TL;DR
- Jet2holidays has extended its Kefalonia season to October 31, 2026, covering the full autumn half-term.
- Manchester flights increase to six weekly, including a new Saturday service ideal for family bookings.
- October bookings are up 21% year-on-year, with families increasingly seeking cooler autumn temperatures.
- The extension adds four extra weeks to the season; from 26 to 30 weeks annually.
- Kefalonia’s October temperatures (19-24°C) sit comfortably below August’s 30°C+ heat.
The Full Story
Jet2holidays has announced they’re stretching their Kefalonia season all the way to October 31, 2026. The extension covers the full October half-term period and includes a new Saturday service from Manchester — bringing weekly flights to six.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2holidays, mentioned “continued demand from customers and independent travel agents looking to book both peak and late summer dates” when making the announcement. Independent agents got a specific mention in the press release. It’s great to see operators highlighting the role independent agents play in driving new-season demand.
Six Weekly Flights and a Saturday Service
The new Saturday departure joins existing services from Manchester, bringing the total to six flights per week. Saturday departures line up well with school holiday travel, particularly for families in northern England who prefer regional airports over the trek to London.
Manchester Airport serves 22 million people within a two-hour drive, and the airport is currently midway through a £1.3 billion redevelopment that’s expanding terminal capacity. The timing works in everyone’s favour.
October Bookings Are Having a Moment
The numbers tell an interesting story. October half-term bookings are up 21% year-on-year across the market, and the Advantage Travel Partnership reported a 28% increase in demand for September and October travel overall.
What’s driving the shift? Families are increasingly citing destinations as “too hot” in August. Kefalonia’s October temperatures sit between 19-24°C, compared to 30°C+ in peak summer. The weather is cooler, the crowds are smaller, and October pricing typically runs 15-20% below peak summer rates. Pricing remains slightly higher than early autumn, reflecting school holiday demand.
Greece is also seeing strong international bookings projected through October, with airline capacity to the country up 4.8% specifically in October 2025. The destination infrastructure is there to support longer seasons.
Four Extra Weeks on the Calendar
The extension means Kefalonia is now bookable for 30 weeks instead of 26 weeks annually. The October 11-31 period covers the entire autumn half-term; a time when families traditionally face limited mid-haul options if they want guaranteed sun without flying long-haul.
Jet2 becomes the only operator serving Kefalonia through October 31st from Manchester, which gives the route a bit of breathing room in terms of availability.
Early Bookings Are Already Open
Because the announcement is for 2026, bookings are open now. Families who typically plan school holidays well in advance can already secure October half-term slots, and there’s time for agents to get familiar with the extended season before peak booking periods hit.
Kefalonia pre-bookings were down 9% earlier in 2025 compared to destinations like Mykonos (-27%) or Santorini (-23%), suggesting the decline was more about timing than the destination itself. The extended season could tap into demand that was sitting on the sidelines.
Manchester’s Expansion Fits the Picture
Manchester Airport’s redevelopment is expanding terminal capacity to handle 80% of passenger traffic by 2025, up from its original capacity of 2.5 million passengers annually to 11 million currently. The airport is the UK’s third-busiest, and the infrastructure investment supports longer-season routes like this one.
The Saturday service addition specifically targets family markets, as weekend departures are typically preferred for school holiday travel. It’s a straightforward logistics win for families who’d rather not navigate midweek airport runs during term breaks.
What the Season Extension Covers
The new dates mean October Kefalonia bookings can bridge the gap between summer holidays and winter planning. October weather suits multi-generational trips, active enough for families with young children, and comfortable enough for older relatives who find August heat challenging.
Families who book October can also be positioned for May half-term the following year, creating year-round booking patterns rather than seasonal peaks with quiet periods in between.
Here’s to what’s next… and more golden-hour bookings ahead.
Agent Advantage Insight
The extended season gives agents four additional sellable weeks annually and covers the full October half-term period when families pay premium prices for limited availability. The Saturday Manchester flights work well for northern England clients, and the temperature difference between August (30°C+) and October (19-24°C) provides a clear talking point for families who’ve mentioned heat concerns in previous conversations.
