Jet2 redraws the British air map with the south of Gran Canaria

The decision Jet2.com Opening a new base in London-Gatwick in March 2026 is not just a corporate move: it is a structural change in the flow of visitors to the Canary Islands and, especially, to Gran Canaria, one of the destinations where the British tour operator is most clearly consolidating its hegemony.

For the island, which relies on the United Kingdom for between 30% and 35% of its annual tourist demand, the announcement has been interpreted as an unequivocal sign: the British market not only remains strong, but continues to redirect its air capacity towards the Canary Islands as a climate, economic and geopolitical refuge.

The company, which already operates 13 bases in the United Kingdom, has chosen Gatwick —the airport with the highest outbound demand pressure to Spain— to build its 14th base, which will connect with 11 Spanish airports, including Gran Canaria, with two weekly flights scheduled on Wednesdays and Sundays.

What's significant isn't the frequency, but the pattern: Jet2 has gone from being a relevant player to being the third largest British airline in terms of capacity to Spain and the leading tour operator for the Canary Islands in just five years. This winter, six out of every ten Jet2 flights are destined for the Spanish market, a proportion unprecedented in the sector.