Liverpool: 2026 Expansion: 9 easyJet & 6 Ryanair based aircraft. Are we catching MAN?

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LPL’s Insane 2026 Expansion - 9 easyJet & 6 Ryanair Based Frames. Are we finally outgrowing Manchester’s shadow?

If anyone needed proof that Liverpool is absolutely flying right now, just look at the boards for the last few weeks. The amount of new route and capacity drops we’ve had for 2026 is getting ridiculous, and it feels like the airport is finally shaking off the old "secondary option to MAN" label.

Just to recap what has dropped onto the booking engines recently. easyJet are going all-in on Winter 2026 by dropping Budapest starting November 19 running 2-weekly, Reykjavik in Iceland starting November 2 running 2-weekly, and Kittilia in Lapland starting November 25 running 2-weekly. This is on top of their 9th based aircraft that arrived for the summer to push the new Seville route. Meanwhile, Ryanair’s 6th based aircraft injected another 100 million dollar frame here to launch Marrakesh, Tirana, and Warsaw, alongside bumping up frequencies on 11 existing trunk routes.

With over 70 direct destinations and the Next-Gen security lanes fully up and running where leaving the laptops inside the bag is a total game-changer, LPL is actively stealing passengers from across the Pennines and North Wales who are sick of the terminal chaos elsewhere.

Let's open this up to the floor. With easyJet adding heavy winter city and niche routes like Iceland and Lapland, do you think LPL can finally maintain high passenger numbers through the dark winter months instead of the usual seasonal dip? Also, Ryanair and easyJet are now locked into an absolute dogfight on the tarmac here. Who do you think blinks first, or is the North West catchment big enough to sustain both expanding at this rate?

If you’re reading this as a guest, click register and join the discussion. We want to know your thoughts on where LPL goes from here!
 
The catchment area is improving for Liverpool Airport. The South Parkway railway station, which serves the airport, with a regular short bus link, now has a diirect train service to North Wales, prior to this Avanti, increased their London Euston to Liverpool service with 1 or the twice hourly services train also calling at South Parkway Station.
 
The Northwest of England is growing and bringing the money to the area and after
that it looks as if politics is following suit with Andy Burnham speech which is due this week
 
Contemplating booking a flight to IOM for a 5 day break. I can't fly from LBA and I avoid MAN if at all possible.
 
mullion said:
The Northwest of England is growing and bringing the money to the area and after
that it looks as if politics is following suit with Andy Burnham speech which is due this week
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I heard a comment by John Major today about Andy Burnham. He was surprisingly quite derogatory, I thought he was a bit above that. He said Mr Burnham has done a good job in Manchester getting buses running properly. But its another matter dealing with Trump or Putin.

Of course it is, but Andy Burnham has been in parliament before,and held ministerial jobs , he is not completely green to the whole thing. I do hope however he does more for the regions of the UK. The country is far too London centric.

Seasider said:
Contemplating booking a flight to IOM for a 5 day break. I can't fly from LBA and I avoid MAN if at all possible.
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I went for my first visit about a year ago to IOM, I used Loganair, but younhave easyjet too as an option.
 
Silvercity said:
I heard a comment by John Major today about Andy Burnham. He was surprisingly quite derogatory, I thought he was a bit above that. He said Mr Burnham has done a good job in Manchester getting buses running properly. But its another matter dealing with Trump or Putin.
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He has a point though. Being a regional Mayor is very different from being a national leader like a First Minister or Prime Minister.
 
Jerry said:
He has a point though. Being a regional Mayor is very different from being a national leader like a First Minister or Prime Minister.
Click to expand...
But as I say , he has already done that prior to being a regional Mayor. He obviously hasn't been a PM, but he has certainly been in National Government.

Aviador said:
LPL’s Insane 2026 Expansion - 9 easyJet & 6 Ryanair Based Frames. Are we finally outgrowing Manchester’s shadow?

If anyone needed proof that Liverpool is absolutely flying right now, just look at the boards for the last few weeks. The amount of new route and capacity drops we’ve had for 2026 is getting ridiculous, and it feels like the airport is finally shaking off the old "secondary option to MAN" label.

Just to recap what has dropped onto the booking engines recently. easyJet are going all-in on Winter 2026 by dropping Budapest starting November 19 running 2-weekly, Reykjavik in Iceland starting November 2 running 2-weekly, and Kittilia in Lapland starting November 25 running 2-weekly. This is on top of their 9th based aircraft that arrived for the summer to push the new Seville route. Meanwhile, Ryanair’s 6th based aircraft injected another 100 million dollar frame here to launch Marrakesh, Tirana, and Warsaw, alongside bumping up frequencies on 11 existing trunk routes.

With over 70 direct destinations and the Next-Gen security lanes fully up and running where leaving the laptops inside the bag is a total game-changer, LPL is actively stealing passengers from across the Pennines and North Wales who are sick of the terminal chaos elsewhere.

Let's open this up to the floor. With easyJet adding heavy winter city and niche routes like Iceland and Lapland, do you think LPL can finally maintain high passenger numbers through the dark winter months instead of the usual seasonal dip? Also, Ryanair and easyJet are now locked into an absolute dogfight on the tarmac here. Who do you think blinks first, or is the North West catchment big enough to sustain both expanding at this rate?

If you’re reading this as a guest, click register and join the discussion. We want to know your thoughts on where LPL goes from here!
Click to expand...
From what ive heard Jet2 will expand further once more B738s become available when more of their A321 arrive.
 
Manchester has 25 EasyJet and 20 Ryanair based. Out of everywhere else’s league as far as the regions are concerned - no point in making the comparison.
 
And to add to that 4 or 5 EZY are now A321s so quite an increase in seats ex MAN and of course many Jet2 are A321s
 
Iron Duck said:
Manchester has 25 EasyJet and 20 Ryanair based. Out of everywhere else’s league as far as the regions are concerned - no point in making the comparison.
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But Liverpool is the more stress free departure point, it attracts a lot of passengers because of that. Its not trying to be another Manchester Airport, its offering a calmer choice for passenger with a good range of destinations.
 
Most of reports coming in say it is very quick to get through except Motorways which doesn't matter which airport it is. If Liverpool is catching Manchester it must be rising at about 25% plus
 
Silvercity said:
But Liverpool is the more stress free departure point, it attracts a lot of passengers because of that. Its not trying to be another Manchester Airport, its offering a calmer choice for passenger with a good range of destinations.
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But as it gets busier, the less calm LPL will be. MAN’s problem is the shear number of passengers, almost 5 times that of LPL.
 
gulftraveller said:
But as it gets busier, the less calm LPL will be. MAN’s problem is the shear number of passengers, almost 5 times that of LPL.
Click to expand...

And that's why there are plans expand the terminal building. As it stands the building is good for 8M.

mullion said:
Most of reports coming in say it is very quick to get through except Motorways which doesn't matter which airport it is. If Liverpool is catching Manchester it must be rising at about 25% plus
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Motorways are a problem across the north, particular the M60 trying to get around Manchester is a real bottle neck.
I live in Cheshire and fly frequently , it takes me 20 mins to reach Liverpool Airport. The new bridge at Runcorn which is 3 lanes each way has made a massive difference .
 
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No one is disputing that Manchester operates on a completely different scale, it’s a major international hub, so of course it has a massive based footprint. But comparing them purely on hull counts misses the entire point of what makes Liverpool's growth so significant right now.

Manchester’s sheer size is exactly why Liverpool’s expansion matters. LPL isn't trying to match MAN plane for plane; it is winning on yield, efficiency, and passenger preference.

When a passenger can choose between navigating the notorious terminal friction across the Pennines or walking through a streamlined, compact airport with next-gen scanners fully up and running in minutes, the convenience factor wins every single time. The fact that easyJet and Ryanair are actively injecting 15 based frames and over a quarter of a million fresh seats into Speke proves that the airlines see a massive, highly profitable demand from the North West catchment that actively wants to avoid the chaos of a mega hub.

Those extra based aircraft at Liverpool aren't just minor schedule padding, they represent direct, high-yield alternative capacity pulling right from MAN’s doorstep. For the regional market, having a rapid, stress free alternative growing at this rate is a massive win, no matter how many heavy frames are sitting down the M56.
 
It reminds me of when I lived in the south. Heathrow is by far the biggest airport there and in all the UK. Gatwick, was looked upon as the more easy to use alternative. Gatwick is much bigger now than when I lived there, nevertheless it still has that feel.

Its lucky the North of England does have several airport alternatives.
 
Aviador said:
LPL isn't trying to match MAN plane for plane; it is winning on yield, efficiency, and passenger preference.

proves that the airlines see a massive, highly profitable demand from the North West catchment that actively wants to avoid the chaos of a mega hub.

Those extra based aircraft at Liverpool aren't just minor schedule padding, they represent direct, high-yield alternative capacity pulling right from MAN’s doorstep.
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No low cost traffic is particularly high yielding. Liverpool is a great airport, but it doesn’t compete with Manchester at all.
 
Iron Duck said:
No low cost traffic is particularly high yielding. Liverpool is a great airport, but it doesn’t compete with Manchester at all.
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Of course it does, i'm not sure how you could think otherwise. I am not sure that its correct to say the low cost airlines are not high yielding either, they wouldn't fly their routes if they were not, and are soon to drop them if they don't make money.
 
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Iron Duck said:
No low cost traffic is particularly high yielding. Liverpool is a great airport, but it doesn’t compete with Manchester at all.
Click to expand...

How do you know it isn’t high yielding?
What’s definition of high yielding?

Liverpool is doing brilliantly, one would suspect that should the space be available & airport are happy, Jet2 will expand as the 737-800’s are displaced from bases where A321 expand. There is more that can be done from Liverpool.

I suspect Jet2 have made Ryanair / easyJet up there game.

Liverpool is a lovely airport, no stress, easy to navigate & most importantly. Very very friendly. I just hope as aircraft expand they don’t loose this.
 
Iron Duck said:
No low cost traffic is particularly high yielding. Liverpool is a great airport, but it doesn’t compete with Manchester at all.
Click to expand...

Saying low cost traffic isn’t high yielding is a total misconception of modern aviation economics. In the short haul market, Euro business legacy models are often loss leaders, whereas Ultra Low Cost Carriers (ULCCs) and hybrid leisure airlines are absolute cash generative, high yield machines.

Look at the actual financial data from the airlines' latest annual reports:
  • Ryanair: Reported a record profit after tax of €2.26 billion. Their ancillary revenue alone brought in nearly €5 billion meaning they make €24 of pure high margin yield per passenger just on bags, seat selection, and priority boarding before a ticket price is even counted. Source: Aviation Outlook

  • Jet2: Reported a massive £800.3 million profit before tax for the first half of their financial year. Their integrated package holiday model is one of the highest yielding, highest-margin operations in the global travel industry. Source: Kalkine

  • easyJet: Consistently driving total revenue per seat north of £83 alongside booming profits from easyJet Holidays. Source: Aviation Outlook
To say Liverpool doesn't compete with Manchester completely ignores how airline asset allocation and catchment areas work. Airlines do not station 15 based aircraft at Speke out of charity; they do it because Liverpool offers a distinct competitive advantage that drives higher operational yields per hull.

How Liverpool Competes (and Wins) on Yield:​

  • Operational Efficiency vs. Congestion: An aircraft only makes money when it is in the air. At a congested mega hub like Manchester, planes lose precious time taxiing, waiting for gates, or sitting in holding patterns. Liverpool offers guaranteed 25 to 30 minute turnarounds. That efficiency allows a based aircraft to squeeze in more daily flying hours, squeezing far more yield out of the asset.
  • Catchment Leakage: Every single easyJet, Ryanair, or Jet2 passenger flying out of Liverpool who lives in Cheshire, the Wirral, North Wales, or West Lancashire is a high yield customer physically intercepted from Manchester's doorstep.
Manchester is a premier international gateway, but on short haul European point to point routes, Liverpool absolutely competes. LPL offers the airlines lower operating costs and faster turnarounds, and offers passengers a stress free alternative. That is the very definition of successful commercial competition.
 
Seasider said:
Contemplating booking a flight to IOM for a 5 day break. I can't fly from LBA and I avoid MAN if at all possible.
Click to expand...

My Bro-in-Law lives in South Yorkshire and despite detesting the place (his words not mine) always used MAN. A few years ago they booked a package trip departing LPL and now won't use anywhere else, they love it.
 
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