Ryanair is set to implement significant changes to its European route network in 2026, with plans to discontinue operations at several airports, including ending flights to the ‘Hawaii of Europe’.
The budget-friendly airline, which was founded in 1985, is said to be shutting down bases at certain airports and canceling select routes without prior notice to travelers. This means that passengers may discover that certain destinations are no longer available only when attempting to make bookings.
The most notable withdrawals will take place in the Azores region of Portugal, often referred to as the ‘Hawaii of Europe’, and the Asturias region of Spain, where all flights are being terminated.
The closure of the Azores route will come into effect on March 29, 2026, impacting around 400,000 passengers annually. This move will result in fewer direct flight options and higher average ticket prices, attributed to increased airport fees and air traffic control charges.
Jason McGuinness, Ryanair’s chief commercial officer, expressed disappointment over the decision to halt flights to the Azores, citing escalating airport fees imposed by the French airport monopoly ANA as the primary reason. As a consequence of these rising costs, all flights to the Azores will cease from March 29, 2026, onwards, with the airline reallocating capacity to more cost-effective airports within the broader Ryanair Group network across Europe.
In addition to complete service shutdowns in specific locations, Ryanair will also maintain route closures at airports in Germany and the Netherlands. The airline is reducing almost 800,000 seats for the Winter 2025/2026 schedule in the German market, with reductions already observed at various airports in Germany and other regions due to air traffic control fees, security charges, and aviation taxes.
The company characterizes the changes in its services as ‘capacity adjustments’, with confirmations coming from airport operators, regional authorities, and media outlets instead of direct announcements from Ryanair. These adjustments include alterations to services in various Spanish regions like Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Tenerife North, Jerez, and Valladolid, along with flight suspensions to French destinations such as Brive and Strasbourg.
Moreover, Ryanair intends to discontinue routes from Cork Airport to destinations like Poznań, Gdańsk, and Rome in March 2026, while also reducing routes and seats from airports in Belgium. Passengers traveling to Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia should also anticipate route cuts affecting airports including Banja Luka, Niš, Zadar, and Rijeka.
Ryanair asserts that it remains committed to popular European destinations but is adjusting operations to align with government policies and airport charges that are compatible with its low-cost operational model. Despite the route cuts, other airlines like Vueling, Binter, Iberia, and Wizz Air are stepping in to fill the void left by Ryanair’s adjustments.