New Winter Route to Poznan, More Flights to Key Cities

Ryanair will introduce a new seasonal route from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to Poznan, Poland, this winter, operating three weekly flights starting in late October 2026. The move is part of a broader winter schedule that maintains overall capacity at 3.6 million seats, the same as last winter, but includes increased frequencies on around 20 existing routes. Destinations seeing more flights include Venice, Naples, Kraków, Porto and Budapest, offering travellers more choice of departure times and potentially lower fares due to increased competition.

No Growth in Overall Capacity

Despite the new route and expanded services, Ryanair’s total capacity at El Prat remains unchanged. The airline operates 53 routes from the airport this winter, served primarily by its fleet of 14 based aircraft. This represents a strategic reorganisation rather than expansion, as Ryanair continues to face cost disputes with Aena, Spain’s airport authority, over airport fees.

The stability in seat numbers reflects Ryanair’s focus on optimising its network rather than growing it at Barcelona this season.

Vueling Maintains Dominance at El Prat

Barcelona remains Vueling’s stronghold. The IAG-owned low-cost carrier holds around 40% of traffic at El Prat, compared to Ryanair’s 16%. Vueling has grown its winter capacity, increasing seats to the Canary Islands by 8% and boosting services to Naples, Turin and Palermo by 60%. Vueling also reinstated its Madrid route in early October and will operate around 10 million seats this winter across 90 destinations from Barcelona.

What This Means for Travellers

Travellers planning winter getaways now have more direct options from Barcelona. The new Poznan route opens up central Poland for city breaks, while enhanced frequencies to Italian and Central European cities provide flexibility. All winter flights are now on sale, with fares varying daily. Passengers are advised to book in advance and review Ryanair’s baggage policy before travel. The winter schedule runs from late October 2026 to the end of March 2027, with peak demand expected over the December holiday bridges.

Reported by elpais.com, que.es, horizontebogota.com, democrata.es, euroweeklynews.com, EP, Redacción Ladevi España.