easyJet’s first flight between London Southend and Budapest takes off

October 28, 2026

The new service operates twice a week on Mondays and Fridays throughout the winter, providing customers across Essex and the wider South East with a convenient direct connection to one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations. easyJet is the only airline connecting London Southend with Budapest.

Ideally timed for long weekends, short breaks and business travel, the new route gives customers even more choice when travelling from London Southend this winter.

Budapest is renowned for its striking architecture, rich history and vibrant cultural scene. Divided by the River Danube into the historic districts of Buda and Pest, visitors can explore landmarks including the Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge, relax in the city’s famous thermal baths or enjoy its cafés, restaurants and renowned ruin bars easyJet holidays is also offering package holidays to Budapest, including return flights and hotel, giving customers a convenient option for a winter city break.

Nigel Mayes, Business Development Director at London Southend Airport, said:

“The launch of Budapest is another positive step in the continued development of London Southend Airport and our partnership with easyJet.

As the airline grows its presence here, we’re expanding the range of destinations available from London Southend and strengthening connectivity for passengers across Essex, London and the wider region.

“Budapest is a fantastic addition to our network, and we look forward to building on this momentum as we continue to grow our route offering and make London Southend an increasingly attractive choice for passengers.”

Kevin Doyle, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:

“We’re really pleased to be celebrating the launch of our new route from London Southend to Budapest, giving customers across Essex and the wider South East even more choice for flights and holidays this winter.

“Budapest is a firm favourite for city breaks thanks to its fantastic combination of history, culture, food and unique atmosphere, and with our new twice-weekly service we’re making it even easier for customers to explore the Hungarian capital with great value fares.

“The new route is another exciting addition to our growing network from London Southend and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard.” The new route builds on easyJet’s continued growth at London Southend. easyJet currently operates three based aircraft at the airport and employs 140 pilots and crew as well as engineers.

The airline has also announced that a fourth Airbus A320neo will join its London Southend fleet from summer 2027, supporting around 400 direct and indirect jobs and enabling further growth at the airport.

With around eight million people living within an hour of London Southend Airport, easyJet’s base provides further opportunities to serve customers across Essex and the wider region with flights and package holidays.