easyJet (London Luton) will begin 3x weekly flights between Ponta Delgada, São Miguel in the Azores, and Lisbon on the Portuguese mainland beginning March 29, 2015. The route will gradually grow to a 4x weekly service come mid-summer.

The carrier's entry follows a recent Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) decision to base a B737-800 out of the archipelago beginning in April next year.

The Government of the Azores' decision to revise its policy on Public Service Obligation (PSO) route subsidies was the driving catalyst for both budget carriers' entrance into the Azorian market.