Ryanair plans to invest 5 billion euros in Spain to boost regional airports

The airline will also increase the number of its routes to and from that country to 1000 by the end of the decade

Last Friday, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had an official meeting with Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss the Irish airline’s plan for developments in the Iberian country. The aim of Ryanair is to invest some 5 billion euros locally by 2030.

The money will go towards several specific projects with the overall aim of increasing passenger numbers travelling to and from Spain from 55 to 77 million. Currently, Ryanair operates 730 routes from Spain to 29 countries and when the decade ends the goal is to have that number reach more than 1000 routes likely maintaining the company’s leading profile in the Spanish air travel sector.

Underscoring Spain’s powerhouse appeal as a destination

The increase in routes will also be accompanied by an increase in bases, as five new airports will be counted as Ryanair’s base airports in Spain. The country’s government took interest in these plans as it aims to support and direct Ryanair into channelling its investments towards boosting the role of regional airports in order to diversify the country’s destination profile.

According to EuroWeeklyNews, Pedro Sanchez said that Ryanair’s plan reflects, “the stability and potential of the Spanish economy as well as the confidence of international markets and investors”.

The meeting was also attended by the Spanish Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Oscar Puente as the authorities would like to see positive outcomes in terms of jobs, regional development of infrastructure and accompanying vibrant economic activity for less developed regions.

Currently, Ryanair employs 6,500 workers in Spain and operates 82 domestic routes.