DUBLIN— Starting November 12, 2025, passengers flying with Ryanair (FR) will no longer have the option to download and print a physical boarding pass. Instead, travellers must use the digital boarding pass generated via the Ryanair app during online check-in.
This full transition to digital boarding passes was originally scheduled for May but was delayed to today. Under the updated policy, passengers can still check in at the airport counter — but only at a hefty fee: €55 per passenger, or €30 for flights departing from Spain.
Ryanair 100% Digital Boarding Pass
From today, across Ryanair’s network, home-printed boarding passes will no longer be accepted at airport security or boarding gates.
Once the online check-in is complete, the boarding pass appears in the airline’s mobile app and must be shown on a smartphone or other supported mobile device. Ryanair says the shift will deliver a “faster, smarter and greener” travel experience.
The airline first rolled out its digital boarding passes in 2014 and says that approximately 80 % of its 207 million annual passengers had already adopted the mobile pass.
Benefits and Rationale
The airline explains that the change will lower airport process costs — which helps it keep fares low — and that app users already receive real-time updates on gates, boarding, and delays.
In addition, Ryanair says the move will save roughly 300 tonnes of paper annually, alongside benefits such as:
- DBP lowers airport costs and fares for all Ryanair passengers.
- Provides a better service (including flight info) for customers on the day of travel.
- Improves customer service and rebooking during flight disruptions.
What About Passengers Without A Smartphone?
Ryanair emphasises that if a passenger has already checked in online but loses or drains their smartphone battery, they will be assisted free of charge at the airport.
A spokesperson stated that the chief criterion is completion of online check-in.
However, if a passenger arrives without having checked in in advance, the airport check-in fee still applies.
Criticism and response
The move has drawn criticism from charities representing older people, which have argued that it discriminates against those less comfortable with smartphones or digital platforms.
In September, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary addressed these concerns, saying it is “patronising” to assume older passengers cannot adapt, and as quoted in The Journal:
I’m old, and I travel on Ryanair on a very, very regular basis, and I use the Ryanair app, it is pretty simple, pretty easy to use.”
Bottom Line
This policy change means that if you plan to fly with Ryanair, make sure you have the mobile app installed and that you complete online check-in ahead of travel.
Otherwise, you risk paying substantial fees or being unable to board with a home-printed pass.
The airline’s full transition to digital boarding passes marks a significant shift in its operational model — emphasising mobile technology, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.
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