Ryanair is famous for quick hops across Europe, but its longest nonstop sectors in 2026 have one thing in common: they deliver sun-starved travellers to winter holiday spots. Nearly all of the airline's ten longest Boeing 737 MAX routes connect central and western European cities with the Canary Islands, Cyprus and other warm-weather leisure markets — and almost all run seasonally rather than year-round.
The longest of the lot is Kraków to Tenerife South, at roughly 2,437 miles and 22 flights scheduled. Budapest to Tenerife follows at 2,343 miles, with Berlin to Tenerife the busiest of the long routes at 215 flights. Dublin to Paphos in Cyprus (2,278 miles) and Berlin to Gran Canaria (2,247) round out the top five, alongside sectors from Vienna, Newcastle, Liverpool and more Berlin departures to Fuerteventura, Paphos and Lanzarote.
What makes this possible is the 737 MAX 8-200, a high-density version of Boeing's MAX 8 built specifically for low-cost carriers. Ryanair's version seats 197 passengers in a single economy cabin, with the airline investing $22 billion in the type as part of a fleet that stood at 209 MAX 8-200s alongside 396 older 737-800s as of June 2026. Boeing claims the MAX cuts fuel burn by up to 14% per seat versus previous models, and Ryanair says the shift trims fuel use about 16% and noise around 40% per flight. A further 300 MAX 10s are on order for later this decade.
On board, don't expect frills on these longer sectors. Seat pitch sits at a tight 29 inches, food and drink cost extra, and the whole cabin is designed around fast boarding and quick turnarounds. Travellers who want a bit more space can pay for Extra Legroom seats or Priority Boarding — often worth considering on a four-plus-hour flight to Tenerife.
For holidaymakers, the takeaway is simple: Ryanair can now fly you from a chilly Polish or Hungarian winter directly to volcanic island beaches for ultra-low fares, because one standardised, fuel-efficient fleet keeps its costs among the lowest in the industry. If you're flexible on dates and travel light, these seasonal leisure routes are some of the cheapest ways from mainland Europe to year-round sunshine. Source: Simple Flying.
