Huge Expansion in Hungary Announced by Ryanair - New Routes Revealed in USD 1 Billion Plan
- 12 Mar 2025 7:25 AM

The airline’s commercial director, Jason McGuinness, credited the Hungarian government’s decision to abolish the extra profit tax on airlines, saying that this has enabled the company to pursue bolder growth in the country.
For the summer of 2025, Ryanair will connect Budapest to 68 destinations, with over 640 flights, including four new routes: Castellón (Spain), Katowice (Poland), Liverpool (England), and Toulouse (France).
These new destinations will be available at a special introductory price of Ft 7,919 until the end of May.
Ryanair’s expansion includes a $1 billion investment, with ten aircraft based in Budapest, including two Boeing 737 8-200s.
This development will create 4,200 jobs and increase passenger traffic by 13% on routes related to Budapest, reaching 5.6 million travellers annually.
Looking ahead, Ryanair aims to expand further, with plans to invest an additional €1.6 billion in Hungary over the next five years.
By 2030, the airline intends to add services to Debrecen and Lake Balaton, bringing 16 base aircraft and 180 new highly paid employees to Hungary.
With rising passenger traffic, Ryanair projects nine million passengers yearly by 2030.
Analysts believe Ryanair’s expansion could drive a 15% potential upside for its share price.
From Ryanair
Speaking from Budapest, Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness said:
“Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, is pleased to launch another record-breaking summer schedule in Budapest, in which we will base 10 aircraft – a US$1 billion invest. – and deliver 5.6 million passengers p.a. across 68 routes, more than any other airline, including 4 brand-new routes to Castellón, Katowice, Liverpool, and Toulouse. This record Summer 2025 schedule was made possible by the Hungarian Government’s decision to abolish its regressive aviation tax – which in turn will lower costs for citizens, tourists, and businesses.
Whilst it is extremely positive to see the pro-growth steps being taken by the Hungarian Government to lower access cost at Hungary’s airports, it is concerning to see airports (such as Budapest) attempting to derail this by opportunistically clawing back some of the tax through excessive and unjustified airport charge increases. The countries and airports in Europe delivering exceptional returns in terms of traffic, connectivity, and tourists, are those who are working together – not benefiting at the expense of the other.
Ryanair calls on the Hungarian Government to ensure competitive access costs at Hungary’s airports to ensure they can continue to deliver more investment, more jobs, and more tourists. Subject to competitive access costs, Ryanair is ready to respond with its transformative long-term growth plan for Hungary which will potentially deliver up to 9 million passengers p.a. (across Budapest, Balaton, and Debrecen), 16 based aircraft (US$1.6 billion invest.), and over 180 new highly-paid aviation jobs (480 total).
To celebrate its record Summer 2025 schedule and 4 new routes in Budapest, Ryanair has announced a seat sale with fares starting from 7,919 HUF to travel until the end of May, available exclusively at ryanair.com.”
Source:
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.
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