Ryanair to Cut 1M Seats in Spain Over Rising Airport Fees

Ryanair has announced plans to cut approximately 1 million seats from its Spanish routes for the upcoming winter 2025/2026 season.

This decision is a direct response to a 6.5 percent increase in airport fees by Spain’s state-owned operator, Aena, set to take effect in March 2026. Fees will rise to €11.03 (around $12.9) per passenger, affecting the airline’s profitability.

The flight reductions will mainly affect regional airports, including Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Zaragoza, Asturias, Santander, Jerez, and Valladolid.

Ryanair will provide details of the affected flights on September 3, 2025. Passengers with bookings on these flights will be contacted and offered refunds.

At the same time, the airline is shifting its focus toward more competitive markets, including Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Hungary, and Sweden, where it anticipates better growth opportunities.

Just a few days before, Ryanair announced a partnership with Booking Holdings that returns Ryanair flights to Booking.com, Kayak, Priceline, and Agoda after years of distribution disputes.

Photo by Portuguese Gravity on Unsplash