Volotea expands in European secondary cities with new routes and bases

Spanish regional low-cost carrier Volotea continues to accelerate its expansion across Europe, announcing new routes from Spain and France alongside the opening of two new operational bases in France at Limoges and Montpellier airports. The carrier is reinforcing its strategy of connecting small and mid-sized European cities while strengthening regional air connectivity.

Last week, the airline announced to create a second base in the southwestern region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Limoges will then become Volotea 21st base in Europe and 12th in France.

France, Volotea largest market with 12 bases

From February 19, Volotea will start flying the Paris-Orly – Limoges route, abandoned in 2023. The carrier will propose two daily flights with an Airbus A319, based at the airport. The route is part of a subvention package from the French government to maintain connectivity. Although there is a direct train from Limoges to Paris, the rail link is plagued by delays due to a lack of investment to upgrade it. Volotea also promises that this first link from Limoges is only the start to more destinations in the near future.

The airline confirmed earlier that Montpellier will also be turned into a new base, marking a significant milestone after more than 13 years of operations in the region. Since launching flights from Montpellier in 2012, Volotea has offered more than 3 million seats and steadily expanded its presence in Occitanie.

Beginning in autumn 2026, the carrier will station an Airbus A320 at the airport, creating approximately 30 direct jobs and more than 170 indirect positions while supporting local economic development.

From November 2026, Volotea will introduce four new routes from Montpellier, including three services to Spain (Madrid, Tenerife South and Lanzarote) alongside a domestic French connection to Bordeaux. These routes will complement an existing network that already includes destinations such as Ajaccio, Brest, Caen, Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg and Menorca, further strengthening regional connectivity.

France is Volotea largest market, accounting for 60% of its overall activity with 26 airports served. The airline has established itself as the leading operator in France’s domestic network, with 74 domestic routes, including 44 exclusive services.

At the same time, Volotea is expanding its Spanish operations with new domestic routes from Santander Airport. Following the launch of its Granada connection in December 2025, the airline will add Málaga and Valencia beginning March 31, 2026. The Málaga route will operate three weekly frequencies during the summer season and two weekly flights in winter, while the Valencia service will run year-round twice weekly. Together, the two routes will provide nearly 68,000 seats annually, increasing travel options from northern Spain.

In Andalusia, the airline is also launching a new international route connecting Seville with Olbia-Costa Smeralda in Sardinia. Operating from May 29 through September 2026 with twice-weekly flights, the service will offer more than 13,300 seats during the summer season. With the addition of Olbia, Volotea will operate ten routes from Seville, including six international services.

An airline dedicated to Europe’s regional connectivity

These developments underline Volotea’s broader growth strategy across secondary markets in Europe and its important role for connecting regions.

Volotea operates at 110 airports and maintains operational bases in 21 small and mid-sized European cities: Asturias, Bari, Bilbao, Bordeaux, Brest, Florence, Lille, Limoges (starting February 19), Lourdes, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier (starting November 2026), Nantes, Naples, Olbia, Palermo, Rodez, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Venice, and Verona.

In 2026, Volotea will offer more than 430 routes (over half exclusive), approximately 14 million seats (+12% compared to 2025), and operate more than 80,000 flights, supported by a fleet expected to reach 45–46 Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft.