Sonali Tiwary
Tejal Somvanshi
Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, has introduced a new subscription service called “Prime,” promising significant savings for frequent flyers. The £79 annual membership offers exclusive benefits including free reserved seating, complimentary travel insurance, and access to members-only flight sales.
According to Ryanair’s official announcement, passengers who fly 12 times per year could save up to £420 – more than five times the subscription cost. Even those who fly just three times annually could save £105, still exceeding the membership fee.
Dara Brady, Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, described the program as “a new subscriber discount scheme for frequent flyers that want to fly regularly but don’t want to break the bank to do so.”
The subscription includes access to 12 exclusive seat sales (one each month), with members receiving regular emails about upcoming offers. Subscribers can book unlimited flights with the discounted Prime fares.
“If you like flying regularly while also saving money, then Ryanair Prime is a no-brainer,” Brady stated in the press release.
The program is currently limited to 250,000 members on a first-come, first-served basis, and is only available to residents in 12 European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, UK, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
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Competition and Legal Issues
Ryanair’s choice of the “Prime” name has raised eyebrows in the industry. The term is already used by online travel agency eDreams Odigeo for its existing subscription scheme and by Amazon for its global membership service.
This naming decision comes amid ongoing tensions between Ryanair and eDreams. The airline has previously accused the travel agency of “screen scraping” its fares and overcharging for seat reservations. In September, Ryanair reported it had instructed lawyers to “seek clarity” from a Barcelona commercial court regarding an eDreams injunction that prevented the airline from using certain words to describe the eDreams Prime product.
The low-cost carrier’s move follows competitor Wizz Air’s introduction of an annual “all you can fly” season ticket last August, priced at £534.
Value Analysis
The subscription’s value proposition appears straightforward: customers who fly at least three times per year should save more than the £79 fee. However, the exact discount structure for the exclusive monthly sales hasn’t been detailed in Ryanair‘s announcements.
While the free reserved seating and travel insurance add clear value, the true savings potential will likely depend on passengers’ travel patterns and their ability to take advantage of the monthly exclusive sales.
For frequent travelers along Ryanair’s European routes who value seat selection and travel insurance, the Prime service could offer substantial savings. However, passengers should consider their typical flight frequency and spending habits before subscribing.
Membership is open to customers 18 years and older, with the service seemingly focused on European travel rather than global routes, reflecting Ryanair’s market concentration.
As budget airlines continue exploring subscription models to build customer loyalty, Ryanair’s entry into this space marks a significant development in the European aviation market.
