Ryanair to open new Trapani-Marsala base in January 2026

International

Two aircraft, 23 routes – including 11 new destinations – and over one million passengers annually: Ryanair expands in Sicily after the scrapping of the Municipal Tax at smaller airports

Ryanair, Europe’s and Italy’s number one airline, will open a new base at Trapani-Marsala Airport from January 2026. The announcement follows the Sicilian Region’s decision to abolish the Municipal Tax at smaller airports, a move that directly boosts connectivity and lowers costs. The $200 million investment includes the deployment of two aircraft and will make Trapani-Marsala Ryanair’s third base in Sicily and 20th in Italy.

Growth in routes, jobs, and connectivity

The new base will deliver 23 routes, including 11 new services to major European destinations such as London, Brussels, Stockholm, and Verona. Passenger numbers are expected to exceed one million per year, supported by a 10% increase in capacity on key routes to Rome and Milan. In total, the investment will support more than 800 local jobs and provide significant year-round growth in connectivity, tourism, and employment at Europe’s lowest fares.

Tax policy drives traffic growth

Ryanair underlined that the positive impact of reduced access costs is already evident at airports in Abruzzo, Calabria, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where traffic growth has been strong. At larger Sicilian airports such as Catania and Palermo, where the Municipal Tax remains in place, Ryanair sees significant untapped potential. Abolishing the tax across all Sicilian airports, the airline argues, would unlock further capacity, attract new routes, and deliver wider economic benefits to the island.

Statement from Ryanair

Ryanair welcomed the leadership of President Renato Schifani and the Sicilian Government in supporting regional connectivity:

“Scrapping the Municipal Tax at smaller Sicilian airports is an important step forward. The time is now right to go further and remove the tax across all Sicilian airports. This would activate Ryanair’s Sicilian growth plan, bringing three million additional passengers per year, up to five more based aircraft, and thousands of new local jobs.”

Key facts about the new Trapani-Marsala base

2 new Boeing 737 aircraft – $200 million investment (1 in Winter 2025, 2 in Summer 2026)

23 routes, including 11 new destinations: Baden-Baden, Bari, Bratislava, Bournemouth, Brussels, Katowice, London, Pescara, Saarbrücken, Stockholm, and Verona

More than 1 million passengers per year

+10% capacity increase on routes to Rome and Milan

Over 800 local jobs supported

Lower fares, stronger tourism, year-round connectivity

To celebrate the new base, Ryanair has launched a three-day seat sale with fares from €21.99, available exclusively on ryanair.com.