Ryanair, the fastest-growing airline in Albania, announced that it will open a new base with 3 aircraft at Tirana Airport from April 2026. The airline said it will deploy 3 new B737-800 aircraft – a $300 million investment – supporting over 3,000 jobs, including 100 new high-paying jobs for pilots and cabin crew.
Ryanair's new base in Tirana will expand its market share in Albania, with over 450 weekly flights on 33 routes, including 10 exciting new routes to Birmingham, Dublin, Milan, Malta, Naples, Pescara, Poznan, Trieste, Turin and Verona, as well as increased frequencies on 9 existing routes such as Bari, London, Prague, Stockholm and Warsaw.
Ryanair's new base in Tirana will offer:
3 aircraft based – a $300 million investment.
10 new routes to Birmingham, Dublin, Milan, Malta, Naples, Pescara, Poznan, Trieste, Turin and Verona
33 routes in total in 13 countries
Traffic increases to 4 million passengers per year.
Supports over 3,000 jobs in Albania
Over the next 5 years, Ryanair will continue to invest in Albania, including up to 6 based aircraft (investment of 600 million dollars), growing to over 5 million passengers per year, opening over 20 new routes, supporting over 4,000 jobs by 2030, provided that Albania always maintains its policy of low access costs and zero aviation taxes to continue stimulating traffic and tourism growth, while increasing investment and jobs.
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said:
“As the only truly low-cost airline in Albania, Ryanair is delighted to announce this new S26 base – 3 aircraft – in Tirana. Since the launch of our first flights to Albania in November 2023, Ryanair has been working closely with our partners at Tirana Airport to achieve ambitious growth, which will now see Ryanair’s traffic grow to over 4 million passengers by 2026, with 3 new B737-800 aircraft (investment of $300 million) based in Tirana, supporting over 3,000 local jobs and operating 33 routes, including 10 new routes to Birmingham, Dublin, Milan, Malta, Naples, Pescara, Poznan, Trieste, Turin and Verona.
Ryanair’s continued growth in Tirana offers Albania a major opportunity to increase its air traffic, tourism and jobs, as Ryanair plans to grow to 5 million passengers per year and base up to 6 aircraft in Tirana in a $600 million investment adding over 20 new routes by 2030, provided Albania maintains its current low access costs and zero aviation taxes, which stimulate rapid growth in traffic, tourism, investment and jobs.”
The Director of Operations of Tirana Airport, Mr. Piervittorio Farabbi, said:
“With the launch of operations in Albania in November 2023, the Ryanair team came up with the slogan ‘Low Fare Revolution’ in Albania. Today, we mark a crucial moment in this revolution by announcing the opening of a base in Tirana. Starting from the upcoming summer season, there will be many more opportunities to explore the world from Tirana and to expose Albania to more destinations. Such a decision by a partner airline can only come as a result of a bold commitment on our part to deliver operational excellence. We have invested heavily to expand our operational capacities both on the ground and in the air with an extended runway, additional parking spaces, renovated apron and taxiways and an expanded terminal tripled in size. Passenger processing must be fast and reliable; that is why we invested in advanced digitalisation in check-in, boarding and passport control. We are proud to be among the fastest airports to transform from operations on a base in just 30 months.”
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