Ryanair route cuts: All the airports and bases being abandoned in 2026

Ryanair is cutting deep into its European network in 2026, withdrawing entirely from some airports, closing bases at others, and quietly axing routes that many travellers won’t realise are gone until they try to book.

The airline says the changes are driven by rising airport charges, new aviation taxes, and higher air traffic control costs. Governments and airport operators, meanwhile, argue Ryanair is using capacity cuts as leverage.

Quick reference table: Ryanair withdrawals and cuts for 2026

Note: “Full exit / No service” rows reflect either explicit airline statements (where available) or airport/major-media confirmation that no Ryanair flights are scheduled into 2026 at time of reporting. “Major cuts / Route cuts” indicate Ryanair remains present but trims routes/capacity.

Big exits: The airports that Ryanair is leaving completely

The airline has announced complete withdrawals from several airports, meaning travellers will not have Ryanair connections to these destinations this year. 

Azores, Portugal — all Ryanair flights end in March 2026

Ryanair formally announced that it will close all flights to and from the Azores effective 29 March 2026, affecting six routes and approximately 400,000 passengers per year. It blamed sharply higher airport fees and ATC charges, as well as a new travel tax, for making these operations unsustainable. 

Ryanair was one of the Azores’ biggest low-fare carriers to mainland Europe. Its exit leaves fewer nonstop options and higher average fares.

Asturias, Spain — all flights withdrawn

Ryanair announced that it will stop all flights to/from Asturias Airport and reduce its regional Spain capacity by 1.2 million seats in 2026, citing high airport charges at smaller Spanish airports. 

“AENA should be lowering airport fees at underused Regional airports, but instead they plan to increase them by 7%, the highest fee increase for over a decade. The Spanish Govt has failed to stimulate Regional tourism and jobs, as it continues to protect the Aena Monopoly’s high fee operations,” said Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary in the airline’s announcement. O’Leary added that some of the capacity would shift “to some of Spain’s bigger airports, but mainly to lower-cost competitor airports in Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary.”

Germany — airports staying closed into 2026

Ryanair has stated that Dortmund, Dresden and Leipzig/Halle will remain closed to its operations, meaning no Ryanair service at these airports in 2026 under current plans.

The airline again blamed Germany’s aviation taxes and access costs, which have been a long-running flashpoint between Ryanair and federal authorities.

Maastricht Aachen, Netherlands — no Ryanair in 2026

Ryanair ended all flights to Maastricht in October 2025. With no reinstatement announced, the airport enters 2026 without Ryanair service.

Airports losing Ryanair service more quietly

Not every withdrawal was accompanied by a headline press release. Several exits and base closures have been confirmed by airport operators, regional governments, and media, though Ryanair has framed these as “capacity changes.”

Spain

• Vigo — Ryanair services end around the start of 2026, leaving the airport without the carrier.
• Santiago de Compostela — Ryanair has closed its base, withdrawing aircraft and sharply reducing routes.
• Tenerife North — services halted from Winter 2025/26, meaning no Ryanair flights in 2026 unless reinstated.
• Jerez & Valladolid — operations ended in earlier Spanish regional cuts that continue into 2026.

France

All Ryanair flights were suspended to Brive and Strasbourg in Winter ’25/’26; with these suspensions expected to extend into 2026. A partial comeback is expected at Bergerac in Summer 2026, following negotiations with the local authorities. 

Ryanair’s route cuts elsewhere

Even where Ryanair remains at an airport, specific routes are disappearing from this year’s schedule.

Ireland

From Cork, Ryanair will end routes to Poznań, Gdańsk, and Rome in March 2026 as aircraft are redeployed elsewhere.

Belgium

Ryanair plans to cut around 20 routes and 1 million seats from Brussels and Charleroi for Winter 2026/27 — and has warned reductions could start as early as April 2026 if higher taxes go ahead.

Balkans & Eastern Europe

Multiple route and frequency cuts across Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia are affecting airports, including Banja Luka, Niš, Zadar, and Rijeka.

Why Ryanair is cutting back on Europe now

Ryanair is not giving up on popular European destinations; it is merely seeking out markets where government policy and airport charges favour its low-cost model.

In several of its announcements, the airline has stated that it will continue to shift aircraft toward lower-cost markets and away from airports with rising fees and taxes.

Governments counter that ultra-low-fare models depend heavily on public infrastructure, and that pulling routes is a pressure tactic by Ryanair.

Consumers pay the price of the power play between Ryanair and European governments 

This will certainly be an interesting year for regional air connectivity in Europe. Whether Ryanair’s reductions ultimately harm consumers, governments, or the airline will depend on how much of Ryanair’s cuts constituted essential air service in these regions.

Passengers flying from smaller or regional airports could find fewer nonstop routes, or no Ryanair service at all. In some cases, there are few or no other carriers serving the airport, which would mean longer drives to alternative airports, longer routings, fewer frequencies, or higher fares.

There is a risk for Ryanair as well, depending on how willing its large base of leisure travellers is to explore some of the more cost-friendly destinations.

Featured Image: Ryanair

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