Budget airline Ryanair has confirmed it will terminate all of its flights to the popular Azores islands, dealing a significant blow to British holidaymakers seeking winter sun.
All Routes Cancelled from Spring 2026
The carrier announced it will cease all six routes to and from the Azores from 29 March 2026. This includes the seasonal services operating from London Stansted and Bristol Airport that typically ran between April and October each year. Connections from Portugal's mainland airports in Lisbon and Porto will also be discontinued.
Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, expressed disappointment, directly blaming the decision on what he described as excessive fee increases by the French airport monopoly ANA, which operates Portuguese airports. He stated these actions come "at the expense of Portuguese tourism and jobs – particularly on the Portuguese islands."
Why Ryanair is Pulling Out
In a strongly-worded statement, McGuinness detailed the primary reasons behind the withdrawal. He cited Portuguese airport fees that have risen by up to 35% since the Covid pandemic and criticised "anti-competitive enviro taxes imposed by the EU."
He argued that these EU taxes unfairly exempt "more polluting long haul flights to the US and Middle East, at the expense of EU remote regions such as the Azores." The airline claims it has been left with "no alternative" but to relocate this aircraft capacity to lower-cost airports elsewhere in its European network.
Ryanair also urged the Portuguese government to intervene, stating that airports are "a critical part of national infrastructure – especially in an island economy like the Azores" and should benefit the Portuguese people rather than a "French airport monopoly."
Impact on British Travellers
This decision leaves a considerable gap in direct flight options for UK tourists. British Airways will become the only airline offering a direct route from the UK, with its seasonal flights from London Heathrow to Ponta Delgada Airport. However, these services only operate during the peak summer season.
For travel during the rest of the year, including the popular winter sun period, British holidaymakers will now need to book flights with a connection through mainland Portugal, inevitably increasing both journey time and cost.
This is not an isolated incident for Ryanair. The airline has recently abandoned several regional airports, including Strasbourg, Bergerac, and Vatry in 2025, and has threatened to leave other French airports due to rising taxes, highlighting a broader trend of the carrier reacting against increased operational costs across Europe.
