Ryanair Ltd. (: RYA, : , NASDAQ: RYAAY) is an Irish low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, with its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted Airports. In 2016, Ryanair was both the largest European airline by scheduled passengers carried, and the busiest international airline by passenger numbers.

Ryanair operates over 370 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with a single 737-700 used primarily as a charter aircraft, but also as a backup plane and for pilot training. The airline has been characterised by its rapid expansion, a result of the deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe in 1997 and the success of its low-cost business model. Ryanair's route network serves 32 countries in Europe, Africa (Morocco), and the Middle East (Israel).

Since its establishment in 1984, Ryanair has grown from a small airline flying the short journey from Waterford to London into Europe's largest carrier. Ryanair now has over 11,000 members of staff working for the company, most of whom are employed and contracted by multiple agencies to fly on Ryanair aircraft, or as is the case for pilots, the vast majority are either agency employed or self-employed and their services are contracted to Ryanair. As of 2013 including over 1,200 pilots. After the rapidly growing airline went public in 1997, the money raised was used to expand the airline into a pan-European carrier. Revenues have risen from €231 million in 1998, to €1,843 million in 2003 and €3,013 million in 2010. Similarly net profits have increased from €48 million to €339 million over the same period.

Ryanair was founded in 1984 as "Danren Enterprises" by Christopher Ryan, Liam Lonergan (owner of Irish travel agent Club Travel) and Irish businessman Tony Ryan (after whom the company is named), founder of Guinness Peat Aviation. The airline was shortly thereafter renamed "Ryanair" and began operations in 1985 with a 15-seat Embraer Bandeirante turboprop aircraft, flying between Waterford and Gatwick Airport with the aim of breaking the duopoly on London-Ireland flights at that time, held by British Airways and Aer Lingus.

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