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Ryanair Shuts Paid Prime Membership After Eight-Month Trial Proves Loss-Making

Ryanair cites unsustainable costs from running member-only promotions, with existing subscribers keeping benefits until October 2026.

Overview

  • The airline closed Prime to new sign-ups on November 28 after the pilot failed to meet financial goals.
  • About 55,000 people joined against a stated cap of 250,000, indicating weaker-than-hoped uptake.
  • Prime generated roughly €4.4m in fees while members received over €6m in discounts, with outlets reporting a shortfall of about €1.6m (£1.4m).
  • Priced at €79/£79 per year, the scheme bundled flight discounts, travel insurance and free reserved seats on up to 12 flights annually.
  • Ryanair said the operational effort for monthly member-only sales was not justified, and industry commentary points to product–market fit issues and cannibalisation of ancillary revenue.