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  "path": "/2026/05/05/manchester-airport-gets-two-first-ever-routes-lush-greek-island-africas-largest-country-28229935/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-05T05:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Lifestyle",
    "Travel",
    "Algeria",
    "Europe Travel",
    "Flights",
    "Greece",
    "Manchester",
    "Manchester Airport",
    "Travel Inspiration",
    "Travel News",
    "easyJet",
    "Jet2",
    "Ryanair",
    "Samos",
    "Greek",
    "Metro Deals",
    "Get deal now",
    "Samos is steeped in history",
    "Birmingham Airport",
    "London Stansted",
    "North Africa",
    "the Algerian capital Algiers",
    "Chicago",
    "Switzerland",
    "London",
    "Sign up to The Getaway Expert",
    "Morocco",
    "Metro’s places to visit for 2026",
    "like Ronda in Spain",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Manchester Airport is about to be connected to one of Africa’s most ancient cities (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nIt’s a big year for Manchester Airport. As well as emerging from a decade-long £1.3 billion makeover, it’s got a slate of new routes that bring more choice to passengers than ever before.\n\nThe UK’s global gateway in the north already offers a network unparalleled outside London, with more than 200 destinations served by 50 airlines.\n\nBut that network is expanding further in 2026, with several new services confirmed from the likes of easyJet, Jet2and Ryanair.\n\nOf most interest to **Metro** readers is likely to be Jet2’s inaugural route to Samos, which left Manchester for the first time on Friday, May 1.\n\nThe Greek island, which lies just off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, is renowned for its golden beaches and lush, mountainous landscape.\n\nBeautiful Samos (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n##  Best of Metro Deals\n\nGet exclusive discounts with Metro Deals – save on getaways and spa days. Powered by Wowcher\n\n**Bannatyne Spa** : Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco — save up to 57% off.\n\n Get deal now\n\n**Mystery Escape** : Hotel stay with return flights from as low as £92pp — save on worldwide holiday packages.\n\nGet deal now\n\n**Beach Retreat (Lanzarote)** : 4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights — save up to 58%.\n\nGet deal now\n\nLike every part of Greece, Samos is steeped in history. The Ancient Greeks considered it to be one of the most spiritual places in the Mediterranean.\n\nBeyond its low-key resorts and the lively capital, Vathy, there are off-the-beaten-track beaches and quiet spots in the forested inland mountains where traditional life continues.\n\nJet2 will operate twice-weekly services on Tuesday and Friday until the end of October.\n\nThe Manchester flight will be followed by one to Samos from Birmingham Airport on May 4, and another from London Stansted on May 7.\n\nKokkari, a picturesque fishing harbour on Samos (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nElsewhere, Manchester Airport has announced a first-ever route to North Africa that bosses say will ‘make a huge difference to thousands of people’.\n\nAlgeria will soon be added to the list of more than 60 countries the airport offers direct flights to.\n\nAir Algérie has announced a new twice-weekly service to the Algerian capital Algiers starting this summer, with the inaugural flight pencilled in for Sunday, June 14.\n\nThe airport said it would be the first ever direct flight from Manchester to Africa’s largest country.\n\nManchester will become the only UK airport outside of London with a direct link to Algiers.\n\nAnd there’s never been a better time to visit.\n\n##  Planning a trip? You need The Getaway Expert\n\nNeed a break from January blues? Plan your perfect trip with expert Alice (Picture: Alice Murphy)\n\nHi, I’m Alice Murphy, a journalist with ten years’ experience all around the world. I was born in Ireland, but I’ve lived in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, beside a lake in Switzerland, and now here in London.\n\nJoin me to learn insider tips that will transform the way you travel, from how to get free stopovers in Istanbul to converting currency in real-time using the iPhone calculator app.\n\nSign up to The Getaway Expert for your exclusive seven-day guide packed with clever hacks, travel tales and money-saving advice.\n\nLonely Planet included Algiers as one of its top off-the-beaten-track Mediterranean destinations for 2026.\n\nHome to grand Roman ruins, historic cities and otherworldly landscapes, Algeria has all the ingredients for a classic bucket list adventure.\n\nIt’s just a short hop from Europe, with snow-flecked mountains and stunning coastline in the north, and surreal sand seas in the south.\n\nIt’s one of the few places in the world where you can go skiing in the mountains in the morning and hiking in the desert at night.\n\nTravellers have previously been deterred by its famously complex visa system, but now, the ‘sleeping beauty’ of African tourism is finally waking up.\n\nThe archeological Roman site of Tipasa in Algeria (Picture: Bruno Malfondet / Getty Images)\n\nIn recent years, Morocco has become popular with British holidaymakers.\n\nBut just two hours east lies comparatively undiscovered Algiers, the coastal capital known for its fascinating history, richly textured architecture and labyrinthine streets that spill down into the Bay.\n\nWe recommend a twin-city break that takes in Constantine, which featured in Metro’s places to visit for 2026.\n\nDubbed the ‘City of Bridges’, it is built across a deep gorge (a bit like Ronda in Spain) and connected by a network of walkways that earned the UNESCO-listed ancient city its name.\n\nEnjoy the lot with barely another tourist in sight.\n\n\n\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Manchester Airport gets two first-ever routes to lush Greek island and Africa’s largest country"
}