Ryanair Cancels All Flights to Santiago de Compostela in 2025

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This decision, affecting both domestic and international connections, has raised concerns among tourists and pilgrims following the renowned Way of Saint James.

The Irish airline, Europe's leading low-cost carrier, justified the move citing increased airport taxes imposed by Aena, Spain's airport operator. The route cuts to Santiago de Compostela are part of a broader reduction plan affecting other regional hubs across Spain.

Italian routes cancelled

Among the affected routes are:

• Bergamo (Orio al Serio – BGY): one of the busiest hubs for Italian travellers heading to Santiago, particularly for pilgrims walking the Way.
• Bologna (BLQ): another important connection that served numerous Italian tourists.

The cancellation of these routes will require travellers to explore alternative options for reaching Santiago de Compostela conveniently.

Our stance: why we don't use Ryanair

A Piedi Per Il Mondo, a specialist tour operator in walking holidays and bespoke Way of Saint James journeys premium, made the decision some time ago to exclude Ryanair from our travel packages. Our experience has led us to view this airline as unreliable and often uncooperative with travel agencies, with policies that fail to adequately protect passengers.

For this reason, we have chosen to work exclusively with airlines that offer stronger guarantees and quality services for our clients. Our priority is always to ensure a smooth and secure travel experience, partnering with operators who respect travellers' needs and support agencies in crafting hassle-free itineraries.

Ryanair's reasoning

Ryanair explained that the decision was made for financial reasons. The company claims that high airport taxes and less favourable operating conditions made these routes unprofitable. Furthermore, Ryanair announced the removal of one aircraft from Santiago's operating base, resulting in a 28% reduction in operational capacity at this airport.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, stated at a recent press conference: "We have always strived to maintain low and accessible fares for our customers. However, when economic conditions become unsustainable, we are forced to make difficult decisions. Santiago de Compostela will unfortunately no longer be part of our routes from 2025 onwards."

Possible alternatives

Despite Ryanair's decision, other airlines such as Iberia, Vueling and Lufthansa continue to offer connections to Santiago de Compostela. Alternatively, travellers can consider flights to nearby cities such as Madrid or Porto and continue their journey by train or coach.

A Piedi Per Il Mondo will continue to partner with reliable and quality carriers to guarantee our clients a smooth and well-organised travel experience, from departure to arrival back home.

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