Ryanair bases 16 aircraft in Krakow and adds four routes for winter 2026

Winter schedule and new routes

Ryanair announced its winter 2026 flight schedule for Krakow Airport, adding four new international routes to Budapest, Dubrovnik, Rabat and Venice. The schedule takes effect on 25 October and includes 67 routes in total, alongside increased flight frequencies on more than 30 existing connections such as Barcelona, Bari, Malaga and Valencia. To support the expanded schedule, the carrier will base 16 aircraft at the airport, representing three additional planes compared to the previous winter season and an investment valued at $1.6 billion. The operational expansion supports more than 600 direct positions for pilots and cabin crew in Krakow. Following the announcement, Ryanair launched a three-day promotional ticket sale starting at 99 zlotys available through its website and mobile app.

Michał Kaczmarzyk described the operational scale during the winter schedule presentation.

During the winter season we will base 16 aircraft in Krakow, which represents an investment of 1.6 billion dollars and an increase of 3 aircraft year on year. We will operate 67 routes, including 4 new connections to Budapest, Dubrovnik, Rabat and Venice, and we will increase flight frequencies on more than 30 popular destinations.

Regional economic impact and training hub

Krakow remains Ryanair's largest operational base in Central and Eastern Europe and one of its primary operating hubs across the continent. In 2025, the airline accounted for 54% of total passenger traffic at Krakow Airport, according to an economic impact report by KPMG titled "Ryanair's Impact on the Polish Economy". The study calculated that the carrier generates an annual gross domestic product contribution exceeding 300 million euros for the Małopolska region. The airline expects to transport approximately 8 million passengers through Krakow during 2026, representing a 13% increase over the previous year. In September 2025, Ryanair opened a 130-million-euro simulator and training centre directly next to the airport facility. The training centre contains advanced Boeing B737 flight simulators and has trained more than 2,000 pilots, flight attendants and engineers from across Europe while supporting over 150 local jobs.

Airport expansion and passenger volume

Krakow Airport operates as Poland's second busiest passenger airport overall and the largest regional air terminal in the country. During the first nine months of 2026, the airport handled 11.31 million passengers, registering a peak daily volume of 52,750 travellers on 11 September. Airport authorities forecast that full-year traffic will reach 15 million passengers in 2026, following 13.2 million travellers served in 2025. In the 2026 summer timetable, 30 different airlines operated 173 connections to 39 countries from the regional hub. Airport management stated that the carrier's continued fleet expansion requires planning for expanded aircraft parking aprons.

Łukasz Strutyński commented on the long-term partnership and infrastructure demands.

Ryanair is not only a long-term partner, but a proven and solid one. The enormous growth of its base at our airport is also a sign for us to think about expanding the aircraft parking apron.

National market position

Ryanair holds a 35% share of the Polish passenger market, making it the largest commercial airline operating within the country. The airline operates more than 400 flights daily from 13 Polish airports to destinations in 29 countries. Six of those airports function as permanent operating bases that host a collective fleet of 52 aircraft. Across its broader European network, Ryanair operates across 230 airports in 37 countries and maintains 90 permanent bases. The winter expansion in Krakow strengthens international connectivity while boosting tourism and resident mobility throughout southern Poland.