As January trundles on (and on), it feels like years since the last proper bit of sun – and so, with that in mind, you might already be planning your next European getaway. It’s good news for London Stansted Airport in 2025, as it’s set to launch a whopping eight new routes this year across various airlines, spanning from oh-so-cool Rotterdam in the Netherlands to mountainous Bergen in Norway, and sunny Pula in Croatia.
![[Plane flying over 'terminal' sign]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-89976619.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
In 2024, the airport celebrated its busiest year ever, welcoming a record 29.76 million passengers – a substantial increase on the previous record of 28.14 million in 2019. Stansted is also set to get a cash injection of £1,100,000,000, £600,000,000 of which will be used to expand the airport’s existing terminal.
![[Aerial Drone Sunset Scene of Pula Arena Amphitheatre, Croatia]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1207666443.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Just one year after it marked an exciting comeback to the airport, British Airways is introducing a service connecting London to Bergerac in southwestern France, a city in the Dordogne region famous both for its vineyards and architecture. From April, passengers will have yet another connection on top of the Eurostar to Rotterdam, an alternative to Amsterdam similarly known for its canals, buzzing nightlife, and innovative architecture. This one’s running through brand new airline Transavia.
![[Traditional dutch traditional flat-bottomed ( platbodem ) boats in Delfshaven harbour in Rotterdam at sunset]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1539970133.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Perfect for a spot of sun, Londoners will also now be able to fly from Stansted to Kayseri from July onwards with SunExpress, while Jet2 is launching direct routes to Pula in Croatia and Bergen in Norway in May. And if you’re in search of a bargain, Ryanair will be running routes to Lübeck and Münster in Germany, as well as Clermont-Ferrand, a French university city in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes just shy of two hours west of Lyon.
![[Bridge over the Dordogne river in Bergerac. New Aquitaine. France]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1349802663.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
