What easyJet’s 25-year milestone means for the future of UK business travel

26 Nov

easyJet has marked the 25th anniversary of its listing on the London Stock Exchange, celebrating a quarter-century of growth since its flotation in 2000 and 30 years since operating its first ever flight.

For UK-based business travellers, the continued expansion and stability of the country’s largest airline brings meaningful benefits, including greater connectivity from key UK airports, improved frequencies on business-critical routes, and the introduction of more fuel-efficient aircraft that support both cost-effective travel and corporate sustainability goals.

easyJet marked the anniversary with a market-opening ceremony attended by the airline’s Chair Sir Stephen Hester, CEO Kenton Jarvis and members of the board alongside representatives from the London Stock Exchange. The airline first took to the skies on 10 November 1995 with a London Luton to Glasgow service, and within just five years floated on the London Stock Exchange, establishing the foundations for its rise to become one of Europe’s leading airlines.

Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, said:

“Our listing on the London Stock Exchange was a pivotal moment in easyJet’s journey. It enabled us to grow from a disruptive start-up into one of Europe’s most loved airlines. As well as being listed in the UK, we are the largest UK airline with half of our fleet and 12,000 employees based here. Very few companies remain as close to their roots as easyJet and as we celebrate this milestone, in our 30th year our mission remains to make flying easy and deliver value for our customers and shareholders, while driving innovation and sustainability for the future.”

Since its launch, easyJet has transformed from a challenger airline into one of Europe’s most significant aviation success stories. The carrier now transports 50 million passengers a year to, from and within the UK, and around 100 million in total across Europe, amounting to approximately 1.2 billion customers flown since 1995 – almost twice the population of Europe.

The airline operates a fleet of 356 aircraft, with 290 additional Airbus A320 family NEO aircraft scheduled for delivery up to 2034. These new-generation aircraft deliver between a 13% and 30% improvement in unit fuel-burn efficiency and generate half the noise footprint of the aircraft they replace, supporting both operational resilience and the airline’s long-term sustainability ambitions.

easyJet now maintains 33 bases and will further expand in spring 2026 with new bases at Newcastle and its first-ever African base in Marrakech. Its short-haul network includes over 1,200 routes to 150 destinations in 38 countries across Europe and North Africa, underpinning connectivity not only for leisure travellers but also for students, business travellers, cross-border workers and UK SMEs seeking efficient access to European markets.

The airline’s tour operation, easyJet holidays - launched in 2019 - has rapidly become the UK’s fastest-growing package holiday provider. Its recent expansion into Switzerland, Germany and France, along with the introduction of a new Luxury Collection, has strengthened its role as a leading force in both value and premium travel.

Paul Baker, Sales Director at Global Travel Management, said this development reinforces a positive trend for corporate travellers:

“easyJet’s commitment to expanding capacity, modernising its fleet and increasing connectivity greatly benefits UK-based business travellers. More routes, more efficient aircraft and a broader European network help deliver the reliability, sustainability and value our customers rely on when managing their business travel arrangements.”

If you would like more information about easyJet - or any other airline - please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.