Ryanair has announced major changes to its Greece operations for winter 2026.
The budget airline is cutting 12 routes, reducing flights, and removing around 700,000 seats from its schedule. The changes will affect several popular destinations and could have a noticeable impact on winter travel across parts of Greece, particularly in areas that rely heavily on off-season tourism.
The airline says the cuts are linked to rising airport costs and what it describes as increasingly uncompetitive operating conditions. The announcement has already sparked backlash and raised concerns about tourism, regional travel links, and whether more airlines could follow with similar reductions elsewhere in Europe.
Ryanair is shutting down its Thessaloniki base for winter 2026.
Ryanair confirmed it will no longer operate from its three-aircraft base in Thessaloniki during the winter season. The airline says the closure forms part of a wider reduction across its Greece network and will considerably reduce winter flight options into the city.
Thessaloniki has become an increasingly popular destination for city breaks and regional tourism in recent years, especially outside the peak summer period. Ryanair claims it previously accounted for around 90% of international winter capacity into the city, meaning the cuts could have a major impact on visitor numbers and local businesses during quieter months.
Around 700,000 seats are being removed from schedules.
The airline says the changes will result in the loss of roughly 700,000 inbound and outbound seats during winter 2026. That figure includes both international and domestic routes that will either be suspended completely or reduced significantly.
Ryanair also confirmed it will reduce capacity at Athens Airport during the winter period. At the same time, the airline says it will suspend off-season operations entirely at the Crete airports in Chania and Heraklion, two destinations that normally continue attracting winter travellers and returning visitors.
These are the 12 Ryanair routes currently being cut.
The airline says the following routes are currently being removed from schedules for winter 2026:
– Thessaloniki to Berlin
– Thessaloniki to Frankfurt-Hahn
– Thessaloniki to Gothenburg
– Thessaloniki to Niederrhein
– Thessaloniki to Poznan
– Thessaloniki to Stockholm
– Thessaloniki to Venice Treviso
– Thessaloniki to Zagreb
– Athens to Milan Malpensa
– Chania to Paphos
– Thessaloniki to Heraklion
– Thessaloniki to Chania
Several of these routes are used heavily by both tourists and members of the Greek diaspora travelling between European cities and Greece during quieter travel periods. The cuts could also reduce direct travel options for passengers who previously relied on low-cost winter routes.
Ryanair says airport charges are behind the decision.
The airline blamed what it described as “hopelessly uncompetitive costs” at Greek airports. Ryanair claims some airport charges are now more than 60% higher than they were before the pandemic, despite government tax cuts introduced in 2024.
According to the airline, the Greek government reduced Airport Development Fees from €12 to €3 in an attempt to encourage tourism and improve competitiveness. Ryanair argues those savings were not properly passed on by airport operators through lower fees for airlines or passengers.
Fraport Greece has pushed back strongly against the claims.
Fraport Greece, which operates several airports across the country, rejected Ryanair’s accusations and described the claims as unfounded. The company says airport charges are not responsible for the airline’s decision to scale back operations.
The airport operator also highlighted major investment work carried out at Thessaloniki Airport in recent years, including infrastructure upgrades designed to improve passenger experience and increase long-term capacity.
Aircraft are now being moved to other countries instead.
Ryanair says aircraft previously based in Greece will now be redirected towards Albania, Sweden, and regional Italy. The airline claims these countries currently offer more competitive conditions for expansion and lower operating costs.
The company also suggested future growth decisions will increasingly depend on whether governments and airports continue reducing taxes and fees to attract airlines. Ryanair has repeatedly warned that it will move aircraft away from destinations it considers too expensive to operate in.
The changes could affect winter tourism across Greece.
While Greece remains hugely popular during summer, airlines have spent years trying to build stronger winter tourism demand across the country. Low-cost flights have played a major role in helping cities and islands attract visitors outside peak travel months.
With Ryanair scaling back operations so heavily, some tourism businesses may now face fewer visitors during winter 2026. Hotels, restaurants, and local operators in places like Thessaloniki and Crete often rely on year-round tourism rather than just summer holiday traffic.
It’s still unclear whether the routes will return.
At this stage, Ryanair has only confirmed the suspensions for winter 2026 rather than permanently cancelling the affected routes. That means some services could still return in future years if conditions change.
However, the airline says future investment in Greece will depend heavily on airport costs becoming more competitive. Until then, passengers travelling during winter periods may face fewer direct routes, reduced flexibility, and higher demand on remaining services.
