Ryanair closes its Berlin-Brandenburg base on 24 October 2026. According to the airline, seven aircraft are moved out and twelve routes from Berlin disappear, including Marseille, Palermo and Vilnius. If your flight is affected, start by contacting Ryanair to ask for a refund or a replacement flight. EU Regulation 261/2004 is the framework for your rights, but the date on which the airline told you about the change matters. Trains, coaches and other airlines remain options.
No more Ryanair base in Berlin after 24 October 2026. If you book with the Irish airline to or from the German capital, the questions come fast: which routes disappear, what happens to a ticket you have already paid for, and which alternative should you pick? This article separates what the airline and published sources let us state, what still needs confirming, and what to do now.
1. What Ryanair is announcing for Berlin
A seven-aircraft base that is closing
In its April 2026 statement, Ryanair announced the closure of its Berlin base and the move of its seven aircraft to markets it considers more competitive. In October, the airline confirmed the decision and put the number of seats it is removing in Germany for the winter at around 700,000, a drop of about 10% by its own figures.
What to remember
- The base closure is scheduled for 24 October 2026.
- Twelve routes from Berlin are withdrawn, and only one of them starts in France: Marseille.
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport stays open and keeps welcoming other airlines.
If your stay in Berlin goes ahead despite the schedule change, a walk of about three and a half hours through Mitte lets you see the city without booking anything else.
2. The routes cut from Berlin
The twelve destinations concerned
According to the airline’s announcement, the following routes will no longer be offered from Berlin after 24 October 2026. Three of them serve the Canary Islands, which makes them the first block affected by the change.
Destinations concerned
- Bologna
- Fuerteventura
- Gran Canaria
- Lanzarote
- Marseille
- Palermo
- Pisa
- Reggio Calabria
- Tallinn
- Thessaloniki
- Trieste
- Vilnius
Marseille is the only route on this list that serves France, so it matters most to travellers from there. For the other destinations, the press list and the airline’s list can differ from one version to another: check the one that appears on your booking.
3. Tax and charges: what is established
A German air tax reduced since 1 July 2026
The schedule published by the German customs authority (Zoll) sets three air traffic tax rates in force since 1 July 2026: €13.03, €33.01 and €59.43, depending on the destination. The €15.50 figure quoted in older communications no longer matches this schedule.
What is established
- The official tax schedule has been in force since 1 July 2026.
- In its statements, Ryanair calls for this tax to be removed entirely.
On airport charges, positions differ. Ryanair points to increases, while the airport operator says its charges have been stable since 2020 and that a 10% rise is not planned, as reported by airliners.de. We could not settle this point, so this article gives no figure on it.
4. Flight already booked: your options
The starting point is Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 on air passenger rights. Here is our reading of the text, to be checked case by case. If the airline cancels your flight, you can get a refund or a replacement flight (Article 8). The fixed compensation, which ranges from €250 to €600 depending on distance (Article 7), depends instead on when you were informed: notice given at least fourteen days before departure (Article 5) does not, in principle, open that right.
This is a reading of the regulation, not a decision on your booking. Compare the date of the message you received with the date of your flight, and keep that message.
The regulation is also under revision at European level. We have not checked where that stands and do not present it as in force.
In practice, contact the airline first through your online account, ask for a refund or a replacement flight, and keep a written record of every exchange. Do not change or cancel your booking on your own initiative before you have an answer. For the general steps on cancellations, our article on the easyJet strike on 16 October sets them out. Once you have a replacement flight, you can check in without paper, using the digital boarding pass.
5. Getting to Berlin another way
Berlin remains well connected. Several airlines fly from France, and fares vary a lot by date: comparison sites show Paris-Berlin flights between €36 and €82 depending on the platform. These are indicative prices, not guaranteed ones.
The direct Paris-Berlin train is suspended, according to the rail press, with a connection in Frankfurt or Mannheim bringing the journey to about 8 h 30. If you are coming from London, Eurostar takes you to Paris first, and the same options apply from there. The night train is worth comparing too, and is covered in our dedicated article. Long-distance coach is another route, taking about 12 hours.
For the overview of new low-cost routes this autumn from France, see our dedicated guide.
Getting into Berlin without waiting
Book a taxi from Berlin Brandenburg Airport in advance, useful if your rebooked flight lands late in the evening.
Price shown before you bookFrequently asked questions
Is Ryanair closing Berlin airport?
No. The closure concerns the airline’s base, which withdraws its aircraft and its routes from Berlin Brandenburg. The airport stays open and keeps welcoming other airlines.
Which Ryanair routes disappear from Berlin?
According to the airline, twelve routes will no longer be offered from Berlin after 24 October 2026: Bologna, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Marseille, Palermo, Pisa, Reggio Calabria, Tallinn, Thessaloniki, Trieste and Vilnius.
Am I entitled to compensation if my flight is cancelled?
It depends on when the airline told you. Based on our reading of Regulation 261/2004, notice given at least fourteen days before departure does not, in principle, trigger fixed compensation. In every case you can ask for a refund or a replacement flight. Check the date of the message you received for your booking.
What is the German air tax in 2026?
Since 1 July 2026, the schedule published by German customs sets €13.03, €33.01 or €59.43 depending on the destination. The €15.50 figure quoted in older communications no longer matches these rates.
Should I cancel my flight before 24 October?
No, not on your own initiative. Contact the airline first to learn the solution offered: refund, replacement flight or rebooking. Keep a written record of every exchange.
Is there an alternative to flying to Berlin?
Yes: the train, although the direct Paris-Berlin service is suspended according to the rail press, the night train, long-distance coach, and flights with other airlines. Compare them by date and budget.
Sources
- Ryanair, statement on the closure of the Berlin base (24 April 2026): announcement of the closure and of the seven aircraft
- Ryanair, statement on the cut of 700,000 seats in Germany (8 October 2026, in German): capacity figures according to the airline
- The Berliner, list of the twelve routes withdrawn from Berlin: destination details
- Zoll, air traffic tax schedule from 1 July 2026: rates of €13.03, €33.01 and €59.43
- airliners.de, article on fee negotiations between Ryanair and airports: diverging positions on airport charges
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (English version): Articles 5, 7 and 8
- Your Europe, air passenger rights (FAQ): reminder of your rights in case of cancellation
- Railwaypro, suspension of the direct ICE Paris-Berlin service: information taken from the rail press
- Skyscanner, Paris to Berlin flight routes: indicative fares, not guaranteed
Research completed on 8 October 2026
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