Airlines are reshaping Spain’s air connectivity with a wave of new routes, service expansions and significant cuts. Ryanair is withdrawing multiple domestic and international connections, while carriers including Iberia, Vueling, Delta Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, AJet, Air Europa, EasyJet, SkyUp, Wizz Air and Korean Air are introducing or planning new flights linking Spain with Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia.
The changes reflect shifting airline strategies driven by demand, profitability and airport costs. Low-cost operators are pulling back in certain regional markets, while legacy and international carriers are increasing capacity to capitalize on new demand. Industry competition is intensifying as Spanish airports prepare for the upcoming winter season and early 2026 schedules.
Ryanair Withdrawals Hit Regional Airports
Ryanair is eliminating all operations at Vigo and Tenerife Norte, where it previously offered routes to London, Alicante, Madrid, Palma, Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona and Santiago. The carrier will also cut connections from Santiago to Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Alicante, Gran Canaria, Palma de Mallorca and Zaragoza beginning in October. Additional losses next summer will include links with Brussels, Dublin, Fuerteventura, Ibiza, Menorca and Memmingen.
The airline is also discontinuing services from Zaragoza to Palma, Paris and Fez, and from Santander to Rome, Milan, Vienna and Paris. The Canary Islands airports of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria will lose capacity as well. Ryanair has announced overall reductions of around 1 million seats from Spain this winter, citing higher airport charges.
Competitors Expand to Fill the Gap
Other airlines are moving to occupy lost market share. Vueling plans to add approximately 1.5 million seats across routes including Santiago and Tenerife Norte during the winter season. Iberia Express, Binter, Volotea and Wizz Air are also expanding frequencies and routes to absorb demand left by Ryanair’s retreat.
New International Routes Strengthen Spain’s Network
Several airlines are launching new flights to and from Spain. Iberia is expanding its long-haul network with three new international routes. Beginning October 26, the airline will operate four weekly flights between Madrid and Orlando using Airbus A330 aircraft. On December 13, it will add three weekly flights to Recife, and on January 19, three weekly flights to Fortaleza, both operated with Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
Delta Air Lines has confirmed a new daily service between Madrid and Boston starting May 17, 2026, using Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. Turkish Airlines has inaugurated a daily flight between Seville and Istanbul with an Airbus A321. Its subsidiary AJet will add direct routes from Ankara to Madrid and Barcelona in late October, with three and four weekly flights respectively.
European and Domestic Additions
Air Europa will connect Madrid and Geneva from June 19, 2026, with two daily flights operated by Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Vueling has launched a new service between Barcelona and Córdoba, flying twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays. EasyJet has also announced eight new winter 2025–26 routes from Spanish airports including Málaga, Barcelona, Gran Canaria and Almería to destinations in the United Kingdom and France.
In addition, SkyUp has begun operating direct flights between Alicante and Chişinău, marking the first connection between the Costa Blanca and Moldova. Wizz Air has converted its Santander–Bucharest route into a year-round service starting in October, rather than limiting it to summer operations.
Asia Connections Expand
Korean Air is testing demand on the Spain–Asia market by operating four charter flights between Málaga and Seoul in October and early November, using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. These flights are marketed as part of a package by Hanjin Travel. The move marks one of the few direct connections between southern Spain and East Asia.
Turkish Airlines’ expansion at Sevilla also strengthens links between Spain and Asia via Istanbul. The airline is positioning its Andalusian base as a new entry point for Asian and Middle Eastern travelers connecting through its hub.
The latest developments illustrate a fragmented but growing Spanish air market. While Ryanair scales back citing costs, other carriers are advancing with international expansions and regional openings. Spain’s network is diversifying as global airlines adjust their strategies for the 2025–26 seasons.
