RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest airline in Europe by scheduled passengers carried, fleet size, and total flights. Globally, it is the largest airline by international passengers carried, the third-largest by market capitalisation behind Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, and the fifth-most profitable by net income. In 2025, the company sold 208 million airline tickets, averaging €70 in total revenue against €62 in costs per ticket sold. It is widely considered to be the cheapest airline operating in Europe.
Basic company information
Each field links to its source. Financial figures retain their reporting periods; background references are identified in the source list.
- Company / filing name
- RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC [1]
- Headquarters location
- Dublin Airport [2]
- Founded
- 1985 [2]
- Legal form
- Designated Activity Company [2]
- Leadership in background record
- Eddie Wilson [2]
- Founders
- rachdi mohamee [2]
- Official website
- www.ryanair.com ↗ [2]
- Employees
- 27,000 · reported year 2024 [2]
- Annual revenue
- EUR 10,775,200,000 · reported year 2022 [2]
- ISIN (reported securities)
- IE00BYTBXV33 [2]
- CIK
- 1038683 [1]
- Country in background record
- Ireland [2]
- Symbols / exchanges
- RYAAY (Nasdaq), RYAOF (OTC) [1]
Company positioning and business
Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest airline in Europe by scheduled passengers carried, fleet size, and total flights. Globally, it is the largest airline by international passengers carried, the third-largest by market capitalisation behind Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, and the fifth-most profitable by net income. In 2025, the company sold 208 million airline tickets, averaging €70 in total revenue against €62 in costs per ticket sold. It is widely considered to be the cheapest airline operating in Europe. [3]
The airline was founded in 1984 by Christopher Ryan and Tony Ryan, from whom it takes its name. Today, the parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, operates airline subsidiaries Ryanair DACTooltip Designated activity company, Buzz, Malta Air, Lauda Europe, and Ryanair UK. Combined, the group manages a fleet of 651 aircraft and operates over 3,500 short-haul flights per day, serving approximately 230 airports in 36 countries. Its primary operational bases are at Dublin, London Stansted, and Milan Bergamo. To maintain low operating expenses, the company dynamically manages its network, frequently cutting routes or reducing capacity in response to increases in regional airport fees, taxes, or environmental levies. [3]
Ryanair operates an ultra-low-cost, no frills business model, generating nearly one-third of its income from ancillary revenue by charging additional fees for seat selection, cabin and checked baggage, and airport check-in services. Ryanair is ranked 790th on the Forbes Global 2000 and 280th on the Fortune 500 Europe. Longtime CEO Michael O'Leary, who owns approximately 4% of the company, frequently deliberately stirs media controversy to generate free publicity for the brand. While the airline consistently scores poorly in customer satisfaction metrics, including annual surveys by Which?, the company routinely dismisses these results as statistically unrepresentative, pointing instead to its long-term growth in booking numbers. [3]
Background text: Wikipedia contributors, Ryanair. Selected introductory paragraphs, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Official filing data is cited separately.
Management and corporate governance
The Wikidata background record identifies Eddie Wilson in the chief-executive role. This background entry is not an official confirmation of the current board or executive roster. [2]
Understanding company scale
Employees: 27,000 · reported year 2024. [2]
Annual revenue: EUR 10,775,200,000 · reported year 2022. [2]
Financial year, securities and disclosures
Listed securities: RYAAY (Nasdaq), RYAOF (OTC). Multiple symbols may represent different share classes or securities of the same registrant. [1]
History and key events
Founding / inception date recorded in Wikidata. [2]
Financial results and regulatory disclosures
No individual financial documents have been indexed yet. Open the source to consult company disclosures. [1]
Related entities and concepts
Frequently asked questions
When was RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC founded?
Founded: 1985. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Where is the headquarters of RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC?
Headquarters location: Dublin Airport. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Sources and review dates
- Company identity and profile data ↗
- Wikidata — company background record (CC0) ↗
- Wikipedia contributors — Ryanair (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Financial periods and historical event dates are shown separately. Figures reflect their stated source dates; this page is not a live quote or investment recommendation.