Ryanair set a new monthly passenger traffic record, carrying 20.7 million travellers in July 2025. The figure is the highest monthly number in the airline’s history and reflects a 3% increase compared to July 2024, when the carrier transported 20.2 million passengers.
The airline achieved a 96% load factor throughout the month, operating over 113,000 flights, in line with the previous year. Despite this success, Ryanair has been hit by operational challenges, primarily because of the continuous strikes by French air traffic controllers, which resulted in the cancellation of around 680 flights. While the disruptions did not have a significant impact on the airline’s overall performance for the month, they have affected thousands of passengers across Europe.
July’s record numbers contribute to a rolling 12-month total of 203.1 million passengers, a 7% increase on the previous 12-month period. The figures highlight Ryanair’s steady development trajectory and its ability to maintain high capacity levels amid a competitive and frequently disrupted European aviation market.
As part of its larger operations, Ryanair recently announced it would be pulling out of three regional French airports: Strasbourg, Bergerac and Brive by the end of October 2025. The Dublin-based airline called the 180% increase in airfare taxes in France “astronomical” and blamed it for its decision. Ryanair claims the increase reduces France’s competitiveness compared to other EU markets. The decision involves a 13% reduction in capacity at French regional airports over the winter, including the closure of 25 routes and removal of 750,000 seats.
However, the airline has benefited from strong demand for summer flights across its extensive European and North African network. Despite external obstacles such as airspace congestion and industrial action, its ability to offer low fares, high-frequency routes, and an expanding fleet enables company to gain bigger profits from peak season demand. July’s results continue a trend of strong monthly traffic figures, reaffirming Ryanair’s position as Europe’s largest airline by passenger volumes.
