Ryanair Cancels Aalborg Flights: Billund Base Closes Over Tax

Billund Airport will soon be without Ryanair for the first time in years. The low-cost carrier announced on 31 January 2025 that it is closing its two-aircraft base at Billund and cancelling all flights to and from Aalborg by the end of March. The reason, according to Ryanair, is Denmark’s new DKK 50 aviation tax, introduced in January 2025, which the airline says makes regional Denmark “hopelessly uncompetitive.” The pullout means Denmark loses 32 routes and roughly 1.7 million seats.

Base closed: Billund Airport · Routes axed: All Aalborg flights · Effective date: End of March 2025 · Reason: DKK 50 aviation tax · Aircraft removed: 2 from Billund

The table below summarises the key figures behind this withdrawal.

What airports are Ryanair closing?

Ryanair is shutting down its entire Billund Airport base, the larger of the two affected locations. The base, which housed two aircraft and served routes including London Stansted, Edinburgh, and Manchester, represents a US$200 million investment that the airline says it is now abandoning (Airways Magazine). Billund is also the gateway to Legoland, meaning families travelling from the UK to the popular theme park will need to find alternative arrangements from the end of March 2025.

What this means: regional Denmark now faces a significant gap in low-cost connectivity, with no immediate replacement carrier on the horizon.

Billund base closure

The Billund base is the centrepiece of Ryanair’s Danish operations. With two based aircraft, it had been a permanent fixture since the airline expanded into regional Denmark. The closure eliminates that presence entirely, leaving the airport to rely on other carriers. Ryanair says pilots and crew at Billund have been offered transfers within its broader European network (Aviation24.be), though up to 60 jobs will still be lost at the local level.

Aalborg routes cut

Ryanair’s Aalborg service, which began in 2017, will end completely. By March 2025, the only remaining route from Aalborg (London Stansted) will also be scrapped. The loss marks the end of affordable direct connectivity between northern Denmark and the UK (The Independent).

The implication: passengers in Jutland lose access to the kind of low-cost short-haul routes that Ryanair built its reputation on. Regional Denmark is now less connected to European leisure and business markets.

Which routes are Ryanair cancelling?

Ryanair is cutting all 32 routes that operated from its Danish bases, affecting both Billund and Aalborg. The combined impact removes 1.7 million seats from the market annually (Aviation24.be). This includes routes to UK airports, other European cities, and holiday destinations across the continent.

UK to Denmark routes

The UK connections are among the most immediately noticeable losses. Ryanair flights from London Stansted to both Aalborg and Billund are ending. Edinburgh-Billund and Manchester-Billund are also on the chopping block (Euronews). UK passengers who relied on Ryanair’s low fares to reach Denmark’s regional airports will need to consider alternatives, which typically come at a higher price point.

Other European links

Beyond the UK, routes to Spanish, Italian, and other European destinations from both Danish airports will disappear from Ryanair’s schedule. The airline is reallocating the two released aircraft to markets where aviation taxes are being reduced or abolished, including Sweden, Hungary, and Italy (The Independent).

The pattern: Ryanair is shifting capacity away from Denmark toward countries that are cutting, not adding, aviation taxes. For Danish regional airports, this is a direct economic consequence of government policy.

Why has Ryanair stopped flying to Aalborg?

Denmark introduced a new aviation tax of up to DKK 50 (approximately £5.58 or €6.70) per departing passenger in January 2025 (The Independent). Ryanair says this tax makes operating low-cost routes from regional Danish airports financially unviable.

Danish aviation tax details

The tax applies to all departing passengers from Danish airports, with no exemptions for transfer passengers in most cases. At DKK 50 per person, a return flight immediately costs an extra DKK 100 in taxes per passenger. For a family of four, that is DKK 400 added to the cost of a single trip. Ryanair argues this pricing model is incompatible with its low-fare model, which relies on high passenger volumes at thin margins.

Ryanair’s response

Ryanair has been vocal in its criticism. A spokesperson said the airline was “left with no other choice” following what it called the Danish government’s “short-sighted decision to introduce a harmful aviation tax from Jan 2025” (The Independent). The airline also pointed out that countries like Sweden, Hungary, and regions of Italy are abolishing aviation taxes to attract exactly the kind of traffic Denmark is now pricing out.

“Unfortunately, this harmful aviation tax makes Denmark (especially regional Denmark) hopelessly uncompetitive compared to other EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, and Italian regions, who are abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic recovery and growth.”

— Michael O’Leary, Ryanair CEO (statement to The Independent)

What this means: the Danish government faces a policy trade-off between tax revenue and aviation connectivity. Regional airports that depend on low-cost carriers are particularly vulnerable when those carriers decide the maths no longer works.

What is the timeline for these cancellations?

The timeline is relatively compressed. Ryanair announced the changes on 31 January 2025, with all operations set to cease by the end of March 2025 (The Copenhagen Post). That gives affected passengers roughly two months to adjust their travel plans.

Announcement date

Ryanair confirmed the closure on 31 January 2025, framing it as a response to the tax that had been in effect since the start of the month. The announcement was accompanied by statements criticising the policy and outlining the scale of the withdrawal.

Closure date

The end of March 2025 marks the final day of Ryanair operations at both Billund and Aalborg. After that point, no new bookings will be accepted on those routes, and existing schedules will no longer operate. Passengers with bookings beyond that date should contact Ryanair for rebooking or refund options (Euro Weekly News).

What should passengers do about Ryanair Denmark flights?

Passengers with existing bookings on affected routes need to take action. Ryanair has not indicated it will automatically rebook affected passengers on alternative carriers, so the initiative falls to travellers themselves.

Refunds and rebookings

Customers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to a refund under EU regulations. Ryanair’s standard process requires passengers to request this through its website or customer service channels. Those who booked through third-party sites should contact that vendor first. Passengers should also check their travel insurance policies — some may cover additional costs incurred due to cancelled low-cost flights.

Alternative airlines

Other carriers still serve Danish airports, though typically at higher price points than Ryanair’s base fares. Norwegian Air, KLM, and British Airways offer routes to Copenhagen and other Danish hubs, with connections available to regional airports via code-share or partner airlines. For UK passengers specifically, direct routes to Aalborg and Billund will disappear, making Copenhagen the nearest option for non-stop service (The Independent).

The catch: there is no direct low-cost replacement for Ryanair on these routes. Passengers accustomed to sub-£50 return fares will need to budget significantly more for alternative travel.

Summary

Ryanair is withdrawing from Denmark’s regional airports at a scale that will be felt immediately. The closure of the Billund base and complete cancellation of Aalborg routes removes affordable connectivity for thousands of passengers who depended on low-cost access to and from Jutland. For UK families planning Legoland holidays, for northern Danish businesses, and for anyone who relied on Ryanair’s model, the practical alternatives are fewer and more expensive. The airline has been clear that the DKK 50 tax is the reason, and has shifted its investment toward countries that are going in the opposite direction on aviation taxation.

Denmark now faces the consequence of losing 1.7 million annual seats and 32 routes as Ryanair reallocates its two Danish aircraft to markets in Sweden, Hungary, and Italy where aviation taxes are being reduced rather than introduced.

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