Ryanair announces major expansion in Hungary

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced a further expansion of its base in Budapest: in the 2026 summer season, the airline will station its 11th based aircraft there, increase annual capacity to 6.5 million seats, and operate 67 routes, including five new destinations — Dubrovnik, Krakow, Lamezia, Marrakesh, and Newcastle. According to the company, this step is part of a $1.1 billion investment package.

Ryanair directly links its expansion in Hungary to the government’s decision to abolish the aviation tax. The airline says that, following this move, its passenger traffic in Budapest increased by 15%, while at the same time it has criticized airport charges which, according to the carrier, have risen by 10% since 2024 and are beginning to undermine Budapest’s cost competitiveness compared with other Central European airports. Official materials from Budapest Airport also confirm that updated tariff rates for 2026 are in force.

According to Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness, if competitive cost levels are restored in Hungary, Ryanair is ready to accelerate its expansion: increase traffic by nearly 50% to more than 10 million seats per year, add five more aircraft by 2032 to bring its total fleet in the country to 16, and create 150 new jobs in Budapest, Balaton, and Debrecen. Under this scenario, the company’s total investment in Hungary could rise to $1.6 billion.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research 

Ryanair’s decision is significant beyond the mere expansion of its route network. It demonstrates that a country’s aviation policy — above all its tax regime and the level of airport charges — directly affects the pace of private investment inflows, fleet basing, and employment in the transport sector.

IDR experts believe that, for the countries of the Danube and Central European area, this is an example of how competition between airports is increasingly shifting from geography to the sphere of regulatory and tariff conditions. Against this background, Budapest is seeking to consolidate its role as one of the region’s key aviation hubs, but further momentum will depend on whether it can maintain a balance between airport modernization and cost attractiveness for carriers.