Ryanair. Photo: Alexander Fedosov / Shutterstock Ryanair has officially opened a new four-aircraft base in Tirana, Albania, expanding its operations in the country while preparing for "strong passenger growth over the coming years."
The $400 million investment will support 44 routes from the capital city, including 21 fresh destinations to Dublin, Milan, Naples, and Eindhoven. The low-cost airline anticipates traffic in Tirana to go up by over 50%, and reach the 4 million passengers' mark during the summer.
The decision wil also generate over 3,000 jobs, with 120 new positions reserved to pilots, engineers, and cabin crew based in the city.
“As Albania’s only low-fare airline, Ryanair is pleased to celebrate the opening of its 4 aircraft Tirana base yesterday, delivering record traffic growth of over 50% to 4m pasengers in 2026,” said chief executive officer Michael O’Leary.
The airline also outlined longer-term plans, saying it could expand to six aircraft in Tirana and grow passenger numbers to more than 6 million annually by 2030 if conditions remain favorable.
Piervittorio Farabbi of Tirana International Airport: “Since starting its operation in October 23, Ryanair has continuously challenged us to raise our standards and deliver true operational excellence.”
He added that recent infrastructure upgrades and improved operations have helped the airport support higher traffic and more efficient airline partnerships.
To mark the opening, Ryanair also launched a short-term seat sale with discounted fares across its new routes, aiming to boost early demand for its expanded schedule.