Ryanair (FR)

Ryanair opened bookings for its summer 2027 programme on 9 October. This first wave includes 29 new routes. The airline says this is just the beginning, with further announcements to come.

The United Kingdom accounts for 11 of these new routes. Leeds Bradford gains four routes to Budapest, Tirana, Corfu and Bari. Newcastle will be connected to Reus and Rhodes. Birmingham, East Midlands, Norwich, Exeter and Bournemouth will also gain new routes to Wrocław, Gdańsk, Malaga and Porto.

The first wave also includes Mediterranean destinations and Morocco. Ryanair says its global network will exceed 2,500 routes to 230 destinations. For travellers, this means more choice when departing from regional airports and more options for planning summer 2027.

Low-cost airline Ryanair is launching its largest-ever winter programme in Sweden. The airline will offer a total of 43 routes, including five new ones. An additional Boeing 737 will be based at Stockholm Arlanda, bringing the number of Ryanair aircraft stationed in the country to eight.

The new routes will link Stockholm Arlanda with Rabat, Warsaw and Wrocław. Ryanair will also launch flights from Gothenburg to Budapest and from Malmö to London. For travellers, this means new direct flights to Morocco, Poland, Hungary and the United Kingdom.

Ryanair has announced an investment of around €700 million in Sweden. It is targeting 4.6 million passengers a year. Ryanair also says that this activity could create more than 3,600 jobs. The airline will continue its expansion if access costs at Swedish airports fall.

In August 2026, Ryanair carried 22.2 million passengers, 6% more than in August 2025. Its load factor remained at 96%, a very high level for a low-cost carrier.

The airline also operated more than 120,500 flights during the month. However, more than 400 flights were cancelled in Sicily due to eruptions of Mount Etna, which disrupted operations around Catania.

Over the trailing twelve months, Ryanair reached 214.4 million passengers at the end of August, up 5%. Its annual load factor remains stable at 94%.

For its 2027 financial year, ending on 31 March next year, Ryanair is lowering its traffic forecast from 216 million to 214 million passengers. The airline says this decision reflects its desire to reduce its exposure to unhedged fuel during the winter season, from November to March.

Ryanair is extending its check-in deadline to 60 minutes before departure, starting in November 2026. Today, check-in closes 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time. This change applies to travellers on Ryanair short- and medium-haul flights.

In practical terms, travellers will need to allow more time before heading to the airport or going through security. Passengers who check in online will also need to pay close attention to their deadline. This change may help avoid last-minute queues at the check-in desk and provide more leeway if the journey to the airport takes a little longer than expected.

Ryanair is therefore introducing a broader rule than the one currently in force. For travellers, the key point is simple: it is better to complete their Travel requirements one hour before departure, rather than 40 minutes beforehand. This new requirement will be added to the other usual stages of the journey, such as dropping off baggage and reaching the boarding gate.