Cardiff Airport has secured a new winter ski route to Chambry in France. The route will be operated by TUI Airways and will run every Saturday from December 21 to March 14 next year. Chambry is renowned for its world-class ski resorts, including Val daIre, La Plagne, Courchevel, and Maribel. TUI, in collaboration with ski partner Crystal Ski, will be offering tickets for this route, which are now available for purchase.
Lee Smith, Cardiff Airports head of business development, expressed his excitement about the new route, stating, We’re delighted to announce this news. Our customers have been asking for a ski route for quite some time. It’s fantastic Crystal Ski has now reacted to customer demand, allowing people living in Wales to fly from their national airport. Customers have a breadth of fantastic ski resorts within easy reach of Chambry and we know this route will be extremely popular.
The introduction of this new route aligns with Cardiff Airport’s positive performance, reporting an 8% increase in passenger numbers from January to the end of July compared to the previous year. The airport, owned by the Welsh Government, disclosed that TUI has added 12,000 holidays this year, while Vueling has expanded flights to Malaga, and Ryanair will be continuing flights to Tenerife in the winter season.
Spencer Birns, the airport’s chief executive, remarked, “We’ve had a positive year so far, with growth in the number of customers using their national airport. From January to the end of July, passenger numbers have grown by 8%, compared to 2023. We’re really pleased to hear feedback from our customers that they are enjoying improved facilities in the terminal. Our teams and partners have been working really hard to enhance customer experience.
Furthermore, Cardiff Airport has celebrated milestones with partners like Balkan Holidays, marking 45 years since the launch of direct flights to Bulgaria from Cardiff. These developments reflect the airport’s commitment to expanding its offerings and enhancing the travel experience for passengers.