Dublin, Ireland: Ryanair has completed its transition to 100% digital boarding passes, ending the use of printed passes across its network from 12 November 2025. The airline said the move marks a major milestone in its ongoing digital overhaul aimed at streamlining airport processes, cutting costs and reducing paper waste.
The shift was originally scheduled for 3 November but was pushed to 12 November to avoid peak mid-term travel. From now on, passengers checking in for any Ryanair flight must use the myRyanair mobile app, which generates the only accepted boarding pass format.
Ryanair said the first day of the rollout was “a huge success,” with more than 700 flights departing by mid-day and over 98% of passengers using digital passes without issues. The remaining 2%, mostly travellers unable to load the app, were issued printed passes at airport desks free of charge, provided they had already checked in online.
CMO Dara Brady said customer feedback was “universally positive” and the digital system helped speed up security and boarding processes.
Ryanair confirmed that printed boarding passes will no longer be accepted at any airport unless local regulations require them. Exemptions remain in specific markets such as Morocco, Tirana (Albania) until March 2026.
Passengers who lose phone access after checking in due to battery failure or device issues will receive a printed pass at the airport at no additional charge.
The airline says the digital switch will eliminate over 300 tonnes of paper annually, while nearly 80% of its 200 million passengers were already using digital boarding passes. Ryanair also expects the move to help phase out most airport check-in fees.
The myRyanair app now centralizes travel documents and offers new features including “Order to Seat” food and beverage delivery, live gate and delay alerts, and real-time disruption updates.
The shift has drawn criticism from consumer rights groups and EU lawmakers. Concerns include digital exclusion for passengers without smartphones, potential data privacy implications, and disruptions if app or device malfunctions occur. Technology analysts also noted that the move effectively forces passengers to download the Ryanair app, increasing dependency on the platform.
