Ryanair has announced new routes to Albania for 2026, a country that has been dubbed a European alternative to a pricey holiday in the Maldives.
The budget airline said it will base a fourth B737-800 aircraft in Tirana for April 2026 and open 20 new routes, making it easier for more people to enjoy the holiday location.
The $400m (£295.7m) investment will support more than 3,000 jobs, including 120 new high-paid jobs for Ryanair pilots and cabin crew in Tirana.
It also means more UK passengers can fly with Ryanair to the city from their local airport.
Ryanair announces new routes to Tirana, Albania from UK airports
If Tirana sounds like a destination you’d like to travel to, here are the UK airports that will get you there with the newly announced flights:
- Birmingham
- Liverpool
Outside of the UK, the new flights will be available from:
- Dublin
- Alghero
- Baden-Baden
- Bratislava
- Eindhoven
- Gdansk
- Genoa
- Malta
- Memmingen
- Milan M
- Naples
- Parma
- Pescara
- Poznan
- Trieste
- Turin
- Verona
- Wroclaw
Is Tirana worth visiting?
Tripadvisor has shared some recommendations for things to do, places to stay and food and drink spots in the Albanian capital.
It says: “Tirana, the Republic of Albania's largest city, is blessed with a mild Mediterranean climate, a plethora of beautiful churches and lush parks. Founded in 1614, some striking Mussolini-era architecture dots the city center.
What's the best seat to book on a plane?
“Walk between sights such as Skanderbeg Square's 1789 Et'hem Bey Mosque, the 1830 Sahat-Kulla (Clock Tower) and the Puppet Theater, once home to King Zog's puppet parliament.
“Visit the Peace Bell, built with old cartridge shells, a reminder of Tirana's stormy past.”
One tourist from England shared on Reddit: “Albania is a beautiful country!”
Someone else commented: “I came back from Tirana earlier this month solo, the BEST thing I did there was book the Lake Bovilla tour on GetYourGuide with Dream Tours!! I can’t rave about it enough it was budget friendly and worth every single penny”.
Meanwhile, this person suggested: “If I may, I recommend visiting the artificial lake in Tirana if you enjoy nature.”
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said: “As Albania’s only low-fare airline, Ryanair is pleased to announce a 4th based aircraft in Tirana for S26, which will expand Ryanair’s market share in Albania with 43 routes for Summer 2026, including 20 exciting new routes to the likes of Alghero, Baden–Baden, Eindhoven, Genoa, Memmingen, Parma & Wroclaw, among others.
“This record Ryanair investment ($400m), record traffic growth of over 50% to 4m pax for Tirana, is a direct result of Albania’s proactive policy to abolish travel taxes, and the Airport’s lower costs, which are delivered by its successful growth incentive schemes.”
Tirana Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Piervittorio Farabbi, said: “The early expansion of Ryanair’s base in Tirana is a powerful demonstration of the strength of our partnership and our shared ambition for sustainable growth.
“By combining Ryanair’s network and scale with Tirana International Airport’s rapidly expanding capacity driven by Kastrati Group’s strategic investments in infrastructure, technology, and operational excellence we are unlocking new opportunities for tourism, business, and economic development across Albania and the wider region.”
Will Elon Musk buy Ryanair?
Elon Musk has recently floated the idea of buying Ryanair as the tech billionaire’s spat with the boss of the budget airline escalates.
The Tesla founder created a poll on the social media platform X, which he owns, asking his followers if he should buy Ryanair and “restore Ryan as their rightful ruler”.
It comes days after he previously made the suggestion amid a feud with the Irish airline over the use of WiFi on flights.
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Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said in an interview with Irish radio station Newstalk that he would “pay no attention whatsoever” to Mr Musk, labelling him an “idiot” after being asked about Starlink being introduced on planes.
Starlink is a satellite internet system developed by Mr Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX.
Where will you fly to in 2026? Let us know in the comments.
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