Markus Mainka | Shutterstock, Simple Flying
James lives and breathes route development. Educated in Air Transport Management at Loughborough University and Cranfield University, James has a PhD in Airline Strategy and Economics. James was Market Opportunity Analyst at London Luton Airport and Chief Analyst at anna.aero. He taught airline strategy and economics to undergraduate and postgraduate students for five years and has worked closely with multiple carriers on route and market intelligence projects. He is based near London, UK.
Ryanair is by far the largest operator in Europe (excluding airline groups). In 2026, the ultra-low-cost carrier's schedule submission to OAG shows 3,272 daily movements, up 4% on 2025 for a new record. Ryanair provides one in six of the continent's short-haul services.
The airline's primary fleet of Boeing 737-800s and 737 MAX 8-200s mean an average of 191 seats per flight, which is a new record. The higher-capacity equipment, which is fundamental to reducing seat-mile costs to enable the low fares to grow demand, means that Ryanair now has 18% of Europe's short-haul seats.
Ryanair Ends All Flights To These 12 Airports In 2026
Schedule analysis indicates the airline stopped flying to the following airports. The list excludes base closures if the carrier will still fly there using non-stationed aircraft.
Ryanair is renowned for pulling out of airports if fees/charges rise; more on that later. For most of the entries, the carrier had a tiny operation, which was usually because of the cost of serving the place. However, in the case of the Turkish airports, traffic rights were also a factor. In contrast, Jordan has open skies with the EU.
While Ryanair's overall schedule is currently available through September 2027, none of these markets are expected to see the airline. However, this could change for some of them, especially Amman, which is served through Queen Alia International Airport.
Due to the ongoing war, flights to the Jordanian capital were suspended earlier this year. They were due to resume in July, but the conflict and uncertainty meant that it was pushed back to the end of October. All future flights were then removed, with no services planned through next summer. That's why it is featured.
|
End Month (2026 Only*) |
Market |
Served Since When?** |
How Many Ryanair Routes In 2026? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
January 2026 |
Vigo, Spain |
2016 |
1 |
|
March 2026 |
Amman, Jordan |
2018 |
18 |
|
March 2026 |
Asturias, Spain |
2012 |
3 |
|
March 2026 |
Clermont-Ferrand, France |
2003 |
1 |
|
March 2026 |
Ponta Delgada, Portugal |
2015 |
2 |
|
March 2026 |
Terceira, Portugal |
2016 |
2 |
|
August 2026 |
Rodez, France |
2003 |
2 |
|
October 2026 |
Bodrum, Turkey |
2019 |
2 |
|
October 2026 |
Dalaman, Turkey |
2018 |
3 |
|
October 2026 |
Kalamata, Greece |
2013 |
2 |
|
October 2026 |
Niš, Serbia |
2016 |
4 |
|
October 2026 |
Volos, Greece |
2010 |
1 |
|
* No flights scheduled past October 2026 |
** Not always continuously |
Another Exit Is Coming In 2027
Last week, Ryanair disclosed that service to Bremen, Germany, will end in late March 2027. Unusually, it was a base from the get-go, with one 189-seat 737-800 stationed there. In the past 19 years, 18.3 million round-trip seats for sale have been available, equivalent to a third of the airport's total capacity and 51% of its international seats.
Ryanair's presence in Bremen has been decreasing over the years. From a high of 1.8 million round-trip seats in 2010, capacity fell to just 478,000 in 2025. The general reduction was influenced by Hamburg joining Ryanair's map in 2014, with the airports only separated by around 75 miles (120 km), while the Bremen base closed in 2018.
Curiously, Ryanair's Bremen capacity increased by 8% in 2026. This was driven by a new route to Lamezia Terme in the far south of Italy, together with many more seats to Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, and Zadar. Bremen is Ryanair's 119th most-served facility in 2026, out of 230 airports across its network.
Six routes remain: Alicante, Lamezia Terme,
London Stansted Airport (STN), Malaga, Palma, and Zadar. The final departure is set for Saturday, March 27, 2027, which is the final day of the Northern Hemisphere winter based on IATA slot seasons. FR3633 is set to depart for STN at 4:55 PM, which will be one of three flights on the route that day. From then on, Bremen will not have flights to the UK.
Why Is Ryanair Pulling Out Of Bremen?
Unsurprisingly, the ultra-low-cost carrier stated that the elimination of flights to Bremen is due "to excessive access costs (air traffic control fees, security fees, and high airport charges) combined with the federal government's exorbitant air passenger duty."
Let's be frank. Some of the routes, which existed for many years, would have done well financially, or they wouldn't have lasted for so long. However, the logic is that they might do less well (or even be unprofitable) with the higher expenses, given low margins per passenger. Like most other airlines, Ryanair can simply move aircraft and capacity elsewhere.
It is far more than that. Ryanair is, of course, a business. Its priority is to achieve ever-increasing profitability. By threatening to pull out of airports or actually doing so, it is setting an example for other airports, regions, or even countries to avoid increasing charges. The economic consequences could be significant, particularly, of course, when a place needs Ryanair much more than the other way around.
If it simply willingly agreed to higher charges and paid them, like smaller operators with less leverage probably would, other airports would simply do the same. Ryanair's cost advantage over other airlines would thus be reduced, which would threaten its entire existence. When viewed as a business, it is hardly surprising that Ryanair plays the hard game. Whether it 'wins' is almost unimportant, as it is about sending a clear message. If charges increase, Ryanair will usually stop growing, reduce its offering, or pull out. It'll grow where it is more competitive to do so.
