Budget carrier Ryanair is once again reducing its German operations for the coming winter season. After already canceling numerous flights last October, the Irish low-cost airline has confirmed that its 2025/26 winter schedule will feature “significant reductions across Germany.”
According to company statements, the cutbacks will mainly affect three periods:
- the last three weeks of November,
- the first two weeks of December, and
- the final three weeks of January.
Some adjustments are expected to extend into March 2026.
Which airports are most affected?
Ryanair’s reductions hit both regional and major airports in Germany.
The hardest impacts are expected at the following locations:
Airport Flights cut Share of capacity
- Memmingen (Allgäu Airport) ≈ 27 flights per week ≈ 25 %
Berlin Brandenburg ≈ 76 flights per week ≈ 30 %
Cologne/Bonn ≈ 44 flights per week –
In total, Ryanair plans to cancel about 4 percent of flights in November, 6 percent in December, and up to 30 percent in January – its lowest-demand month.
High costs behind the cuts
The airline again points to Germany’s high airport charges and tax burdens as the main reason for its decision.
CEO Michael O’Leary has repeatedly criticized German aviation taxes as “uncompetitive,” warning that they make the country less attractive for low-cost carriers.
Industry analysts note that the reductions fit Ryanair’s broader strategy of shifting capacity toward markets with lower operating costs and higher demand elasticity.
Other low-cost carriers also scaling back
Ryanair is not alone. Its rival Wizz Air is also trimming routes across Germany this winter:
- Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden: weekly flights to Tirana, Belgrade and Timișoara suspended
- Dortmund: half of the flights to Banja Luka canceled
- Stuttgart: routes to Sofia and Bucharest dropped
Meanwhile, Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings will thin out its domestic connections on routes between Cologne/Bonn and Berlin, as well as Düsseldorf and Berlin, during the slow winter period.
What travelers should expect
For passengers, the cuts mean fewer direct connections and limited schedule flexibility from regional airports.
Travel experts advise checking flight status well in advance and considering alternative routes through larger hubs such as Frankfurt or Munich, which are less affected by the reductions.
Despite the lower capacity, fares may not drop significantly because demand for winter travel remains strong, especially around the holiday season.
