Ryanair Shocks Millions of Passengers by Suddenly Ending Prime Membership After Just Eight Months of Exclusive Perks

Published on December 1, 2025

Ryanair, one of Europe’s largest low-cost carriers, has ended its Prime membership scheme after just eight months. The airline launched this program in March 2025 to provide its frequent flyers with exclusive perks, such as free reserved seats, travel insurance, and access to special seat deals. However, after facing challenges in sustaining the program financially, Ryanair decided to scrap it, marking the end of a short-lived loyalty initiative. Despite the scheme’s limited success, it raised questions about the future of frequent flyer programs and their environmental impact.

Introduction: The Short-Lived Ryanair Prime Membership

In March 2025, Ryanair introduced its Prime membership scheme to offer a more affordable way for frequent travelers to enjoy premium services without the usual high costs. Priced at €79 for a 12-month subscription, the scheme was positioned as a way for passengers to save on additional services, which are typically available through higher fare categories. The benefits included free reserved seats, travel insurance, and the opportunity to access 12 annual exclusive seat deals—perks that were expected to attract frequent flyers.

However, after only eight months, Ryanair announced in November 2025 that it would be discontinuing the scheme. Despite generating over €4.4 million in subscription fees, the program cost Ryanair €6 million in passenger fare discounts, making it financially unsustainable. With only 55,000 members signing up—well below the airline’s target of 250,000—Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dara Brady, confirmed that no new memberships would be accepted, and those who signed up would still enjoy the benefits until the expiration of their subscription.

The demise of the Prime membership scheme raises questions about the future of loyalty programs in the airline industry, especially for low-cost carriers like Ryanair, which are known for offering budget-friendly services but also rely on upselling additional services.

The Rise and Fall of Ryanair’s Prime Membership

The Prime membership scheme was launched with high expectations. It promised a range of benefits designed to attract frequent travelers, especially those who wanted to save on services without paying full price for premium fare classes. The following are some of the key offerings of the scheme:

• Reserved Seats: Members could enjoy free reserved seating, ensuring they didn’t have to worry about random seating assignments on crowded flights.
• Travel Insurance: An added layer of protection for travelers, making the membership a more attractive deal for those who frequently travel.
• Exclusive Seat Deals: Access to special seat offers not available to regular passengers, providing an incentive to book more flights with Ryanair.
• Discounted Fares: Frequent travelers could benefit from discounts, with savings of up to €420 for those who flew 12 times a year.

Despite these attractive perks, the program didn’t perform as well as expected. Ryanair had hoped the scheme would appeal to frequent flyers who wanted to avoid expensive premium services but still enjoy some of the benefits of higher fare categories. However, it appears that the benefits were not enough to entice a large number of customers to sign up, and the program ultimately became a financial burden for the airline.

Financial Strain and Strategic Decision

While Ryanair’s Prime membership did generate €4.4 million in subscription revenue, it failed to cover the €6 million in fare discounts that were offered to members. This discrepancy highlights a key challenge faced by low-cost airlines—how to balance low fares with the provision of premium services that don’t erode profit margins.

Ryanair’s decision to cut the scheme reflects a strategic shift back to its core business model: offering the lowest fares in Europe for all passengers, without the need for loyalty schemes. As Ryanair continues to serve over 207 million passengers annually, the company remains focused on providing affordable flights while keeping services simple and cost-effective.

Despite the discontinuation of the Prime membership, Ryanair’s commitment to low-cost travel remains unchanged, and passengers can still benefit from the airline’s extensive network of affordable flight options across Europe.

What Does This Mean for Passengers?

For passengers who had signed up for Ryanair’s Prime membership, the discontinuation of the scheme does not mean immediate changes. The airline has confirmed that existing members will continue to enjoy the benefits until their 12-month subscription ends. However, once the subscription expires, there will be no option to renew, and no new memberships will be offered.

While the scheme was short-lived, it did highlight some important issues regarding airline loyalty programs and their impact on both passengers and the airline industry. Travelers who had hoped to continue enjoying the perks of Prime membership may now need to look for other ways to save on flight-related expenses, such as booking in advance or taking advantage of Ryanair’s regular promotions.

A Shift Toward Sustainability

The scrapping of Ryanair’s Prime membership scheme also brings attention to broader concerns about frequent flyer programs and their environmental impact. Campaign groups such as Stay Grounded have long called for a reevaluation of loyalty schemes, arguing that they contribute to overtourism and increased carbon emissions. Encouraging more frequent flying through loyalty programs could undermine efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of air travel, which is a growing concern as the aviation industry seeks to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has pointed out that programs which incentivize frequent flying may hinder efforts to reduce transport-related emissions. As the climate crisis becomes more urgent, there are calls for frequent flyer levies or policies that discourage unlimited flying and promote alternative modes of transport, such as trains or buses, especially for short-haul trips.

Ryanair’s decision to scrap its loyalty scheme may be a step toward reducing the incentives for excess flying, aligning with broader environmental goals. It signals the growing need for the airline industry to balance its business model with sustainability initiatives.

Ryanair’s Future Without Prime Membership

With the Prime membership scheme now a thing of the past, Ryanair is refocusing its efforts on offering affordable and efficient air travel across Europe. The airline will continue to attract passengers with its low-cost fares, frequent flights, and vast network, all while keeping services straightforward and accessible for a wide range of travelers.

As Ryanair moves forward, it may look for alternative ways to improve the passenger experience without compromising its core value proposition of low-cost travel. Whether through improved customer service, enhanced in-flight experiences, or new partnerships, Ryanair remains committed to providing value for its passengers while keeping prices competitive.

Conclusion: A New Era for Ryanair and Airline Loyalty Programs

Ryanair’s Prime membership experiment may have been short-lived, but it serves as a reminder of the challenges airlines face in balancing customer loyalty programs with profitability and sustainability. As the airline industry continues to evolve, Ryanair will likely explore new ways to innovate its services, all while staying true to its commitment to low-cost travel. For passengers, the discontinuation of the Prime membership marks the end of an era, but also an opportunity to explore alternative travel savings options.