Europe-Wide Tourism Impact as Ryanair Discontinues Prime Membership After Costly Trial: All You Need to Know

Published on November 29, 2025

Ryanair, Europe’s leading low-cost carrier serving destinations across the continent, has discontinued its Prime membership program effective November 28, 2025, concluding an eight-month trial that failed to achieve financial sustainability despite attracting over fifty-five thousand subscribers. The euro seventy-nine annual subscription offered benefits like free reserved seating, travel insurance, and exclusive low-fare access for up to twelve flights yearly, but the airline determined that discounts provided exceeded revenue generated, prompting a strategic shift back to universally low fares for all passengers to maintain broad tourism accessibility.​

This decision impacts tourism across Ryanair’s extensive European network, including popular destinations like Spain, Italy, Greece, and Ireland, where frequent flyers relied on Prime for cost savings that encouraged repeat visits and multi-city trips.

Trial Performance Falls Short of Expectations

The Prime program, launched in March 2025, generated approximately euro 4.4 million in subscription fees from its fifty-five thousand members, significantly below the initial target cap of two hundred fifty thousand participants. However, members received over euro six million in fare discounts through twelve monthly exclusive seat sales, resulting in a net loss that outweighed the operational effort involved. Ryanair’s leadership concluded that the revenue did not justify continued management of member-specific promotions.​

For tourism sectors in Ryanair’s key markets, the program’s closure means the end of targeted incentives that previously stimulated impulse bookings to leisure hotspots, potentially shifting demand patterns as travelers adapt to standard fare structures.

Existing Members Retain Benefits Until 2026

All current Prime subscribers will continue enjoying promised perks, including monthly low-fare offers, through October 2026, honoring the full twelve-month membership term. No new enrollments are accepted, allowing Ryanair to phase out the service without abrupt disruption to loyal users who valued the bundled insurance and seating guarantees for family or business tourism travel.​

This continuity supports ongoing tourism flows for existing members planning European getaways, while signaling to the industry that subscription models must deliver stronger margins to persist.

Strategic Refocus on Universal Low Fares

As Europe’s largest airline by passenger volume, expecting over two hundred seven million travelers in 2025, Ryanair prioritizes delivering the lowest fares to its entire customer base rather than perks for a niche segment. This approach aligns with the carrier’s core model of high-volume, no-frills service across hundreds of routes connecting major tourism hubs like London, Dublin, Barcelona, Rome, and Athens.​

The shift benefits broad tourism recovery by keeping airfares accessible for budget-conscious leisure travelers, vacationers, and city-breakers who drive volume to destinations dependent on affordable short-haul flights.

Implications for European Leisure Tourism

Ryanair’s network spans over forty countries, making Prime’s end a notable development for tourism in high-traffic areas such as the Mediterranean coast, UK-Ireland corridors, and Central European cities. Frequent flyers who utilized Prime for up to euro four hundred twenty in annual savings on twelve trips may now face higher effective costs without reserved seats or insurance, potentially influencing booking behaviors toward competitors offering loyalty programs.​

However, the airline’s commitment to low base fares is expected to sustain tourism volumes, particularly for spontaneous weekend trips and seasonal escapes that define Ryanair’s market dominance.

Competitive Landscape in Airline Subscriptions

While Ryanair retreats from subscriptions, rivals like Wizz Air maintain multiple membership tiers, and platforms such as eDreams ODIGEO continue Prime-like services. Ryanair’s trial provides valuable data for future loyalty innovations, but the immediate focus remains on fare competitiveness to capture market share in a post-pandemic tourism rebound.​

This positions European tourism operators to anticipate stable low-cost access from Ryanair, supporting hotel occupancy, attractions, and local economies reliant on airline-driven visitor influxes.

Boosting Accessibility for Mass Tourism

By eliminating program-specific overheads, Ryanair can channel resources into route expansions and capacity growth, directly enhancing tourism connectivity to emerging destinations and underserved regions. Passengers benefit from transparent pricing without subscription barriers, democratizing access to weekend city breaks and sun-seeking holidays across the continent.​

The strategy reinforces Ryanair’s role in fueling tourism growth, where low fares enable higher frequencies and more seats for leisure demand.

Future Outlook for Ryanair’s Customer Programs

Insights from the Prime trial will inform potential evolutions in Ryanair’s offerings, possibly integrating select benefits into standard bookings or app-based perks. With 2025 passenger forecasts surpassing 200 million, the airline’s scale ensures continued pressure on fares, benefiting tourism stakeholders from rural airports to urban hubs.​

European destinations can expect unwavering support from Ryanair’s model, prioritizing volume over exclusivity to maximize visitor numbers.

Sustaining Tourism Through Low-Cost Leadership

Ryanair’s decision underscores a return to fundamentals: lowest fares for maximum passengers, optimizing tourism economics in a competitive landscape. Existing Prime users experience seamless transitions, while new travelers gain equal footing in securing deals.​

This refocus promises sustained tourism momentum across Europe, where affordability remains the primary driver of travel volumes and spending.

Navigating the Post-Prime Era

Travelers previously eyeing Prime should monitor Ryanair’s flash sales and app notifications for comparable savings on routes to popular spots. The program’s legacy lies in tested demand for bundled services, paving the way for refined tourism-friendly initiatives.​

Overall, Ryanair’s pivot safeguards tourism affordability, ensuring Europe’s skies stay open to budget adventurers and families alike.​

Image Credit: Ryanair DAC