Significant Ryanair Updates: Route Cuts and Future Prospects
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Ryanair is planning significant route reductions through 2026, especially impacting France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, mainly due to rising airport costs and increased aviation taxes.
In 2025, Ryanair made major announcements, including expanding its winter schedule across the UK, Finland, and Italy, and introducing new routes such as London to Murcia and Rovaniemi to the UK. The airline also aimed to increase passenger numbers and invest further in key bases like Bologna. However, it faced ongoing issues, notably Boeing delivery delays—prompting CEO Michael O’Leary’s harsh criticism of the manufacturer—and backlash over eliminating physical boarding passes.
One of the most impactful decisions is the planned reduction of routes throughout Europe. This change could result in the removal of approximately three million seats, affecting connectivity and convenience for smaller cities.
Germany
By October 2025, Ryanair announced it would be cutting 24 German routes, nearly reducing capacity by 800,000 seats for the Winter 2025/2026 season. Affected airports include Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Memmingen, Frankfurt-Hahn, Dresden, Dortmund, and Leipzig, with suspensions at Leipzig, Dresden, and Dortmund extending beyond winter into 2026. Further affected airports have not yet been specified. Ryanair attributes these changes to high air traffic control and security fees, increased aviation taxes, and numerous airport modifications, arguing that these hinder Germany’s competitiveness. If these issues are addressed, the airline has indicated a willingness to restore capacity.
Spain
In Spain, Ryanair plans to reduce around 1.2 million seats from its summer 2026 schedule for regional destinations after already cutting one million seats for winter 2025. All flights to Asturias and Vigo will cease, Santiago de Compostela’s base will close, and capacity at Santander and Zaragoza will decline. Connections to the Canary Islands will also be limited. Flights to Tenerife North and Valladolid (with closed bases) have already been stopped, and Jerez’s base will remain shut. Disagreements with airport operator Aena over rising fees and government crackdowns on cabin bag charges are cited as main reasons. Ryanair is shifting focus to larger Spanish airports and lower-cost alternatives in other countries. Other airlines have moved in to fill the gap, helping mitigate passenger inconvenience.
France
France faces similar cutbacks. After removing 750,000 seats and dropping 25 routes for winter 2025—including all services to Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg—Ryanair later agreed to resume Bergerac flights in summer 2026 after negotiations. Routes to Brive and Strasbourg remain suspended, and additional French regional airport cuts are anticipated, though specifics are pending.
Belgium
Ryanair will eliminate 20 routes and withdraw one million seats from Brussels and Charleroi for winter 2026/27, largely due to a new aviation tax doubling the per-passenger fee to €10 and possible further local taxes at Charleroi. Destinations affected include Milan-Bergamo, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome-Ciampino, Krakow, and Mallorca. The move represents a 22% reduction in Ryanair’s Belgian capacity, with five aircraft being removed from Zaventem and Charleroi bases. The airline asserts that abolishing the aviation tax would help revive Belgium’s economy by increasing tourism and traffic.
Ryanair indicates that if cost and tax environments improve in these countries, capacity and routes may be restored in future seasons.
