Ryanair Slashes Spain Flights After Airport Fee Hike, Hits Regional Airports Hard
Tough Summer for Spanish Regional Airports as Ryanair Cuts Deep
Anyone planning a summer getaway to Spain in 2025 might face fewer options than expected. Ryanair, Europe’s biggest budget airline, just announced it’s axing around 800,000 seats from its Spanish operations. The airline will also scrap 12 entire routes, with the impact hitting smaller regional airports the hardest. The fallout comes after Spain’s airport operator, Aena, decided to hike fees by 4.09% starting January 2025, a move that Ryanair says pushes some routes deep into the red.
For Jerez and Valladolid, the news is especially grim—Ryanair flights will disappear entirely from these two cities. Other regional airports won’t get off lightly. Vigo will see a staggering 61% cut in Ryanair capacity, Santiago is down by 28%, Zaragoza by 20%, Asturias by 11%, and Santander loses 5%. If you live in or near these cities and depend on Ryanair for travel or tourism, you’re probably in for a frustrating year.
The decision doesn’t come without some tough talk from Eddie Wilson, Ryanair’s CEO. Laying it out with no sugarcoating, Wilson said, “We will not invest in unprofitable routes. Small and medium airports need low fees to grow. Otherwise, passengers—and all the economic benefits they bring—will go elsewhere.” For many locals and officials in these regions, the fear is exactly that: people, money, and connectivity all moving away.
Regional Airports Lose Out, Big Hubs Get a Boost
While the cuts sound dramatic, Ryanair isn’t shrinking its overall Spanish presence. The carrier will redirect much of the lost capacity—about 1.5 million seats—into bigger airports where it says the economics still work. Expect beefed-up schedules and more choices for travelers using Madrid, Malaga, or Alicante. If you’re willing or able to travel to these hubs, flying Ryanair will likely remain as easy as ever.
This strategy is pretty typical for Ryanair. They’ve long threatened to scale back at airports where costs squeeze profits, and they’ve followed through before in other European countries. By putting more planes where they make money, and trimming the fat elsewhere, the airline keeps its famously low fares intact for the majority of customers—unless you’re one of the unlucky few losing service altogether.
Aena, for its part, is firing back just as strongly. Spokespeople say their airport fees are still among the lowest in Europe, calling Ryanair’s complaints “spurious.” Aena accuses the airline of using the situation to apply regulatory pressure and get special treatment. The standoff isn’t just about corporate profits—it’s also about power, regulation, and who gets to shape the future of Europe’s air travel.
Meanwhile, in places like Jerez, local officials aren’t giving up. They’re pleading for Ryanair to reconsider and calling for urgent talks with Aena to find a solution. For now, though, regional travelers in Spain are set for a rougher ride next summer.