easyJet sicraft. Photo: easyJet When British-Cypriot entrepreneur Stelios Haji Yannou founded easyJet in 1995, a few years after the unification of the continent, few believed that a model of flights at almost ridiculous prices, without unnecessary services and without luxuries, could really work in affluent Europe.
easyJet aircraft. Photo: Shutterstock
Three decades later, it's hard to imagine Europe without the easyJet orange that fills the airports. The company's first and historic flight, after its official opening in November 1995, took off from London Luton Airport, where the company still operates from its largest base, to Glasgow, Scotland. It was a milestone that marked the beginning of a new era: affordable aviation for all.
easyJet offered tickets at prices that were then less than the cost of a train ride, with a clear promise: pay only for what you really need. No meal, no reserved seat, at an unbeatable price.
Since then, the company has experienced rapid growth. Today, it operates a fleet of more than 300 narrow-body aircraft (mostly Airbus A320s) flying to more than a hundred destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
"We don't just fly cheap, we change the way people think about flying," said the company's CEO, Johan Lundgren, who left last year, in an interview with a British newspaper. "Our goal is to allow people to experience the world, without breaking the bank."
Over the years, the group developed into new investment avenues and opened the easyhotel chain, which was later sold to Tristan Capital Partners, and also invested in vacation packages.
In recent years, the airline has also focused on a greener future. It was the first airline in the world to announce a future "zero emissions policy" and is investing in the research and development of electric and hybrid aircraft in partnership with Airbus.
easyJet's electric plane takes off. Photo: easyJet
Of course, not everything is rosy. Like many others in Europe, easyJet also faces delays, strikes, and criticism of customer service. However, despite everything, it manages to maintain its position as one of the most reliable and beloved low-cost companies in Europe, in a highly competitive market that is dominated by Wizz Air and its largest competitor, the low-cost giant Ryanair.
30 years after its founding, easyJet is no longer just a symbol of savings, but also of a new lifestyle, where the skies are truly open to everyone.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the low-cost airline announced a special sales promotion of up to 30% off more than 300,000 seats on thousands of flights departing between November 18, 2025 and March 18, 2026.
The discounted fares are available to book from £14.99 on easyJet.com and the app until 3pm London time on November 11, 2025.