Ryanair expands Rzeszów flights, but no base at Jasionka for now

Ryanair intends to expand its network from Rzeszów-Jasionka airport. However, it does not plan to set up an operating base there in the next few years. This was announced by Michał Kaczmarzyk, Ryanair's head in Poland, during a visit to Jasionka on Wednesday, as reported by "Rzeczpospolita" on 21 October 2026, citing PAP.

Winter schedule and summer plans

Last summer Ryanair offered ten scheduled and eight charter connections from Rzeszów. In the winter schedule the number of scheduled routes will fall to six. Flights will go to Alicante, Dublin, London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol.

In next year's summer schedule the airline wants to restore flights to Malta and Zadar, among others, and continue charters to Greece and Turkey. Kaczmarzyk also announced more frequent flights.

According to him, Ryanair expects to carry 540,000 passengers from Rzeszów across 2026. Its share of the local market is expected to exceed 55 per cent.

Why there will be no base

Kaczmarzyk stressed that route growth does not mean a decision on a base. He pointed to high fuel prices and the impact of the war in Ukraine on demand in the region as obstacles. "Today there are no business or economic conditions for investing in new markets," he said.

He added that talks on a base could be resumed in 2028–2029 at the earliest. He assured that the pause is not due to problems in cooperation with the airport or local authorities, saying that cooperation had been going well.

In his view, an end to the war and a stabilisation of the airspace could increase Jasionka's importance. Traffic to Ukrainian cities would then grow, and the airline would have a reason to consider basing aircraft in Poland. "The plans are ready. The economics just need to change," he added.

Ryanair in Rzeszów and in Poland

Ryanair has flown from Jasionka since 2005. Since it began operating in the region, it has carried almost 7 million passengers to and from Rzeszów. Citing a KPMG report, Kaczmarzyk said that in 2025 the airline had a 41 per cent share of the local market and carried more than 500,000 passengers. Its activity reportedly contributed PLN 90 million to local GDP and supported more than 750 jobs.

The head of Ryanair in Poland also said the airline wants to double its passenger numbers in Poland to 40–45 million a year by 2034. In 2025 it carried 27 million passengers in the country, offered more than 500 routes from 13 airports and operated more than 400 flights a day to 29 countries.

What this means for people in the UK

It will still be possible to fly from Rzeszów to several UK cities with Ryanair. In the winter schedule these are London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol. The source gives no details, such as which London airports, how often flights run or when new routes start, so it is worth checking timetables on the airline's website.