Ryanair goes digital only

Ryanair now requires passengers to use a digital boarding pass in its app, ending routine use of printed passes on flights from November 12, 2025. (ryanair.com) Passengers can still check in on Ryanair.com or in the Ryanair app, but the boarding pass appears in the app and must be shown there at security and the gate. Ryanair says the pass is stored offline after online check-in, so it can still be opened without airport Wi-Fi or mobile data. (ryanair.com) The airline kept airport check-in desks, and passengers who ignore online check-in reminders and arrive unchecked in still face an airport check-in fee. Ryanair’s fee table lists that charge at €55 or £55 on most routes, with lower amounts shown for some departures from Spain and Austria. (ryanair.com 1) (ryanair.com 2) Ryanair says passengers who already checked in online but lose a phone, have a dead battery, or do not own a smartphone can get a printed boarding pass at the airport free of charge. The airline also says boarding pass reissue fees disappear if the traveler completed online check-in before arriving. (help.ryanair.com 1) (help.ryanair.com 2) The shift pushes one of Europe’s biggest low-cost airlines further into app-based travel, where the phone screen becomes the ticket, the alert board, and the rebooking channel during disruptions. Ryanair says the app also carries day-of-travel updates such as flight status, gate numbers, and boarding information. (help.ryanair.com 1) (help.ryanair.com 2) Ryanair says the change cuts airport handling costs and removes about 300 tonnes of paper a year. It also says digital passes make it easier to contact passengers and manage rebooking when flights are disrupted. (help.ryanair.com) Not every route is fully paperless. Ryanair says passengers flying from Morocco must still check in online and show the digital pass at the airport, where they collect a printed boarding pass for travel. (help.ryanair.com) The practical change for travelers is simple: check in online before leaving for the airport, open the Ryanair app, and make sure the boarding pass is loaded on the device you are carrying. If that step is done, Ryanair says its staff can usually bridge the edge cases when a battery dies or a phone is lost. (ryanair.com)