RYANAIR is axing 15 destinations across Europe in 2026, amid plans to scale back its operations.
It comes just months after the budget airline confirmed that two million seats would be scrapped across Spain.
Millions of Brits could be forced to change their plans as routes to major destinations, mainly in Germany and Spain, are scrapped.
Plans to scale back operations in France have also been announced.
Just a few months ago Ryanair cancelled all services to three French destinations.
The cancelled routes come as Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary pushes back against rising air tax costs.
Here’s the full list of affected routes:
Spain
Back in August, Ryanair said confirmed that two million seats across Spain would be being scrapped.
The destinations is said it would be closing operations and ceasing flights to were:
- Santiago de Compostela
- Vigo
- Valladolid
- Jerez
- Tenerife (North)
Tensions over increased airport charges had affected relations with the state-owned Spanish operator Aena.
Mr O’Leary said at the time: “If the costs in regional Spain are too high, I will fly elsewhere.
“We are better off flying at the same cost to places such as Palma [on the island of Mallorca] than flying to Jerez.”
Germany
In October, Ryanair announced it was dropping 24 routes to and from Germany, cutting nearly 800,000 seats in total.
It was revealed that nine airports would be affected, along with the plans of those wanting a winter break, and including to major cities that are popular with tourists.
These are:
- Berlin
- Hamburg
- Memmingen
- Baden-Württemberg
- Cologne
- Frankfurt-Hahn
- Dortmund
- Dresden
- Leipzig
Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said back in August: “Germany’s air travel market is broken and needs an urgent fix.
“As a result of these high government taxes/fees (the highest in Europe), and Lufthansa’s high-fare monopoly, German citizens/visitors now pay the highest air fares in Europe.”
France
Ryanair cut services to France in 2025 – with the loss of 25 routes and some 750,000 seats this winter following the decision to drop services to Strasbourg, Brive and Bergerac.
Now though, it has been revealed that further cancellations are possibly looming.
CEO Jason McGuiness has confirmed thar Ryanaire will leave France’s regional airports in the summer of 2026.
However, as yet, no official destinations have been named yet.
The actions of the airline earlier in the year caused a 13 per cent reduction in its capacity in France.
Mr O’Leary told French newspaper Le Parisien: “You have this crazy situation where your government increases the solidarity tax on airline tickets (TSBA), which has gone from 2.63 euros to 7.40 euros per ticket. 180% increase! It’s totally unjustified.”
He added that commercial flying was a “rotten sector that does not bring in a lot of money.”
He also accused the French government of viewing airlines as their personal “tax collectors,” as well as making the claim that “French air traffic control is by far the least effective in Europe.”
However, five European cities will be getting new Ryanair flights as part of the airline’s winter schedule.
Plus, here is everything you need to know about whether you can use a printed boarding pass, including rules for Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 explained.
