Ryanair's Traffic Numbers for February 2026 Improve Year Over Year

Core Insights - Ryanair Holdings (RYAAY) reported strong traffic numbers for February 2026, with 13.3 million passengers, a 6% year-over-year increase, and an increase from January's 12.7 million [1][7] - The load factor remained stable at 92% year-over-year, improving from 91% in January 2026, indicating consistent demand [2][7] - Ryanair operated over 75,000 flights in February 2026, up from 73,000 in January, reflecting expanded capacity to meet demand [2] Traffic and Capacity - Ryanair carried 200.2 million passengers in the fiscal year ending March 2025, a 9% year-over-year increase, making it the first European airline to surpass 200 million passengers in a single year [3] - For the first nine months of fiscal 2026, passenger traffic grew 4% year-over-year to 166.5 million [3] - The company raised its traffic outlook for fiscal 2026 to 208 million passengers, up from a previous estimate of 207 million, due to strong demand and earlier-than-expected Boeing deliveries [4] Stock Performance - Ryanair currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) and its shares have increased by 27.8% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Airline industry, which saw a 14.4% increase [5]