Last year, we celebrated two decades of providing pilgrimage charter flights to Lourdes, transporting over one million passengers to the universal site of gathering, prayer and celebration of life since 2005.
In 2026, we will once again handle the operation of a comprehensive six-month programme of charter flights from a variety of regional airports in the UK and Ireland, starting in April 2026, on behalf of our valued tour operator clients.
Charter flights from regional airports
The flights will transport pilgrims on over 100 round-trips across the summer season, with some passengers travelling to Lourdes for a short break, whilst others embrace a week-long pilgrimage. We work with our trusted and long-standing airline partners to guarantee exemplary service for the large-scale operation, as we have done for the last 20 years.
The charter flights to the Holy French town include departures from Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, London and Glasgow.
Two decades of specialist charters
Lourdes is the most visited pilgrimage site in the Christian world, with over six-million people visiting the iconic site at the foothills of the Pyrenees each year. The world-renowned pilgrimage began in 1858 when the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Bernadette Soubirous.
Smart Aviation transports pilgrims to join in-depth programs led by Spiritual Directors and coordinated locally with highly skilled teams. With over 22 places of worship to visit, including the miraculous spring in the Grotto that is famous for its healing waters, travellers can choose between short breaks or weeklong pilgrimages.
Throughout the specialist charter operation, we handle the most delicate of requests for clients on the pilgrimage, including arranging accessibility requirements such as wheelchair access, the safe transportation of essential media equipment and supplies and meal requirements.
Mark Hawkins, Managing Director, said “Our pilgrimage charter programme is one of our biggest over the busy summer months. With valued relationships built over 20 years, we can deliver a reliable and secure service for our specialist tour operator clients, with the knowledge that we can handle the unique requirements of these flights.”
Contact our charter team 24-7 on [email protected]
