Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary had previously teased that flights from the low cost carrier to the USA could be a reality

John Scanlan and Cathal Ryan Reporter

15:48, 07 Jan 2026Updated 17:44, 07 Jan 2026

The Ryanair plane was spotted by an aviation enthusiast (Image: Google Maps)

Could Ryanair finally be making good on rumours that the airline will fly customers over the Atlantic on a budget price?

This week, an eagle eyed aviation enthusiast spotted the Ryanair Boeing plane at the King County International Airport – Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington State among a fleet of other aircraft.

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary had previously teased that flights from the low cost carrier to the USA could be a reality if the budget airline got the long-haul aircraft needed to make it happen, meaning cheap flights across the Atlantic.

So naturally when a plane was observed on Flight Radar at the King County International Airport, just 10 minutes away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a nine hour journey offered by rival Irish airline Aer Lingus for around €300 each way, some might think Ryanair was making good on its decade old notion that the airline might launch routes to the US, or even domestic flights within the US.

The Ryanair plane was spotted right next to a runway(Image: Google Maps)

Unfortunately, any hopes of cheap flights to America were quashed by Ryanair, who confirmed the airline has not begun any plans to kick off services to the US telling us that the King County International Airport is the spot from where Boeing aircraft are delivered to Ryanair.

A Ryanair spokesperson told the Irish Mirror: “Ryanair has no plans to do so. Please note, we operate Boeing aircraft with deliveries made from Seattle.”

While hopes that the carrier could fly passengers for a pittance to the US were firmly put to rest by the press office, the airline has a huge amount of aircraft bringing customers to holiday destinations, home to family, and off to business trips. As of January 5, Ryanair has 643 aircraft flying around the skies in Europe, alongside Morocco and Israel.

By 2034 Ryanair plans to receive a further 300 new Boeing 737- MAX 10 aircraft which not only carry 21 per cent more guests, but burn 20 per cent less fuel and are 50 per cent quieter than the airline’s Boeing 737-NG Fleet.

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