Ryanair Expands Birmingham and Edinburgh Routes for Winter 2026

Ryanair is expanding its operations at Birmingham and Edinburgh airports for winter 2026, adding eight new routes combined and increasing frequencies on existing services.

At Birmingham Airport, Ryanair announced on 21 October that it would base a ninth aircraft at the airport, representing an investment of approximately £675 million.

The expansion includes five new routes to Copenhagen, Rome, Warsaw, Marrakesh and Tirana.

The airline’s Birmingham network will grow to 40 routes, with additional flights on seven existing services. Ryanair forecasts annual passenger numbers will reach four million, representing growth of 21%.

At Edinburgh Airport, Ryanair’s winter schedule includes three new destinations: Milan, Tirana and Warsaw. Announced on 14 October, the expanded programme will operate across 46 routes, with increased frequencies on 13 existing services.

The airline has 11 aircraft based at Edinburgh and forecasts annual passenger numbers will exceed 5.4 million, an increase of 11%.

The expansion will offer passengers across the Midlands and Scotland more options for European travel during the winter season.

The additional routes and increased frequencies also strengthen Ryanair’s presence at two important UK regional airports.

While the announcements were made on separate dates, both form part of the airline’s winter 2026 plans, with Ryanair forecasting further passenger growth at Birmingham and Edinburgh.