In a welcome antidote to winter blues, TUI has announced the launch of new flights to a ‘charming’ Greek island that’s said to have some of the best beaches in the country.
The low-cost airline will be introducing direct routes to Kos from London Stansted, Bournemouth, and Exeter, just in time for summer 2026.
It will be the first time that both Bournemouth and Exeter have been directly connected to the Dodecanese island. For Londoners, the route marks a revival, as it was previously axed by TUI in 2019.
Hugely popular with tourists, close to one million holidaymakers flock to Kos each year. It’s known as the ‘garden city’, a nickname acquired because of its abundance of green spaces.
If you’re looking to jet off from London, package deals start from May 7, 2026.
Prices for a week-long trip between May 7 and May 15 will currently set you back £220 per person for flights only; if you throw in an all-inclusive hotel, it’s around £659 per person.
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Those looking to start their holiday from either Bournemouth or Exeter will need to wait a little longer.
There are currently return flights from Bournemouth on May 21 for £466 per person, while passengers from Exeter can fly from May 24, from £550 per person.
Neil Swanson, managing director at TUI UK&I, says: ‘These new routes to Kos follow a rise in demand for this picturesque Island, which is one of our customers’ favourite Greek destinations.
‘By launching services from Bournemouth and Exeter for the first time, and reinstating our popular London Stansted route, we’re making it easier than ever for customers across the South of England to enjoy an unforgettable Greek island holiday.’
Greek destinations where you can escape the crowds
Things to do in Kos
Famed as a beach lover’s paradise for its 70 miles of coastline, there’s no shortage of places to fly and flop on this Greek island. Agios Fokas is ideal for snorkelling, while there are plenty of options for watersports at Agios Stefanos beach.
But there’s a wealth of history to delve into, too.
A must-visit is Asklepieion, a hillside religious sanctuary devoted to Asclepius, the god of healing, where the methods of Hippocrates were studied.
These days, the public baths and guest rooms are open to explore, and there’s a modern museum for a bit of context.
Kos Town, the island’s lively capital and main ferry port, boasts an array of monuments from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras, including the impressive 15th-century Neratzia Castle, which was built by the knights of the order of St John around 1436.
There’s also the 2nd-century Roman villa, the House of Europa, which still has a surviving floor mosaic depicting the abduction of Europa by Zeus.
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