Ryanair has scrapped its Prime loyalty scheme just eight months after launch, admitting the subscription programme was losing money despite attracting tens of thousands of members.
The low-cost carrier introduced Prime in March as a paid membership designed to reward frequent flyers with free reserved seating, travel insurance and monthly fare discounts. But the airline confirmed on Friday (28 November) that it had stopped accepting new sign-ups.
Dara Brady, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, said the airline had listened to customer demand for a membership scheme but the numbers did not add up.
“To date, we have signed up over 55,000 Prime members, generating €4.4 million in subscription fees,” Brady said. “However, our Prime members have received over €6 million in fare discounts, so this trial has cost more money than it generates.”
He added that the current level of take-up “does not justify the time and effort it takes to launch monthly exclusive Prime seat sales”.
Prime membership had been priced at £79 in the UK and €79 in Ireland per year. While the scheme has now closed to new customers, existing members will continue to receive monthly fare discounts until October 2026.
The move suggests that even Ryanair, known for aggressively monetising ancillary products, struggled to turn a loyalty offering into a sustainable revenue stream.