UK Expands Travel Links to Bulgaria and France as easyJet Adds Bristol Flights to Burgas and Montpellier in 2027

easyJet is expanding international travel from Bristol in the UK to Burgas in Bulgaria and Montpellier in France in summer 2027, adding two twice-weekly routes designed to give travellers across South West England and South Wales more direct access to European beach, city and cultural destinations. Flights to Burgas will begin on 28 May 2027, followed by Montpellier on 1 July 2027, as the airline builds its Bristol network to 93 routes alongside new winter connections to Budapest and Strasbourg.

Bristol Gets New Direct Links to Bulgaria and Southern France

The summer 2027 expansion gives Bristol Airport two distinctly different European tourism connections. Burgas is one of Bulgaria’s principal gateways to the Black Sea coast and is strongly associated with summer leisure demand. Montpellier offers a different proposition, combining a historic southern French city with convenient access to the Mediterranean coast.

Both services will operate twice weekly, although their operating days have been structured differently.

The fares announced for the routes include taxes, although actual prices available to passengers can change according to travel date and demand. The flights are already on sale through easyJet’s booking channels. They form part of a much wider summer 2027 expansion involving 18 new routes from 10 UK airports. Those additions cover destinations across Bulgaria, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Cyprus and Montenegro.

Burgas Route Targets Bulgaria’s Black Sea Holiday Market

The first of Bristol’s two new summer connections will begin on Friday, 28 May 2027, when easyJet starts flying between Bristol Airport and Burgas. Flights will operate every Monday and Friday, giving the route a timetable that is particularly relevant to the summer holiday market. The initial advertised one-way fare starts from £53.48 including taxes.

Burgas gives British travellers direct access to one of Bulgaria’s most important coastal tourism regions. Located on the Black Sea, the destination combines beaches with access to a much wider collection of resorts, coastal communities and nature-based attractions. Bristol Airport describes Burgas as a summer destination offering beaches, a lively coastal atmosphere and access to nearby hiking trails and nature reserves. Its 2027 destination information confirms the new easyJet operation will run twice weekly from 28 May.

The Friday and Monday operating pattern could prove useful for different types of leisure trips. Travellers can build traditional seven-night holidays around the service, while the schedule also creates opportunities for shorter or longer stays. Importantly, easyJet will not have the Bristol–Burgas market entirely to itself. Burgas is already part of Bristol Airport’s broader seasonal leisure network. The new service therefore represents an expansion of consumer choice and scheduled low-cost capacity rather than the creation of the airport’s first access to the Bulgarian destination.

That distinction matters from a tourism perspective. Additional airline competition can broaden the range of fares, departure choices and booking models available to travellers heading towards Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts.

Montpellier Becomes a New Exclusive easyJet Connection

The Montpellier route carries a different strategic value. Flights from Bristol will start on Thursday, 1 July 2027, operating every Thursday and Sunday. One-way fares were launched from £51.48 including taxes. easyJet will be the only airline providing a direct Bristol–Montpellier service, making the route an exclusive non-stop connection between the two cities.

The Thursday and Sunday timetable also creates an attractive pattern for short breaks. Travellers could potentially depart before the weekend and return on Sunday, while passengers seeking longer holidays can use the same schedule for extended stays. Bristol Airport currently lists Montpellier as a summer-only destination, with the service operating on Thursdays and Sundays between July and September.

Montpellier offers a broader tourism proposition than a conventional beach route. Visitors can explore Place de la Comédie, the medieval streets of the Écusson, the Promenade du Peyrou and the city’s historic urban landscape while also reaching Mediterranean coastal destinations such as Palavas-les-Flots. City-break visitors can use the route for short stays. Leisure travellers can combine Montpellier with nearby Mediterranean beaches. Independent tourists can use the city as a base for exploring southern France, while visiting-friends-and-relatives and other travel segments may provide additional demand.

Two Routes Target Different Types of European Travel

Although both services originate at Bristol and operate twice weekly, they have different market characteristics.

Burgas is primarily positioned around:

• Black Sea beach holidays
• Summer resort travel
• Longer leisure stays
• Family holidays
• Coastal exploration

Montpellier broadens the offer through:

• Southern France city breaks
• Mediterranean holidays
• Heritage and cultural tourism
• Gastronomy
• Weekend travel
• Independent regional exploration

That diversification is significant for Bristol Airport because it reduces reliance on a single type of leisure demand. Rather than simply adding two similar beach routes, the summer programme combines an established Black Sea holiday gateway with a French destination capable of supporting both urban and coastal tourism.

Package Holidays Add Another Layer to the Expansion

The new services are not limited to flight-only bookings. Package holidays to both Burgas and Montpellier are being offered through easyJet holidays, combining flights with hotel accommodation. Packages include 23kg luggage, while transfers are also included for beach holidays. This creates an additional distribution channel for the destinations.

For Burgas, package holidays are particularly relevant because the surrounding Black Sea region has a strong resort-based tourism economy. Travellers looking for a conventional summer holiday can combine accommodation, baggage and air transport within a single booking. Montpellier presents a more varied opportunity. Packages can serve travellers seeking a southern French city break while also supporting longer holidays combining urban attractions with the nearby Mediterranean coast.

Bristol Network Reaches 93 Routes

Burgas and Montpellier are only part of the wider development taking place at Bristol. Ahead of the summer 2027 programme, easyJet will also introduce winter flights and package holidays from Bristol to Budapest in Hungary and Strasbourg in France. With these additions, the airline is set to offer 93 routes from Bristol Airport.

The growing network strengthens Bristol’s position as an important international departure point outside London. It is particularly relevant for passengers across South West England and South Wales, where Bristol can provide a closer alternative to airports elsewhere in the UK for many European journeys. Greater regional connectivity can simplify the overall travel process. A direct flight from a nearby airport can remove the need for a connecting service or a longer surface journey before an international departure.

Expansion Goes Beyond Bristol

The Bristol additions sit within a considerably larger easyJet network programme for summer 2027. The airline announced 18 new UK routes from 10 airports, including new connections involving Ajaccio, Barcelona, Bastia, Bilbao, Burgas, Girona, Hamburg, Larnaca, Milan, Montpellier, Murcia, Mallorca, Rhodes, Rome, Thessaloniki and Tivat.

Ten of the announced routes will have easyJet as the only direct carrier. The broader programme also underlines the continuing importance of Mediterranean and southern European destinations within the UK’s outbound leisure market. Spain receives several additional connections, while France gains new services to Montpellier, Ajaccio and Bastia. Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, Montenegro and Bulgaria also feature within the expansion.

Across its UK operation, easyJet says it serves 22 UK airports with more than 650 routes to 139 destinations in Europe and beyond. Bristol therefore represents one element of a broader strategy of expanding regional connectivity while increasing access to both established leisure destinations and city-break markets.

What the Expansion Means for South West England and Wales

The practical significance of the new routes extends beyond Bristol itself. Bristol Airport draws passengers from a large regional catchment covering South West England and parts of South Wales. Additional direct international services can therefore influence travel choices across a much wider area.

Travellers heading to Bulgaria gain another scheduled option for reaching the Black Sea coast. Those travelling to Montpellier gain something more substantial: a direct connection that would otherwise require an alternative airport, surface transport or an indirect journey.

For the destinations, the routes create additional access to a regional UK source market. Bulgaria gains more connectivity for its Black Sea tourism economy at the beginning of the peak summer season. France gains a direct Bristol link to Montpellier from July, potentially supporting city tourism, Mediterranean holidays and wider regional exploration.

Summer 2027 Strengthens Bristol’s European Tourism Map

The arrival of Burgas and Montpellier adds two very different destinations to Bristol’s expanding European network. From 28 May 2027, easyJet will operate Bristol–Burgas twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, with announced fares beginning at £53.48 one way. From 1 July 2027, Bristol–Montpellier will operate every Thursday and Sunday, with announced fares beginning at £51.48 one way. easyJet will be the only airline operating the direct Montpellier route. Both destinations will also be supported through package holidays, while Budapest and Strasbourg join the airline’s Bristol offering during the preceding winter season.

Together, those additions will take easyJet’s network from Bristol Airport to 93 routes, strengthening direct connectivity between South West England, South Wales and destinations across Europe. The significance goes beyond two additional lines on an airline route map. Burgas strengthens Bristol’s connection with Bulgaria’s Black Sea holiday market, while Montpellier opens a unique direct gateway to southern France and the Mediterranean. For summer 2027 travellers, the result will be a wider choice of regional departures, more direct access to European destinations and greater flexibility when planning beach holidays, city breaks and longer leisure trips from Bristol.