Overview

• Ryanair has closed its Santiago de Compostela base, removed two aircraft and cut airport capacity by about 80%, axing routes including Barcelona, Zaragoza, Palma, Alicante, Málaga and Gran Canaria.
• Vueling will raise Santiago winter capacity by roughly 15% to about 578,000 seats, add 28 weekly frequencies and station an extra aircraft from December 15 to January 6 with plans to base it permanently from summer 2026.
• The expanded Santiago program includes more flights to Barcelona, Palma, Sevilla, Málaga, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, the reinstatement of Santiago–Alicante, and seasonal Santiago–Zürich, while maintaining London Heathrow and moving Paris service to Orly.
• Vueling is also boosting Tenerife Norte with nearly 900,000 seats this winter, up 11% with 25 extra weekly frequencies, as Iberia Express, Wizzair and Binter add capacity on routes affected by Ryanair’s cuts.
• Ryanair cites Aena’s proposed 2026 tariff increase and next spring’s full runway closure at Santiago (April 23–May 27, 2026, plus planned night closures) as key factors, with about 180 local employees entering consultation for relocation to other Spanish bases.