Forlì Teams Up With Parma and Rimini as Ryanair Launches Biggest Ever Summer 2026 Schedule With More than Five Million Seats, More than Eighty Routes and Major Expansion Across After New Tax Removal in Italy

Written By: Gishan Das

Gishan Das

Gishan Das is a dedicated graduate with academic backgrounds in History and Political Science and practical experience in journalism and digital content creation. He completed his History Honours from Serampore College under the University of Calcutta and Political Science Honours from Indira Gandhi National Open University in 2025. His academic credentials are supported by professional certifications including a B2 level Certification in French language, NISM Financial Education certification in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Group alongside Gishan has strong expertise in journalism, news research and SEO-based content writing. He has demonstrated skills in news analysis, fact-checking, headline creation, digital storytelling and search-optimized reporting, which are also reflected in the journalism and media skills

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June 27, 2026 14:30 GMT+5:30

Ryanair introduces its largest-ever summer 2026 timetable in the region. The airline will provide more than 5.3 million seats, which represents an increase of 5%, throughout a network now consisting of 83 routes. Most importantly, however, most of the action is unfolding outside the main airport in the region of Bologna. Following the regional decision to reduce the municipal boarding charge of €6.50 at Forlì, Parma and Rimini airports effective from 1 January 2026, Ryanair is quickly ramping up these secondary gateways with nine new routes, increased capacity, and enhanced tourism connectivity.

A Record Summer Schedule Gives Emilia-Romagna a Stronger Aviation Base

Ryanair’s Summer 2026 programme marks a sharp step forward for Emilia-Romagna’s air connectivity. The airline expects the regional schedule to support more than seven million annual passengers and more than five million passengers during Summer 2026. This gives the region a wider base for inbound tourism, outbound travel, business links and seasonal leisure demand.

The schedule also shows how Bologna, Forlì, Parma and Rimini can work as a broader airport system. Bologna remains the main driver. Yet the smaller airports now gain fresh purpose. They can serve local catchments, reduce pressure on the main gateway and bring more visitors closer to the Riviera, food valleys, art cities, Motor Valley and inland destinations.

Tax Removal Becomes the Key Trigger for Regional Growth

The central reason behind the new growth is the removal of the €6.50 municipal tax at Forlì, Parma and Rimini airports. This charge applied to passenger departures and raised operating costs for airlines. By scrapping it at smaller airports, the region has made these gateways more attractive for low-cost route development.

This is important because airlines choose growth markets based on cost, demand and operational return. Lower airport access costs can make a route easier to launch and sustain. In this case, the tax change has helped Ryanair rebalance capacity across Emilia-Romagna. The result is more flights at smaller airports, more route choice for local passengers and a stronger chance to attract foreign visitors into different parts of the region.

Forlì Gains New Links to Sardinia and London Stansted

Forlì will operate three Ryanair routes in the Summer 2026 schedule, including two new services. Moreover, the airport will gain links to Cagliari and London Stansted, adding both domestic and international strength to its network. The Cagliari route creates a useful connection between Emilia-Romagna and Sardinia, supporting leisure travel in both directions.

The London Stansted route carries bigger international value. It opens Forlì to one of Europe’s largest outbound travel markets and gives UK travellers a more direct path into the eastern side of Emilia-Romagna. For tourism, this can help nearby cities, coastal areas and cultural routes attract visitors who may otherwise have flown only into Bologna or other larger Italian airports.

Parma Builds a Five-Route Network With Three New Additions

Parma becomes another major winner in the revised Ryanair plan. The airport will offer five routes, including three new services to Tirana, Reggio Calabria and London Stansted. This is a clear network upgrade for a city already known worldwide for food, music, heritage and high-quality regional identity.

The Tirana link strengthens connectivity with Albania, a fast-growing European travel and visiting-friends-and-relatives market. Reggio Calabria improves domestic north-south access inside Italy. London Stansted gives Parma a strong bridge to the UK. Together, these routes can support tourism, family travel, business mobility and student movement. They also give Parma a larger role in the regional airport map.

Rimini Expands With Four New Routes and Adriatic Power

Rimini will carry 12 Ryanair routes in Summer 2026, including four new services to Wroclaw, Manchester, Cologne and Catania. This is especially important for the Romagna Riviera, one of Italy’s best-known seaside tourism areas. The route to Manchester strengthens UK access to the Adriatic coast. Cologne improves German connectivity, a key opportunity for beach and cultural tourism. Wroclaw adds a Polish market link, while Catania supports domestic travel between the Adriatic and Sicily. Rimini’s growth directly supports hotels, beach businesses, restaurants, events, congresses and inland attractions. It also gives the Riviera more tools to extend demand beyond the highest summer peak.

Bologna Remains the Anchor With Sixty-Three Routes

While the smaller airports gain attention, Bologna remains the powerhouse of Ryanair’s Emilia-Romagna operation. The airline will operate 63 routes from Bologna, including a new service to Castellón in Spain. This keeps Bologna as the main international gateway for the region.

Bologna’s strength matters because the airport serves the regional capital, major business districts, universities, exhibitions, food tourism and wider rail and road links. It also supports travellers heading to nearby cities such as Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, Parma and Reggio Emilia. With the smaller airports gaining new capacity, Bologna can continue to act as the central hub while the region builds a more balanced air network.

Nine New Routes Create a Wider Tourism Map

The nine new routes are spread across the region’s smaller airports. Forlì gains Cagliari and London Stansted. Parma gains Tirana, Reggio Calabria and London Stansted. Rimini gains Wroclaw, Manchester, Cologne and Catania. Bologna adds Castellón to its wider schedule.

This route spread is strategically useful. It connects Emilia-Romagna with the UK, Germany, Poland, Albania, Spain, Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily. It also supports different types of travel. Some routes target beach holidays. Some support city breaks. Some serve family links. Others build domestic mobility. Together, they make the region easier to reach from more directions.

Tourism Growth Gives the Air Expansion Stronger Meaning

The aviation expansion arrives after a strong tourism recovery in Emilia-Romagna. Official regional data shows that tourism reached record levels in 2024, with nearly 11.9 million arrivals and more than 40.7 million overnight stays. Foreign demand also grew strongly, showing that international access remains vital for the region’s next stage.

More flights can help convert this demand into real visitor spending. Each new route can feed hotels, restaurants, guides, museums, beach resorts, transport operators and local producers. Better air access can also help smaller destinations compete. A traveller landing in Rimini, Parma or Forlì may stay closer to those areas, spreading tourism benefits beyond the main urban gateway.

The Regional Airport Law Supports a Long-Term Strategy

The tax change is not an isolated move. It sits inside a wider Emilia-Romagna airport and logistics strategy. The regional framework recognises airports as important infrastructure for access, competitiveness and international tourism development. It also looks at the four regional airports as part of a more connected system. This approach matters because aviation growth needs planning.

Airports must support passengers, handle routes, connect with buses and trains, and serve both residents and tourists. A balanced regional network can reduce overdependence on one airport. It can also give each gateway a clearer role. Bologna serves scale. Rimini supports the Riviera. Parma supports western Emilia. Forlì strengthens eastern access and emerging route demand.

Italy’s Wider Tax Debate Gains New Pressure

Emilia-Romagna is now aligned with other Italian regions that have moved against the municipal boarding tax. Ryanair has pointed to Abruzzo, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sicily as examples of regions where tax relief has supported aviation growth. The airline argues that full national removal of the charge could unlock major growth across Italy, including more aircraft, more passengers, more routes and thousands of jobs. That is a commercial position from the airline, but the Emilia-Romagna case gives the debate fresh visibility. It shows how one regional cost change can quickly influence airline planning and route announcements.

A Seat Sale Adds Immediate Consumer Momentum

To support the announcement, Ryanair has launched a promotional seat sale with fares from €29.99, subject to availability. This gives the new schedule an immediate consumer push and helps create early demand for the expanded services. Low starting fares can quickly raise awareness in new markets. They can also encourage travellers to test smaller airports they may not have used before. For Forlì, Parma and Rimini, that first wave of bookings will be important. Strong early performance can help prove demand and support future route stability.

Emilia-Romagna’s Aviation Breakthrough Could Reshape Regional Tourism

A record Summer 2026 schedule by Ryanair in Emilia-Romagna is not just an announcement on seat capacity. It is an illustration of how aviation policy, airport charges, and tourism policy can be combined. The removal of the €6.50 municipal tax on passengers at Forlì, Parma, and Rimini has made the right conditions for growth in the area of low-cost aviation.

Over 5.3 million seats, 83 flights, nine new services, increased smaller airports, and enhanced tourism geography make up the schedule. From the point of view of travelers, it gives them more variety and direct access. As for Emilia-Romagna, it gives the region better international exposure, improved regional balance, and an opportunity to transform air connectivity into tourism growth.

Image Source: Ryanair