Within days of easyJet confirming it will quit Leeds Bradford Airport from 5 January 2027, Ryanair launched £29.99 rescue fares to Malaga and Jet2 rolled out Yorkshire discount codes plus six new Summer 2027 routes. Here is what the deals are worth, what happens to existing easyJet bookings, and whether fares will rise.
Cover image: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 parked at Leeds Bradford Airport with Jet2 ground vehicles — photo by Ian Gratton, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The battle for Leeds Bradford flights has begun. Within days of easyJet announcing it will pull out of Leeds Bradford Airport entirely from 5 January 2027 after 16 years, its two dominant rivals moved to hoover up the orphaned passengers. Ryanair launched £29.99 "rescue fares" on the Leeds Bradford–Malaga route on 20 August, bookable until the end of February, while Jet2 countered with a package of Yorkshire-branded discount codes — £100 off Jet2holidays with YORKSHIRE100 and 10% off flight-only bookings with YORKSHIRE10 — valid on bookings made by 31 August 2026 for departures up to 31 March 2028. Jet2 also confirmed six new Leeds Bradford routes for Summer 2027, including Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Santorini and Tivat, as part of its biggest-ever programme at the airport with 15 based aircraft. The speed of the response reflects how little was at stake competitively: FlightGlobal schedules data shows easyJet held only about 3.3% of summer 2026 seats at Leeds Bradford, while Jet2 and Ryanair together already control roughly 83.5% of capacity.
What are Ryanair's Leeds Bradford rescue fares?
Ryanair's offer, announced in a corporate press release on 20 August, is aimed squarely at easyJet's stranded Malaga traffic. The carrier is selling Leeds Bradford–Malaga fares from £29.99, available to book on its website and app until the end of February.
Ryanair operates 10 weekly flights between Leeds Bradford and Malaga, which it says gives Yorkshire and northern England passengers ready-made replacement capacity on easyJet's highest-profile axed route. "Ryanair is saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 for affected passengers," said Jade Kirwan, Ryanair's director of communications.
The usual Ryanair caveats apply: the headline fare covers a small under-seat bag only, so factor in extras before comparing against a Jet2 or easyJet price — our guide to how strictly Ryanair enforces its carry-on size rules explains what the base fare actually includes.
What are Jet2's Yorkshire discount codes worth?
Jet2, the largest operator at Leeds Bradford with about 944,300 departing seats and a 48.3% share this summer per FlightGlobal, responded with four promotional codes rather than a headline fare. All must be used on bookings made by 31 August 2026 and apply to departures up to and including 31 March 2028:
- YORKSHIRE100 — £100 off a Jet2holidays package booking (minimum two adults)
- YORKSHIRE100SPF — £100 off for single-parent families
- YORKSHIRE10 — 10% off Jet2.com flight-only bookings
- YORKSHIRE50SOLO — £50 off for solo travellers
In cash terms the package codes are the strongest: £100 off a typical £1,500 family package is a real saving, and the codes also work through independent travel agents — a deliberate nod to the trade. The 10% flight-only code is worth comparing against Ryanair's £29.99 fare on overlapping routes; on cheap short-haul seats it may save less than £15.
Which new routes is Jet2 adding from Leeds Bradford for 2027?
Alongside the codes, Jet2 confirmed its largest Leeds Bradford programme to date for Summer 2027: 15 based aircraft serving 65 destinations, with six new routes:
- Hurghada, Egypt
- Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
- Enfidha, Tunisia
- Preveza, Greece
- Santorini, Greece
- Tivat, Montenegro — a weekly Monday service from 10 May to 27 September 2027
The additions push Jet2 further into winter-sun Egypt and Tunisia territory and add two Greek islands plus Montenegro's Adriatic coast, deepening its grip on the airport just as its only network-carrier LCC rival departs.
What happens to my easyJet booking from Leeds Bradford?
easyJet's last Leeds Bradford departures operate in early January 2027, and the airline has cancelled everything after 5 January 2027 across its six remaining routes. The airline says it has contacted all affected customers directly, offering either a free transfer to flights from an alternative airport — Manchester is the nearest large easyJet base — or a full refund.
Under UK261 rules, passengers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to a full refund of the affected flight and any connected flights on the same booking. If you would rather switch carrier, taking the refund and rebooking on Jet2 or Ryanair with the codes above may beat a rerouted departure from Manchester once travel costs to the other airport are counted.
Will Leeds Bradford fares rise without easyJet?
The honest answer: the competitive loss is smaller than the headlines suggest. With easyJet at just 3.3% of summer seats — fifth behind Jet2, Ryanair, Aer Lingus and KLM — its exit removes a marginal player, not a market-maker. But it does eliminate the only credible third low-cost force, leaving Jet2 and Ryanair with roughly 83.5% of capacity between them and little pricing discipline on overlapping leisure routes once the promotional window closes.
The current deals are genuine but short-lived: Jet2's codes expire on 31 August and Ryanair's rescue fares are inventory-limited. Travellers planning 2027 trips from Yorkshire should book while the promotions overlap — our analysis of when to book holiday flights for the best prices explains why post-announcement fare wars rarely last more than a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the Jet2 YORKSHIRE100 discount code?
Enter YORKSHIRE100 at checkout on a Jet2holidays package booking made by 31 August 2026, for any departure up to 31 March 2028; the code requires at least two adults on the booking and takes £100 off. Single-parent families can use YORKSHIRE100SPF instead, solo travellers get £50 off with YORKSHIRE50SOLO, and the codes also work when booking through independent travel agents.
How long are Ryanair's £29.99 Leeds Bradford rescue fares available?
Ryanair launched the £29.99 Leeds Bradford–Malaga fares on 20 August 2026 and says they are available to book on its website and app until the end of February. Seats at the headline price are limited and the fare covers only a small under-seat bag, so cabin bags, seat selection and check-in luggage cost extra on top of the £29.99.
Can I get a refund on my easyJet Leeds Bradford flight?
Yes. easyJet has cancelled all Leeds Bradford flights after 5 January 2027 and is contacting affected customers with two options: a free transfer to the same route from an alternative easyJet airport, such as Manchester, or a full refund. Under UK261 rules a cancellation entitles you to a refund of the cancelled flight and any connected flights on the same booking.
Which airlines still fly from Leeds Bradford after easyJet leaves?
Jet2 remains the dominant carrier with about 48.3% of summer 2026 seats, followed by Ryanair on 35.2%, with Aer Lingus and KLM providing hub connections via Dublin and Amsterdam. Jet2 is expanding to 15 based aircraft and 65 destinations for Summer 2027, adding Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Enfidha, Preveza, Santorini and Tivat to its Leeds Bradford network.
Will flights from Leeds Bradford get more expensive?
Probably at the margins. easyJet carried only around 3.3% of the airport's summer seats, so day-to-day fares should not jump immediately. The longer-term risk is that Jet2 and Ryanair, with roughly 83.5% of capacity between them, face less pressure to discount on overlapping leisure routes once the current promotional fares and codes expire at the end of August and February respectively.
Sources
- Ryanair — Ryanair launches £29.99 rescue fares as easyJet cuts full Leeds Bradford schedule
- Travel Gossip — Jet2 launches Yorkshire discounts after easyJet quits Leeds Bradford
- FlightGlobal — Low-cost rivals step in as easyJet pulls out of Leeds Bradford
- Yorkshire Evening Post — easyJet scraps flights from Leeds Bradford Airport, with customers offered refunds
- The Leader — Ryanair launches £29.99 'rescue fares' after easyJet quits Leeds Bradford
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