Ryanair Will Stop Issuing Paper Boarding Passes Starting November 3

Love it or hate it, Ryanair has been at the forefront of several innovations in air travel. Now, the budget airline is shaking things up further, planning to eliminate check-in desks at airports and relegate paper boarding passes to the dustbin of history.

If you have upcoming travel with Ryanair — or are considering flying the airline for the first time — here’s what you need to know about what’s changing soon.

Ryanair Eliminating Airport Check-In and Paper Boarding Passes

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary confirmed that starting November 3, travelers will be required to present their boarding passes through the Ryanair app. The airline says the shift to digital could eliminate around 300 tons of paper annually, though some concerns have been raised about how this could affect older passengers who may not use the internet or own smartphones.

O’Leary noted that passengers who check in online before arriving at the airport will still be able to receive a paper boarding pass free of charge if needed. The only time a fee applies is when travelers arrive without having checked in first.

Along with fees for extra-legroom seats, front seats, or generally choosing a seat in advance, Ryanair also charges for checked baggage, changing a flight, or booking your flight at the airport instead of online. Presently, if you don’t have a Plus or Flexi Plus fare, you pay a fee of €55 or £55 for checking in at the airport. (That fee is only €30 or £30 for flights from Spain, however.)

“We want to get rid of airport checks in the same way we got rid of bag [desks],” he said. “We are working towards making it so that everything will be done on the app, nothing will be done on paper anymore.”

O’Leary sees a silver lining: If airport check-in services go away, “there’s no reason to charge people for airport check-in,” he said.

Some customers may resist this change, O’Leary noted, saying these will likely be the same customers who resisted the airline’s move years ago to an online focus for purchasing tickets, checking in, and managing reservations. He said that he believed everything worked out well in the end with that change.

Although the airline is making changes, Ryanair’s boarding process shouldn’t see any modifications.

Final Thoughts

Ryanair’s shift to digital boarding passes officially begins on November 3, marking the gradual end of paper boarding passes across its network. However, for now, there’s an important clarification: as long as you check in online before arriving at the airport, you’ll still be able to request a paper boarding pass at no extra charge — whether you forgot your phone, don’t have a smartphone, or your battery dies. The fee only applies if you arrive without having checked in beforehand.