Else Beekman
From this weekend, the Spanish skies will see considerably less of Ryanair’s trademark blue and yellow. The Irish low-cost carrier is pulling out entirely from the airports of Jerez de la Frontera and Valladolid. Furthermore, Ryanair cancels routes at other regional airports including Vigo, Zaragoza, Santander and Asturias.
In total, twelve routes are being axed, removing around 800,000 seats from the Spanish market. Strikingly, despite earlier indications from Volotea and Vueling, no other low-cost or comparable airline has stepped in to take over the twelve discontinued Ryanair routes. As a result, these connections have disappeared from the map entirely — much to the frustration of travellers who relied on these budget-friendly options.
Why is Ryanair withdrawing?
According to Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson, the move is due to “unfair competitive conditions” and a lack of incentive measures from Spanish airport operator Aena. He particularly blames the increase in airport fees introduced in 2024, which he claims has hampered the growth of regional airports. “We’re not asking for special treatment,” Wilson stated, “just a level playing field like in other European countries.”
Ryanair points to countries like Sweden, Hungary, Croatia and Morocco as more attractive alternatives for investment — growth opportunities that are coming at Spain’s expense.
Jerez and Valladolid: wiped off the map
The situation in Jerez and Valladolid is especially stark: Ryanair has ceased all operations at these airports. Both cities now lose their direct links to Ryanair’s European network, which is a major blow to both tourism and local mobility.
Residents in Jerez are disappointed. “We rely on these connections, especially for work and visiting family,” says María. She used to fly to London frequently to visit her daughter. “Now we have to go via Seville, which takes more time and costs more money.”
Other regions affected
At Vigo airport, Ryanair’s capacity is being slashed by a staggering 61%. In Santiago de Compostela, one of the four based aircraft is being withdrawn, leading to a 28% reduction in capacity. This has a direct impact on connectivity, particularly during busy travel periods like Semana Santa and the summer months.
Zaragoza (-20%), Asturias (-11%) and Santander (-5%) are also facing cuts. Cancelled routes include Vigo–Barcelona, Zaragoza–Vienna and –Lisbon, Asturias–London and Santander–Alicante. Ryanair is also scrapping the route between Santiago and Jerez, as it is precisely that aircraft which is being removed from the fleet. Travellers between these cities will have no direct flight option at least until the autumn — and certainly not during peak travel periods such as Easter, spring bank holidays or the summer.
List of cancelled Ryanair routes by airport:
- Vigo: connection with Barcelona cancelled
- Zaragoza: flights to Vienna and Lisbon scrapped
- Asturias: London route cancelled
- Santander (Seve Ballesteros): connection with Alicante discontinued
- Santiago de Compostela (Rosalía de Castro): route to Jerez cancelled due to aircraft withdrawal
- Jerez de la Frontera and Valladolid: Ryanair ends all operations, all routes cancelled
This is particularly painful for domestic travellers. Their alternative? Often a more expensive or less frequent flight via Madrid or Barcelona.
Growing while shrinking?
What’s particularly notable is that Ryanair still expects to grow by 3% in the Spanish market this year, despite these drastic cuts. This growth is driven by expansion at major tourist hubs like Madrid, Málaga and Palma de Mallorca. There, the airline is adding 2 million extra seats.
But that growth comes at the expense of smaller airports — and with it, the regional spread of tourism. And that is precisely what Spain has been trying to promote in recent years. The country needs to ease the pressure on overcrowded hotspots.
Whether Spain will manage to reclaim those lost connections remains to be seen.