Southend Airport's rare opportunity flight to Lapland with 'giant Elf'

Essex families have been given a rare opportunity to get into the festive spirit with flights to Lapland. The flight takes off from Southend Airport and allow families to enjoy plenty of Christmas cheer.

The flight will transport families from Southend Airport to Lapland in Finland. The early-morning flight takes off from the south Essex airport at 7:45am on December 22.

This festive celebration will see families embark on an 'unforgettable package holiday', organised by tour operator Santa's Lapland, to Santa's home in Finland. Winter is coming and a trip to Lapland could be a great way to get into the festive spirit and is available from several regional airports, including Stansted, Gatwick, Luton, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and East Midlands.

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A spokesperson for Santa's Lapland said: "Reindeer-driven sleighs. Husky-driven sleds. Elves around every corner. Spectacular shows. Tobogganing, snowmobiles and so much more... And of course, following the glow trail in the great search for Santa. For 19 years, we've been helping families create unforgettable memories. No one knows how to make Christmas more magical."

Southend Airport and Stansted Airport both offer a range of flights to different destinations popular this Christmas. A trip to a festive market, including a warm glass of mulled wine with a cosy jumper, is incredibly popular at this time of year.

Geneva, served by easyJet flights, is a gateway to winter sports including skiing. When not busy heading down snow-topped slopes visitors can also explore the city's sights. From Stansted Airport tourists can get to busy markets in Cologne in Germany, Oslo in Norway and Prague in the Czech Republic.

The busiest dates for travel at Stansted Airport are December 22, 23 and 29th with around 77,000 travelling through on each day. The quietest days are December 24, 26 and 25th.