Sonali Tiwary
Ryanair has entered the subscription game with its Prime membership service, launching in March 2025 for £79 per year. The Irish budget carrier is targeting frequent flyers with promises of free reserved seats, travel insurance, and exclusive monthly sales.
The airline says members flying 12 times annually could save up to £420, with even three annual flights yielding £105 in savings – well above the subscription cost. But consumer group Which? warns passengers to examine the terms carefully before signing up.
“The service is full of caveats when it comes to seat selection,” says Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel. “Ryanair’s travel insurance offers poor cover compared with cheaper policies that are rated highly by Which?.”
The Prime Package
For the annual fee, members get:
- Up to 12 free reserved seats in designated rows (if available)
- Travel insurance covering all Ryanair Group flights
- Access to 12 monthly member-only sales
The catch? Free seats are limited to specific rows. When those fill up, members get random allocation or pay extra for their preferred seat. The insurance excludes medical coverage for travelers over 70, and pre-existing conditions aren’t covered.
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Companion Rules and Restrictions
Prime members can add companions who also receive benefits. However, if you’re booking for a family, children won’t qualify for member rates since they must be 18 or older to join. Infants can be included in bookings but don’t receive Prime benefits.
“1 infant per adult on the booking to a maximum of 2, however, infants are excluded from the Ryanair Prime benefits,” the airline states. Minors aged 2-15 cannot be added to existing adult bookings and must travel with an adult 18 or older.
Limited Launch
The membership is capped at 250,000 people across European countries including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Once members use their 12 free seat allocations, they’ll only access basic fares for new bookings.
Chief Marketing Officer Dara Brady calls it “a no-brainer” for frequent travelers, positioning it as extending Ryanair’s “price leadership.” This marks a shift for an airline that historically avoided traditional loyalty programs.
Competitive Context
Ryanair joins other low-cost carriers offering subscription services. Wizz Air’s Discount Club ranges from €60-€385 annually with varying benefits. EasyJet Plus costs £249 and includes premium seats, faster boarding, and cabin bag allowances.
The service represents Ryanair’s attempt to secure recurring revenue from its most frequent customers. However, Which? questions the value proposition, noting unclear details about how member-only sales differ from regular promotions Ryanair already offers.
With 250,000 membership slots available and counting, early adopters are testing whether the math works out. For occasional flyers who rarely pay for reserved seats or insurance, the £79 fee might not deliver promised savings. But for those already purchasing these add-ons regularly, Prime could reduce annual travel costs.
The subscription model reflects broader industry trends toward recurring revenue streams, though Ryanair’s traditional no-frills approach means this represents uncharted territory for both the airline and its passengers.
