year after becoming a hit. 

The flights will run every Monday for 12 weeks between June 23 and September 1, taking the total number of summer routes on offer from Southend up to 17. 

Bosses are celebrating the move as they prepare for summer 2025 to be the busiest season since the Covid pandemic, which wreaked havoc on the industry and saw the number of flights from Southend plummet. 

It will join ten other new routes as easyJet agreed to re-open its base at Southend Airport from March next year, adding routes to Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey, Pisa in Italy, Marrakech in Morocco, Enfidha in Tunisia, Malta, and new Spanish locations Reus, Almeria, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

Alongside these additions, flights to Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Alicante in Spain, Paris in France, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Faro in Portugal will continue in summer 2025.

Tory councillor Kevin Buck said: “It’s good news that more routes are opening up at Southend airport. It’s a very popular location to fly from and its also a great airport to fly from in terms of the customer service experience.

“I’m quite sure that the flights will be well used and it’s also encouraging to see the airport putting more flights on as it took them longer than expected to recover from the pandemic. 

“I’m always mindful that it’s a provincial airport, and I don’t ever want to see it become a Stansted, a Gatwick or a Luton, but provided it can sustain a reasonable number of passengers without having an impact on the environment and residents I’m all for a bit of growth.”

During the winter months, holidaymakers can jet off to Geneva in Switzerland and Lapland in Finland, bringing the total number of routes at the airport up to 19. 

Balkan Holidays is currently offering savings of up to £675 in its summer 2025 sale, which runs until Monday, September 30. To book, visit balkanholidays.co.uk.