Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness said the expansion forms part of a USD 1.1 billion investment and will increase Ryanair's annual seat capacity from Budapest to a record 6.5 million, up from 6.2 million in 2025.

The Irish low-cost carrier currently operates 67 routes from Hungary, including five new destinations: Dubrovnik, Krakow, Lamezia Terme, Marrakesh and Newcastle.

McGuinness noted that Ryanair now operates 96 bases across 36 European countries and carried 208 million passengers last year.

He stressed the importance of the Hungarian market, adding that traffic through Budapest has increased by 15% since the Hungarian government abolished the airline's excess profits tax on air travel.

However, he warned that Budapest Airport's successive fee increases – which Ryanair says have risen by around 10% since 2024 – could undermine the benefits of the tax's removal.

The airline is calling on the government to help ensure that Budapest Airport remains competitive with regional rivals in Poland, Slovakia and Croatia, where airport charges are reportedly being reduced.

McGuinness said that if operating costs become more competitive, Ryanair could significantly accelerate its investment plans in Hungary.

By 2032, the airline could increase annual capacity by almost 50% to more than 10 million seats, station five additional aircraft in the country, and create 150 new aviation jobs across Budapest, Balaton and Debrecen.

Such an expansion would bring Ryanair's total investment in Hungary to approximately USD 1.6 billion and increase its local workforce to around 480 employees.

The announcement comes as Budapest Airport continues work on a major modernisation programme.

Earlier this year, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said that additional capacity was urgently needed and argued that a planned Terminal 3 should already be operational to meet growing market demand.

Photo courtesy: Budapest Airport Facebook page

*********************************************************************************************

You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: 

Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoop’s groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary

You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters

Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop:

As an independent portal we’re grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here.