Ryanair Expands Apulia Network With 82 Summer Routes
Ryanair has announced its summer 2026 schedule for the Apulia region in southern Italy, covering airports in Bari and Brindisi. The programme includes 82 routes and introduces three new destinations from Bari: Bucharest, Bristol and Trapani-Marsala. The airline said the expansion reflects continued investment in the region, where it has operated flights for more than two decades.
The summer plan will be supported by five aircraft based in Apulia, three in Bari and two in Brindisi, representing an investment valued at around $500 million. Ryanair expects the schedule to carry more than seven million passengers per year. According to the airline, the operation also supports over 5,400 jobs linked to aviation, tourism and airport services across the region.
“I warmly welcome the announcement of Ryanair’s Summer 2026 schedule, which further strengthens Puglia’s international connectivity and consolidates our strategic partnership with the airline, at a particularly delicate moment for the aviation sector. Precisely in such a complex phase, we continue with determination to support our tourism ecosystem, convinced that investing in routes and accessibility means reinforcing the entire regional economy."
Key details of Ryanair’s Apulia summer schedule
The airline outlined several elements behind the programme:
- 82 total routes from Bari and Brindisi
- Three new routes: Bucharest, Bristol and Trapani-Marsala
- Five aircraft based in the region
- More than 7 million passengers expected annually
- Support for around 5,400 regional jobs
Ryanair has operated in Apulia for 22 years and says it has carried more than 60 million passengers to the region during that time.
Apulia sits along the Adriatic coast and is known for historic towns, beaches and countryside landscapes. Air links through Bari and Brindisi provide access to destinations such as Alberobello’s trulli houses, the baroque streets of Lecce and coastal towns on the Salento peninsula. Improved connections also make it easier to reach the region’s seaside resorts and food-focused villages.
Ryanair used the announcement to again call on the Italian government to remove the municipal aviation tax applied at many airports. The airline argues that removing the charge would encourage further route expansion and investment. Ryanair said it could invest up to $4 billion in Italy, add 40 aircraft and introduce more than 250 routes if the tax were abolished nationwide.