In a vote of confidence for Ireland’s west-coast connectivity, Ryanair on 11 November unveiled its biggest expansion yet at Shannon Airport. The low-cost carrier will invest US$400 million to base a fourth Boeing 737-MAX and launch new summer 2026 routes to Rome, Madrid, Warsaw and Poznań, while boosting frequencies on five existing services.
The announcement brings Shannon’s upcoming summer schedule to a record 30 destinations and adds 180,000 seats—an increase of 15 % year-on-year. Airport management says the move responds to sustained demand from multinationals in the Mid-West region, where firms such as Intel, Viatris and Northern Trust have long lobbied for direct links to continental hubs.
![Ryanair to base fourth aircraft in Shannon, adding four new European routes]()
Ryanair’s Director of Route Development Dara Brady noted that Shannon’s passenger numbers have rebounded 23 % above 2019 levels, helped by the airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility and competitive charges. The airline will recruit 120 additional cabin crew and engineers locally, taking its Shannon-based workforce to more than 350.
For corporate mobility planners the expansion offers greater route flexibility for assignees destined for Limerick, Galway and the wider Atlantic corridor—potentially reducing reliance on Dublin and the M7 motorway transfers. Companies should review travel policies to include Shannon as a preferred gateway, particularly for Rome and Warsaw, which gain nonstop service from Ireland’s regions for the first time.
The announcement brings Shannon’s upcoming summer schedule to a record 30 destinations and adds 180,000 seats—an increase of 15 % year-on-year. Airport management says the move responds to sustained demand from multinationals in the Mid-West region, where firms such as Intel, Viatris and Northern Trust have long lobbied for direct links to continental hubs.
Ryanair’s Director of Route Development Dara Brady noted that Shannon’s passenger numbers have rebounded 23 % above 2019 levels, helped by the airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility and competitive charges. The airline will recruit 120 additional cabin crew and engineers locally, taking its Shannon-based workforce to more than 350.
For corporate mobility planners the expansion offers greater route flexibility for assignees destined for Limerick, Galway and the wider Atlantic corridor—potentially reducing reliance on Dublin and the M7 motorway transfers. Companies should review travel policies to include Shannon as a preferred gateway, particularly for Rome and Warsaw, which gain nonstop service from Ireland’s regions for the first time.
