The low-cost carrier will launch 14 new routes, which will increase the number of passengers from the airport to 1m. They are: Carcassonne, Faro, Ibiza, Knock, Krakow, Limoges, Malaga, Malta, Montpellier, Murcia, Nantes, Palma, Pisa and Venice Treviso. It already operates three routes from Leeds Bradford: Alicante, Barcelona (Girona) and Dublin. Leeds Bradford will be Ryanair’s 34th base, and its 11th in the UK.

John Parkin, chief executive of Leeds Bradford, said: "This is a great vote of confidence in the potential of both the airport and our region from Europe's largest airline."