Ryanair, British Airways, and others Flights Cancelled as the Spanish Airport Shuts for Five Weeks in 2026

Ryanair, British Airways, and others have cancelled all services to Santiago de Compostela until late May 2026

A major travel disruption is unfolding for British holidaymakers this spring, after a popular Spanish airport announced it will close its doors entirely for over a month, grounding every single flight in and out of the region.

Santiago de Compostela Airport in north-west Spain will be completely shut from 23 April to 27 May 2026. No departures. No arrivals. Nothing. The closure, confirmed by Spanish airport operator Aena, covers all air traffic without exception — and airlines including Ryanair, British Airways, Vueling and Iberia have already begun cancelling their scheduled services.​​​​​​​

This is not a strike, a safety emergency, or an unexpected crisis. The closure has been planned well in advance to carry out a full runway resurfacing and essential infrastructure upgrades at the airport. Works of this scale simply cannot be carried out while flights are still operating, which is why Aena made the decision to shut the airport entirely for the duration.

The upgrades are designed to improve safety standards and increase the airport's long-term capacity — good news for the future, but cold comfort for the thousands of travellers with bookings already in place for this spring.​​​​​​​

The numbers tell their own story. Around 30 UK flights operate to and from Santiago de Compostela every single week, connecting the airport with major London terminals including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. With average aircraft carrying around 180 passengers, estimates suggest that up to 5,400 British travellers could find their plans thrown into disarray before the airport reopens.

The timing makes it worse. This closure falls right across one of the busiest travel periods of the year — spring half term, the tail end of the Easter rush, and the height of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage season. Santiago is the finishing point of one of the world's most famous walking routes, and every spring, thousands of travellers fly in from the UK to complete their journey. Many of those travellers will now need to rethink their plans entirely.​​​​​​​

If your travel dates fall anywhere between 23 April and 27 May, do not sit back and wait for your airline to get in touch. Log in to your booking now, check your flight status, and get ahead of the disruption before your options narrow.

Contact your airline directly to discuss rebooking or rerouting. If you have travel insurance, review your policy — costs linked to alternative airports or accommodation changes may well be covered.

Already affected or unsure what to do next? The team at Crystal Travel is here to help you find the best way forward — whether that means rerouting your journey, changing airports, or rebuilding your trip from scratch. Give us a call today.