Jet2 has said it will focus capacity growth at new base London Gatwick for summer 2026 and expects the operation to become profitable towards the end of 2029.
The company outlined its plans while announcing its interim results for the first half of this year, to 30 September 2025, recording a 5% increase in group revenue to £5.3 billion and a 2% increase in operating profit, to £715.2 million.
The number of package holiday customers increased by 1% to 4.73m (2024: 4.67m), with 97% choosing a beach holiday. The average price of a Jet2holiday ‘remained resilient’, increasing by 3% to £933 compared to £904 in 2024.
Flight-only passengers increased by 16% to 4.77m, but flight-only ticket yield per passenger sector reduced by 7%, driven by promotional pricing initiatives.
Jet2 paid out £135.3 million in agent commission in the six months to the end of September, a 1% increase on the £133.9m paid out in the prior year, but bookings via the trade fell slightly.
Jet2 said the overall proportion of direct bookings increased by one percentage point to 80% in the first half of the year. Higher average package holiday prices accounted for the increase in commission paid.
The operator said that, for summer 2026, capacity growth will be primarily focused at Gatwick, where more than 900,000 seats will be sale.
It added establishing its operation from Gatwick will ‘take time’ and require ‘a meaningful step-up in short-term investment’.
“The Group expects the London Gatwick operation to move into profitability in FY29 and to deliver meaningful profit growth thereafter,” it said.
Jet2 added it is still experiencing a ‘fast-moving late booking market’.
CEO Steve Heapy said: “Customers may be booking later, but it is clear they still want their well-earned holidays in the sun with a brand they can trust.”
