EasyJet will add a new Italian destination to its network during the summer 2025 season with the launch of flights to Rimini.
Starting from April 16, the LCC plans to introduce two routes to Rimini San Marino Federico Fellini Airport (RMI), offering service from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL). Each route will be offered twice a week.
The move comes as the Emilia-Romagna Region—the destination for Routes Europe 2026—seeks to attract more than 65 million overnight stays by 2030, as well as doubling the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to 16%. The region recorded 61.8 million overnight stays in 2023.
It is prioritizing greater internationalization of tourist flows, with a specific goal of increasing the foreign market share to 35%. To facilitate this growth, the region is actively enhancing its regional airport system to better connect with key market areas.
“From April 2025, with the start of the summer season, easyJet will connect Rimini with London Gatwick and Basel and will be a starting point for a collaboration that we hope will grow further over the next few years,” RMI CEO Leonardo Corbucci says.
“We hope that other economic sectors in the area, which have not yet been involved in our teamwork, will also come forward to collaborate with us and share our growth objectives for the coming period.”
RMI is currently served by two carriers, Ryanair and Wizz Air, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Ryanair operates a domestic route to Cagliari, Italy, while Wizz Air offers service to Tirana, Albania. However, the summer 2024 season also saw Ryanair serve the Italian airport from Budapest, Hungary; Kaunas, Lithuania; Krakow, Poland; London Stansted; Palermo, Italy; Prague; and Vienna. Additionally, Luxair provided a regular scheduled connection from Luxembourg.
Sabre Market Intelligence data shows Tirana was the largest international O&D market from Rimini during 2023, attracting 32,100 two-way passengers. Budapest was second with 27,200, followed by London on 26,800.
Aviation Week Network’s consultancy business ASM has worked with Rimini Airport to secure the new easyJet routes. “The arrival of easyJet will further contribute to the resurgence of international tourism in the Emilia-Romagna Region, which saw over 16.4 million overnight stays and 4 million arrivals in 2023,” says Aviation Week Network Managing Director for Strategy and Consulting David Stroud.
EasyJet’s arrival comes as the LCC continues to restructure its network in Italy, where it is the fourth-largest operator behind Ryanair, ITA Airways and Wizz Air. In September, the UK-based carrier announced plans to close its base at Venice Marco Polo Airport from April 2025, relocating the three aircraft stationed there to other airports.
However, easyJet intends to open bases at Milan Linate Airport and Rome Fiumicino Airport during the summer 2025 season should it be selected as a remedy-taker as part of the Lufthansa-ITA deal. As reported on Nov. 12, the Italian Ministry of the Economy and Finance (MEF) has signed an agreement confirming European Commission concessions and clearing the way for Lufthansa’s planned takeover of ITA. The last-minute move came after a week of intense negotiations between Lufthansa and MEF over details in the purchase contract.
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