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Ryanair is shutting down its Prime frequent flyer program just eight months after launching it, citing unexpectedly high costs driven by members who took full advantage of its discounts and perks. The airline revealed that while 55,000 travelers subscribed to the program and it generated €4.4 million in fees, members received more than €6 million in benefits, which made the club unprofitable.
Prime debuted in February for £79 or €79 per year. It offered a collection of cost-saving perks designed for frequent travelers. Benefits included flight discounts, free reserved seating on up to 12 flights annually, and travel insurance. For passengers who optimized the offerings, savings ranged from £54 to £456 in seat fees alone, which effectively covered the cost of multiple low-fare flights.
Prime operated on a 12-month rolling basis with automatic renewal, but Ryanair has decided to discontinue the program ahead of its first full cycle. The airline says it will shift back to offering savings across its entire customer base rather than restricting certain discounts to a select group of members.
Ryanair’s decision highlights the challenges airlines face when offering loyalty programs that directly subtract from ancillary revenue, which is a critical component of low-cost carrier profitability. Ryanair pioneered many of the industry’s most recognizable à-la-carte fees, from charging for checked luggage in 2006 to adding check-in fees in 2009 for customers who failed to print boarding passes before arriving at the airport.
Ryanair handled more than 207 million passengers last year and continues to anchor its brand around low fares supported by the revenue it generates from extras such as seat selection and bag fees. Earlier in 2025, the airline increased bonuses for airport staff who identify oversized cabin bags. Passengers whose carry-on luggage exceeds size limits may face fees of up to £75 and have their bags placed in the cargo hold.
Anthony’s Take: This is kind of funny. Passengers found a way to stick it to Ryanair while following the rules it set. By discontinuing Prime, Ryanair takes back control and says that regular fare promotions and broad-based discounts will continue.
(Image Credits: Ryanair.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
I dunno. VFTW did a pretty good job ripping Ryanair’s premise to shreds. Given the airline’s rich history of alternative facts I’d take what they say with a grain of salt.