Budget travellers heading to the Azores may soon have fewer options. Ryanair has announced that it plans to suspend all routes to the archipelago from March 2026, blaming rising airport charges, new taxes, and what it calls “government negligence” in Portugal, according to Euronews.
The move would end year-round connections between the remote Atlantic islands and major cities such as London, Brussels, Lisbon, and Porto.
Why is Ryanair threatening to pull out?
Ryanair revealed its position on 20 November, claiming that “the French-run airport monopoly ANA”—which manages Portugal’s airports under the Vinci group—has increased fees to a point where routes to the Azores are no longer viable.
The airline also criticised the post-pandemic increase in air-traffic management charges in Portugal and the national €2 passenger tax.
According to Ryanair, airport fees in Portugal have risen by up to 35% since 2020, arguing that ANA “faces no competition” and can raise costs “without penalty.”
The carrier says six routes and around 400,000 passengers a year would be lost.
This dispute follows earlier tensions in Portugal. In 2023, Ryanair reduced capacity on 40 routes in Faro and Porto, calling planned tax increases “absurd” and warning that passenger fees in Lisbon would spike in 2024.
Ryanair cuts flights across Europe
The withdrawal from the Azores is part of a wider reduction of routes across Europe.
In Spain, Ryanair has already cancelled winter services to cities such as Vigo and Santiago de Compostela.
Meanwhile, the low-cost airline plans to drop several popular winter routes in Germany—including Berlin, Hamburg, and Dortmund—as part of a restructuring of its 2026 network.
In France, Ryanair signalled upcoming exits from several regional airports, including Brive, Bergerac, and Strasbourg, calling them “no longer sustainable” under current cost structures.
What could this mean for travellers?
The Azores are one of Europe’s fastest-growing destinations, and Ryanair’s presence has helped keep fares low. If the airline follows through on its threat, tourists may face fewer choices and potentially higher prices.
Other airlines may eventually fill the gap—something that happened when Ryanair cut services in Portugal and Spain in previous years. Competitors quickly increased flights to hotspots such as Lanzarote, Tenerife, and Barcelona to capture the demand.
Several carriers already serve the Azores, including TAP, Iberia, Lufthansa, TUI, and Transavia, offering connections mainly via Lisbon and Porto. For now, none have announced expansions.
Ryanair’s withdrawal would not begin before March 2026, leaving room for negotiation.
The airline also blames what it calls “anti-competitive environmental taxes,” including the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which applies to intra-European flights but not long-haul routes to destinations like the US or the Middle East.
According to Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness, rising operating costs leave the airline “with no alternative” but to shut its Azores operations and redeploy aircraft to lower-cost European airports.