dailynewsnblog
London Gatwick is on a roll. The latest new airline to join its portfolio is Eurowings. As a result of notable changes to the German low-cost carrier’s London Heathrow network, the carrier will now serve Gatwick too. It plans two routes.
Eurowings is the seventh new carrier to begin or announce service to the UK’s second-busiest airport in 2026. Gatwick’s greater slot availability (compared to Heathrow), lower fees/charges (compared to Heathrow), and strong brand awareness are all vital factors. More operators are likely to add Gatwick to their networks this year.
Eurowings Has Added Gatwick To Its Map
As first identified by Sean Moulton on X, Eurowings’ Gatwick debut will take place on March 29. That date is significant, as it is when northern carriers switch to summer schedules based on IATA slot seasons. However, Cirium Diio data indicates that the now-defunct Germanwings, which was integrated into Eurowings, served Gatwick until 2008.
Eurowings is a member of the 
Lufthansa Group. The airline will use Gatwick slots leased from ITA Airways, which is returning to Heathrow and is now part-owned by the Lufthansa Group. It is a good example of airlines working together at a broader level for the benefit of the overall Group.
Eurowings plans two routes, as outlined below and here. Cologne was previously part of Germanwings’ Gatwick network until 2005. The city was last served regularly from the West Sussex airport in 2022, when easyJet cut the route. BA operated between 2018 and 2020, but the route returned to Heathrow in 2023. Jet2 plans limited Gatwick-Cologne flights for Christmas markets in November/December 2026. Meanwhile, Stuttgart last had Gatwick flights in 2020, when easyJet pulled out, having operated for five years.
|
Gatwick To… |
Start Date |
Eurowings’ Operations* |
|---|---|---|
|
Cologne |
March 29 |
13 weekly (one flight on Saturdays) |
|
Stuttgart |
April 12 |
Six weekly (no flight on Saturdays) |
|
* Known as of January 27, and subject to change |
Eurowings Is Making Big Changes To Its Heathrow Operations
With barely two months’ notice, there’s relatively little notice between Eurowings’ announcement and the launch date of the first route. However, this is less of a problem than it would otherwise be, as it’s simply switching London airports.
It will cease flying from Cologne to Heathrow on March 28, with Gatwick flights commencing the following day. Eurowings’ Cologne-Heathrow service has operated since 2017, and previously had up to three daily flights. It replaced Germanwings, which served this route until 2017. It is unknown what will happen to its redundant Heathrow slots. Will they revert to Lufthansa itself?
British Airways is also ending Heathrow-Cologne flights. As such, the German city will no longer be linked to Heathrow. Part of the reason must surely be because of the relatively fast trains, which can take less than four hours from central London to central Cologne. BA will also end the route on March 28.
Eurowings will continue to serve Stuttgart-Heathrow. Despite the airline’s upcoming six weekly flights to Gatwick, Heathrow is still down to see the carrier 18 times a week. Thus, it’ll now operate 24 times a week to the UK capital. Four daily flights will operate during the week, one on Saturdays, and three on Sundays. The reason for the London growth is that BA is ending its Stuttgart flights.
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Is this really a surprise, or are things not quite as they might seem?
Seven Airlines Have Added Gatwick To Their Network In 2026
Gatwick has confirmed that seven airlines will begin flights in 2026. Of course, as this examination is on January 27, things will almost certainly change. As such, treat this article as a snapshot of what’s currently known. It adds to the multiple operators that began flying to the airport in 2024 and 2025. A more comprehensive analysis will be conducted on this another time.
In 2026, the additions are Air Arabia (the original Sharjah unit), Air France, Animawings, Capital Airlines, Condor, Eurowings, and Jet2. Of course, it is never a one-way street. Airlines always pull out or cease to exist. The most notable exits in 2025 include Delta Air Lines and the now-defunct Eastern Airways.
