Ryanair Prime: Is the Airline’s New Subscription Service Worth It?

Ryanair has been teasing a loyalty program of sorts for years, and it’s finally here. The new Ryanair Prime lets members unlock certain perks and benefits when flying the airline — though it comes with an annual subscription fee.

But is it worth it? We’ll dive into the specifics of this new subscription service, analyzing the benefits and comparing it to EasyJet’s Plus membership.

What Is Ryanair Prime?

Ryanair Prime is a paid subscription service offering benefits like exclusive promotions and discounts, free seat selection, and travel insurance for a €79 ($85) annual fee. If you live in the U.K., the membership fee will be charged in GBP.

It’s currently limited to the first 250,000 people who sign up and is only available to residents aged 18 and older in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the U.K.

According to Ryanair, the budget carrier will offer 12 exclusive sales per year that are only available to Prime members, with deals sent monthly via email. Members can also select seats for free on up to 12 flights each year, and the subscription includes annual travel insurance as part of the package.

You’ve probably already noticed that this program isn’t like most traditional frequent flyer programs. I dug through the program’s terms and conditions:

• Passengers over age 70 won’t be able to use the medical coverage that’s part of the insurance.
• Prime members can add up to 2 infants to their account (ages 2 and under), but the infants won’t be entitled to any of the Prime benefits.
• You can’t put Prime and non-Prime members on the same booking. However, it costs extra to add an adult companion to your membership, and you can’t add a minor between 3-17 years of age as a companion.
• Membership will automatically renew.
• Reserved seating is limited to “designated rows.” If no designated rows or seats are available, then you’ll still be subject to random seat allocation.

Ryanair Prime Benefits

At first glance, the service seems to offer some value if you’re a frequent Ryanair flyer or meet certain requirements. But first, let’s analyze some of the offered benefits further.

1. Seat Selection

With seat selection ranging from €4.50 ($5) to €33.50 ($40) for extra legroom, the membership could be worth it after a few flights. However, it’s unclear which rows are designated for Ryanair Prime members, or whether they even include extra legroom seats at all.

Standard seat prices can cost up to €15.50 ($17), and front-row seats go for roughly €21 ($23). This means you’d have to fly at least 4 or 5 times to cover the membership fee based on seat savings alone.

2. Discounts and Fare Sales

When it comes to the discounts, it’s hard to tell what types of fare sales Ryanair will be offering Prime members. If deals are excellent and relevant, it could be worth it. But until we understand more about these special Prime fare sales, it’s hard to say if they offer any tangible value.

3. Travel Insurance

The insurance benefit could save some money, but you’d be much better off counting on the EU261 protections, which can offer you hundreds of euros in restitution for delayed and canceled flights or travel protections that come with your credit card.

According to Ryanair’s policy, the budget airline only gives you €20 ($22) for a 12-hour flight delay. If you never buy travel insurance, this added benefit isn’t very helpful.

Is Ryanair Prime Worth It?

Based on the above benefits, here are the types of travelers who would (and wouldn’t) benefit from this new subscription service.

Who Should Get Ryanair Prime?

• Solo travelers: Ryanair Prime works best for solo travelers who don’t need to add (or pay for) companions on their reservations.
• Frequent Ryanair flyers: If you fly Ryanair often and love to choose your seat ahead of time, the perks could save you money.
• Business travelers: Ryanair is known for operating random routes that connect smaller airports. If you’re traveling often for business or flying the same route all the time, which is only operated by Ryanair, this could be a good deal, especially if your company will cover the cost.
• EU residents: €79 is cheaper than £79. If you reside in an eligible country other than the U.K., it’s a slightly more affordable deal.

Who Shouldn’t Get Ryanair Prime?

• U.S. passport holders: If you’re a U.S. passport holder, like most Upgraded Points’ readers are, you don’t have access to this program. However, this could change in the future, so if this does seem like something you might be interested in, keep an eye out for updates to the program.
• Families with children: You’ll have to add companions to your Prime membership, but kids can’t be companions. Since you can only make a booking for yourself or a Prime companion, this means, according to Ryanair, that you’ll have to “create a new adult booking for them and link it to your original booking so you can travel together. Note that the minor must travel with an adult aged 18 or over. The passenger type will be updated for each minor during the linking process to either a child or teen.” This adds several additional steps for parents trying to book a family vacation.
• Couples: This isn’t the best choice for couples who frequently travel together unless you’re prepared to pay for your companion so you can be on the same reservation and pick seats together.

Ryanair Prime vs. EasyJet Plus

One of Ryanair’s largest competitors is budget carrier EasyJet. These are the benefits offered by the EasyJet Plus program, which has a yearly membership fee of €289 (~$270).

• Premium seats: Select upfront or extra legroom seats for free
• Dedicated bag drop: A priority bag drop to check in your luggage
• Fast track security: Use the priority security lane
• Speedy boarding: Use a dedicated boarding line
• Large cabin bag: For the overhead bin (max 22 x 18 x 10 inches, or 56 x 45 x 25 centimeters)
• Price promise: Get a voucher if you find the same flight at a lower price
• Free earlier return flight: Take an earlier flight on the same day of your return flight
• 10% off Eat.Drink.Shop: Obtain a discount on drinks and snacks on board

Is EasyJet Plus Worth It?

While EasyJet Plus costs significantly more than Ryanair Prime, there are also many more benefits, many of which are more relevant to a modern traveler — things like fast-track security, a complimentary carry-on bag, and priority boarding. It’s easier to offset the membership fee when it includes a lot of the add-ons to basic tickets, like baggage, seats, and priority boarding.

You might be able to offset this fee in just a couple of flights, especially if you’re someone who wants all the bells and whistles on their tickets.

Plus, you often can’t put a price on your time, and things like a dedicated bag drop line at the airport help you get through the airport much faster. I also appreciate the membership details, as EasyJet explains the available seats. You can also add minors and companions to your account a more affordable rates.

All in all, I’d be more interested in joining EasyJet Plus than Ryanair Prime.

Final Thoughts

Ryanair Prime isn’t an option for U.S. residents just yet. I’ll be curious to see if and when they hit their 250,000-member max. If they don’t respond well to the service, they may consider amending some of the benefits or eligibility requirements, so it’s a space to keep an eye on.

And if you do join Ryanair Prime? You can always cancel within 14 days of purchase with a full refund if you haven’t used any benefits. If you’ve used some but aren’t happy with the service, your refund will be adjusted based on the cost of the benefits you used.