Volotea has announced the upcoming opening of its new base in Montpellier, its 20th in Europe and 11th in France. This represents a significant step in Volotea’s continued expansion across France and reflects the airline’s long-standing commitment to Montpellier since the launch of operations there in 2012.

A New Base and a Strengthened Offer for 2026, Serving Improved Regional Connectivity

Present in Montpellier since 2012, Volotea has offered more than 3 million seats from the airport. In 2025, the airline operates eight routes and is offering its highest-ever capacity in the region, with more than 370,000 seats.

The opening of the new base in autumn 2026 is the next step in supporting this growth and strengthening Volotea’s local presence. From launch, the airline will base an Airbus A320, creating around 30 direct jobs and more than 170 indirect jobs, while increasing capacity and expanding the flight program. This further reinforces Volotea’s contribution to the local economy in the Hérault region.

From autumn 2026, Volotea will offer passengers from Montpellier four new destinations:

Bordeaux: From November 6th, with two flights per week (Fridays and Sundays), passengers will be able to travel to Bordeaux, France’s wine capital and a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city.

Madrid: Also launching on November 6th, with two weekly frequencies (Mondays and Fridays), Volotea will provide access to Spain’s capital.

Tenerife South: From November 8th, with one weekly flight (Sundays), passengers will be able to travel to Tenerife South, a year-round sunny destination in the Canary Islands.

Lanzarote: From November 7th, with one weekly frequency (Saturdays), Volotea will launch a new route to Lanzarote, a Canary Island renowned for its unique volcanic scenery and an aesthetic shaped by artist César Manrique.

These new routes, already available for sale on Volotea’s website, complement an existing network of eight destinations (Ajaccio, Brest, Caen, Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg and Menorca) to France and Spain, and align with the airline’s development strategy in Montpellier.

“We are very pleased to confirm Montpellier as our 11th base in France and 20th in Europe, more than 13 years after operating our first flight here. This is a landmark moment that reaffirms our local roots, as Montpellier becomes our fourth base in the Occitanie region, following Toulouse, Rodez and Lourdes. It reflects our ambition to strengthen connectivity between Europe’s small and mid-sized cities and to position ourselves as a key regional player in France. From autumn 2026, our four new routes, Bordeaux, Madrid, Tenerife South and Lanzarote, will further enhance an already dynamic offer. We are already working to expand our network with additional capacity and destinations. I would like to thank the teams at Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport for their close cooperation,” said Carlos Muñoz, Founder and CEO of Volotea.

“This is an important day for Montpellier and the surrounding region. Volotea has been a strategic airline for more than 13 years and has played a major role in connecting eastern Occitanie with France’s regional capitals. The arrival of the first based aircraft in autumn 2026 will enable the launch of four new destinations and marks a new phase of development for our airport. From 2027, Volotea will strengthen existing transversal routes and add further destinations to our network. This represents a strong growth driver for eastern Occitanie, addressing the travel needs of all customer segments. The network developed by Volotea’s base will complement the low-fare offer already provided by our airline partners operating from Montpellier,” said Emmanuel Brehmer, Chairman of the Executive Board of Montpellier Méditerranée Airport.

Volotea, Leading Provider Of Domestic Connectivity In France

With 8 million seats offered in 2025 (+8% versus 2024), Volotea continues to strengthen its presence in France, its largest market, and plans to increase capacity to 9 million seats in 2026, representing a 12.5% increase year-on-year. The airline has carried more than 7.3 million