- Wizz Air added 341 new routes for August 2026.
- Ryanair launched 144 new routes while operating around 2,500 total routes.
- Ryanair increased capacity and flights by around 6pc.
- Wizz Air achieved 23pc flight growth.
- Wizz Air carried 7.13m passengers in May 2026.
Veteran aviation analyst Ralph Anker reports that Wizz Air has added 341 new routes for August 2026 according to AIR SERVICE ONE analysis of Cirium schedules data. Ryanair operates 144 new routes this summer while easyJet maintains a 2:1 ratio of new routes to dropped routes. Wizz Air leads low-cost carrier network growth this season.
Ryanair has kept its total route count steady at around 2,500 for summer 2026, matching last year’s total. The carrier increased overall capacity and flights by around 6pc. In contrast, Wizz Air recorded 23pc flight growth with passenger numbers rising 26pc in May 2026 to 7.13m.
The data shows Ryanair shifted to a 1:1 ratio of new routes to dropped routes this year, compared with previous years when it launched at least twice as many new routes as it removed. Wizz Air achieved a 3:1 ratio of expansion.
AIR SERVICE ONE shared “it seems that Ryanair is no longer the ‘new routes’ champion among European Low Cost Carriers.”
