Ryanair has announced a significant expansion at Shannon Airport, including the addition of a fourth based aircraft for Winter 2025/26 and the launch of three new routes to Lapland, Madeira, and Madrid. The airline's investment, valued at over $100 million (approximately €90 million), aims to boost passenger numbers by 100,000, bringing total annual passengers at Shannon to over 1.6 million, a 20% increase. The expansion will also create more than 1,500 jobs, including pilots, cabin crew, and engineers. In addition to the new routes, Ryanair will increase flight frequencies on six existing routes: Alicante, Edinburgh, Kraków, Lanzarote, Manchester, and Wrocław. The airline's Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, highlighted that this growth supports regional Ireland’s economy and calls for government support to expand the regional airports programme to handle up to 3 million passengers annually, up from the current limit of 1 million. Mary Considine, CEO of Shannon Airport Group, expressed enthusiasm about Ryanair’s commitment, noting the airport’s passenger growth of 7% in 2024 and its potential to lead regional development. The new routes to Lapland, popular for Christmas visits and skiing, along with Madrid and Madeira, are expected to enhance tourism and connectivity. To celebrate the announcement, Ryanair launched a two-day seat sale with fares starting at €29.99. The airline’s investment and route expansion are part of its broader strategy to support regional airports across Ireland, emphasizing Shannon’s strategic importance for the country's economic and tourism growth.