Jet2 adds seats for Greece in 2027 and extends flight periods to Crete
British airline Jet2 and tour operator Jet2holidays are expanding their programme for Greece in summer 2027, adding capacity and extending the length of the flying season on routes to Crete, Kalamata, Kefalonia and Chalkidiki, the company said.
According to Jet2, the changes add thousands of extra seats across 22 routes from nine UK airports, covering destinations in Greece, Spain, Italy and Croatia. The adjustments include additional flights as well as earlier spring start dates or extensions running into late October.
For the Greek market, most of the added capacity falls outside the peak summer months, reflecting demand from British travellers for holidays in April and October, the company said.
Route-by-route changes
From Birmingham, the flying period to Heraklion is extended to cover 7-28 April 2027, while flights to Kalamata will begin earlier, running from 4 to 25 April.
From Bristol, Jet2 is widening the flying period to Chania, adding departures from 1 to 29 April.
Additional capacity to Crete is also planned from Leeds Bradford. Flights to Chania are extended to cover 1-29 April, and those to Heraklion to 7-28 April. From the same UK airport, the flying period to Chalkidiki is extended with flights from 12 to 26 October.
The Chalkidiki programme is also being extended from Edinburgh, with additional departures on 21 and 28 October. Meanwhile, flights to Heraklion from Manchester will begin earlier, also covering the period from 1 to 29 April.
For Kefalonia, the added capacity applies to the London Stansted route, which will be extended into October with flights from 2 to 23 of the month.
Focus on the start and end of the season
The decision is an early sign that Jet2 expects British demand for Greece to remain strong in 2027. It also carries weight for efforts to extend the tourist season, since most of the new departures fall in April and October rather than the peak summer months.
“We are seeing continued demand for holidays earlier and later in the summer season, as well as during peak times,” said Jet2’s head of customer service, David Hills.
He added that the company had released thousands of extra seats and extended the operating period for popular destinations, giving travellers and independent travel agents more choice and the ability to plan their 2027 holidays early.
The nine UK bases included in the wider expansion are Leeds Bradford, East Midlands, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and London Stansted.
The extended flight schedules add to a busy year for air travel to the island: passenger traffic at Chania airport has already topped 3.1 million so far in 2026, part of a broader pattern in which Crete faces uneven overtourism pressure as arrivals hit record highs. Travellers planning trips around the new spring and autumn dates can browse rent a car in Crete options or check places to stay in Crete ahead of booking.
