Ryanair has announced significant reductions to its route network for 2026, affecting millions of passengers and numerous regional airports across Europe. The budget airline will cut around three million seats by discontinuing flights to and from key destinations, including Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, and Portugal. This move follows a year of expansion and challenges, including persistent aircraft delays from Boeing and backlash over the airline’s decision to phase out physical boarding passes.
Route Cuts in Germany and Spain
In October 2025, Ryanair revealed plans to eliminate 24 routes to and from Germany, resulting in a loss of nearly 800,000 seats for the Winter 2025/2026 schedule. Airports such as Hamburg, Berlin, and Cologne will see operations suspended, with Ryanair attributing these cuts to high air traffic control fees, security costs, and aviation taxes in Germany. CEO Michael O’Leary criticized the German government for its failure to lower these taxes, stating that they hinder the airline’s competitiveness compared to countries like Ireland and Spain.
In parallel, Ryanair will reduce its capacity to Spain, cutting approximately 1.2 million seats from its summer 2026 schedule. The airline will cease all flights to Asturias and Vigo, close its base at Santiago de Compostela, and further reduce connections to the Canary Islands. Ongoing disputes with Spanish airport operator Aena over steep tax increases have prompted these decisions, which Ryanair claims make regional airports less competitive with alternatives in Morocco and Italy.
Further Reductions in France, Belgium, and Portugal
Ryanair’s operations in France are also under threat, with the airline already having cut 750,000 seats and 25 routes for Winter 2025. While flights to Bergerac are set to resume in summer 2026, routes to Brive and Strasbourg will remain suspended. The airline’s chief commercial officer warned that additional cancellations could occur if the situation does not improve.
Belgium is facing similar challenges, with Ryanair planning to remove 20 routes and one million seats from its schedule for Winter 2026/2027. The new Belgian aviation tax, which doubles passenger charges to €10, has prompted this reduction. Ryanair has urged the Belgian government to abolish this tax to stimulate traffic and tourism.
In Portugal, Ryanair will discontinue all six routes to and from the Azores starting at the end of March 2026. This decision affects around 400,000 passengers annually and represents a 22 percent decrease in Ryanair’s Portuguese capacity. High air traffic control fees and new travel taxes have been cited as key factors in this move.
Ryanair is also making adjustments in Bosnia and Serbia, reducing flights from Banja Luka and Niš to reallocate resources to markets with growing demand, such as Croatia.
This widespread reduction in routes signals a challenging period for Ryanair as it navigates high operational costs and regulatory hurdles across Europe. If the respective governments address these issues, the airline has expressed a willingness to increase capacity once again, reflecting its commitment to maintaining competitive air travel options across the continent.
