Ryanair has launched flights from Saarbrücken Airport for Summer 2026, adding three direct routes to Alicante in Spain, and Lamezia Terme and Trapani in Italy. Each destination will operate twice weekly from late March to October, with bookings now available.
This expansion forms part of Ryanair’s broader Summer 2026 schedule for Germany, which includes two new airports—Saarbrücken and Friedrichshafen—plus 14 new routes and the reinstatement of 300,000 seats. The moves follow the German government’s decision to reduce aviation tax from July 2026 and freeze air traffic control charges, enabling Ryanair to reverse planned capacity cuts at proactive regional airports like Saarbrücken.
Despite the growth, Ryanair’s total German capacity for Summer 2026 remains 220,000 seats below Summer 2025 levels due to ongoing reductions at high-cost airports such as Berlin and Hamburg. Ryanair Head of Comms DACH, Marcel Pouchain Meyer, stated: “Through our growth at regional airports with competitive costs like Saarbrücken, we can avoid the enormously high access costs of major German airports. This allows us to keep ticket prices low and offer passengers more choice.”
Saarbrücken Airport CEO Thomas Schuck noted the routes qualitatively and quantitatively expand offerings, while Saarland Economics Minister Jürgen Barke called it positive news for the airport and regional travelers. The airport handled 340,000 passengers in 2024 and nearly 200,000 from January to August this year, served by five airlines including Eurowings and Sun Express.
Ryanair eyes further German growth if reforms continue, potentially doubling traffic to 34 million passengers annually with 30 additional based aircraft.