No Ryanair flights across Europe on Christmas Day

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Not a lot of people seem to know this, but this is an annual thing for the low-cost airline, so all flight operations will stop on 25 December

Antonio Távora

Seville

Monday, 15 December 2025, 20:02

If you're thinking of catching a flight on 25 December, you might be surprised to see that there are no options with one of Europe's cheapest airlines: Ryanair. This is no oversight, nor is it because the route you are looking for is fully booked. The explanation is much simpler and, also, quite unusual. Ryanair does not operate any flights on Christmas Day at any airport in its European network.

This is nothing new. Every 25 December, Ryanair planes remain grounded, as the Ireland-based airline adheres to this policy of completely halting operations on Christmas Day. While it may come as a surprise to most, it is a deeply ingrained tradition within the company.

The main reason is to allow its staff - pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and operations teams - to enjoy the holiday with their families. In Irish culture, Christmastime is particularly significant and the company has chosen to honour this custom for its employees, even at the cost of foregoing one of the busiest days of the holiday season.

In practice, this policy means that Seville Airport, like all others across Spain and beyond, will be without Ryanair flights on 25 December. The airline is one of those that operatesmost flights and routes from Seville, with direct connections to dozens of domestic and international destinations. Therefore, the lack of options available on 25 December is a significant inconvenience for those needing to travel to or from Seville with this particular airline on that day.

That is why neither travel websites nor Ryanair's own website allow you to buy a ticket for 25 December, regardless of the destination selected. In fact, when searching for flights from Seville for that day, the website displays a message indicating that there are no availabledestinations .

Which airlines fly (and which don't) on 25 December

Although Ryanair suspends all flights, other airlines do operate from Seville on Christmas Day, though generally with a reduced schedule. Companies such as Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum maintain their domestic and international flights, especially on key routes such as Seville-Madrid and Seville-Barcelona. Also Vueling offers several connections, primarily domestic.

Other options include Transavia, EasyJet, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines and Air France . However, flight frequency is not always the same as on a normal day, as lower demand on Christmas Day leads these airlines to reduce their schedules on some routes.

So, if you were thinking of travelling from Seville to one of Ryanair's usual destinations, or vice versa, it is important to note that the company operates no flights on 25 December. It is advisable to look for alternatives with other airlines that do fly that day and book your trip as soon as possible.