Travel column with Katie Butler: Jet2 plans return to Egypt as September travel grows and Doncaster Sheffield Airport edges toward re-opening
News for our customers has been particularly lively this week, with the long-awaited announcement of Jet2’s intention to resume flights to Egypt’s Red Sea in 2027, a destination that has long appealed tour customers.
While details will be formally announced soon, Egypt’s Tourism Minister confirmed at World Travel Market in London that Jet2 is preparing to relaunch services to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh from several UK airports. Jet2 has said only that an ‘exciting programme’ is being finalised, but the early outline suggests weekly flights into both resorts from Manchester, Birmingham and Stansted, with additional services from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
For those of us in West Yorkshire, Manchester has always been a key airport for Red Sea departures, and if Jet2’s programme mirrors what officials in Egypt have outlined, it would give our customers more choice for year-round sunshine, diving and family resorts at prices often lower than the Canaries or Turkey.
The demand for Egypt is definitely there, there is such a broad range of choice and hotels offer fantastic value for money, many with a variety of restaurants and also family friendly hotels with slides and water parks. We can’t wait to hear more about the launch.
Alongside the Egypt news, ABTA’s latest Travel Trends research was published last month and highlighted that almost a quarter of people now plan their main holiday for September, compared with 17 per cent three years ago. This gets echoed locally too, where many of our customers say they prefer slightly cooler temperatures, quieter resorts and better value outside the traditional July-August peak.
The shift isn’t limited to older holidaymakers either, while those aged 55 and over still dominate September travel, the biggest increases come from younger adults. Intent to travel in September among 18–24-year-olds has risen sharply, and the same goes for the 35–44 bracket. In fact, the 25–34 age group is now the most travel-active overall, taking an average of 5.5 holidays a year, including more overseas trips than any other demographic.
Interestingly, cruising – traditionally associated with retirees – is now most popular among these younger travellers too, suggesting a significant shift in how next-generation holidaymakers explore the world.
Closer to home, developments at Doncaster Sheffield Airport continue to gather momentum. Last week, City of Doncaster Council approved borrowing of up to £57million to support the airport’s re-opening, part of a wider £193million package that includes funding from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. The airport has been closed since 2022, and although a re-opening will not be immediate, forecasts suggest the potential for flights to return for the winter season of 2027–28.
For Yorkshire holidaymakers, the prospect of Doncaster Sheffield Airport returning is welcome news. Before closure it was a convenient option for many of us, avoiding longer journeys to Manchester or Leeds Bradford at peak times.
As always, I’ll finish with a round-up of what was booking last week. May 2026 stole the show, taking the top spot with an 11 per cent share of all bookings – a clear sign that many of you are already dreaming of spring sunshine and early-summer escapes. Close behind was January 2026 at nine per cent, with late bookings still proving strong and accounting for 23 per cent of total new bookings.
Top destinations were expectedly Tenerife as our customers strive for some winter sunshine, plus cruises departing from Southampton and Lanzarote.