Ryanair recently launched its new Prime subscription — a service aimed at saving you money on flights, seat reservations, and more. But with a £79 annual fee, is it actually worth it?

Let's break it down. No fluff. Just real numbers, real perks, and real fine print.

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What Is Ryanair Prime?

Ryanair Prime is a 12-month subscription service priced at £79 (or €79). It's capped at 250,000 members and marketed as a way for frequent flyers to save money throughout the year.

Here's what you get:

• ✅ Free seat selection on up to 12 flights per year
• ✅ Annual travel insurance (Ryanair flights only)
• ✅ Monthly "members-only" flight deals
• ✅ Ability to assign one "companion" for seat selection (but they must also be a member)

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What Do You Actually save?

Let's get into the numbers.

• A Ryanair seat reservation costs anywhere from £5 to £30 depending on the seat. Most flights we've seen start from £10 per allocated seat.
• If you fly 6 return trips a year (12 flights total), and usually pick a seat, you could save anywhere from £60 to £192 on seat fees alone.
• Add in the included travel insurance (normally £15–£25/year if you already buy one), and potential fare deals, and Ryanair claims you can save up to £420/year.

But — and it's a big but — there are caveats.

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The Fine Print You Shouldn't Ignore

Ryanair Prime sounds generous, but the small print tells a more limited story:

🎫 Seat Selection – but Only Specific Rows

You can't just pick any seat. Ryanair hasn't said exactly which rows are included, but exit rows, front seats, and extra legroom spots almost certainly aren't.

So if you're someone who likes sitting up front or needs more legroom? You'll still need to pay extra.

👥 Companion Confusion

You can assign a "Prime Companion" to your account — but they also have to buy their own £79 membership. Plus, there's no guarantee you can sit together unless you both book early.

👨‍👩‍👧 Not Great for Families

Under-18s can't join, and there are awkward rules for family bookings. You may end up having to split into separate bookings — or pay extra to sit together.

🧳 Insurance Is Basic

The included travel insurance covers medical emergencies, delays, and stolen baggage — but only on Ryanair flights. It doesn't cover hotels, connections, or non-Ryanair legs. Also: passengers over 70 get reduced coverage, and COVID-related cancellations are excluded.

📅 No Carryover or Flexibility

You can't use Prime perks for flights outside your subscription window. That means if your membership ends in May, you can't book June flights with perks — even if you plan to renew.

Let's say the date is April 1. Your membership expires on May 1, and you wish to book flights in mid-May. Regardless of whether you fully intend to continue your Ryanair Prime membership, you cannot enjoy Prime perks on those flights. This gives you two choices – either book the flights now and enjoy zero Prime perks, or wait until May 1 and risk paying more for your flights.

⚠️ Terms and Conditions Matter

It's crucial to read the full terms and conditions before subscribing. One key point to understand is that Prime benefits only apply to flights both booked and flown within your membership period. If your Prime subscription expires before your travel date, you'll lose all Prime benefits for that flight - even if you booked it while your membership was active.

💸 Monthly Deals? Still Vague

Ryanair says Prime members will get access to monthly sales, with a minimum saving of €10 per booking. Sounds great in theory — but there's very little detail about what these sales will actually look like.

Will it be a discount across the board? Or just select routes and dates with limited availability? Until these sales go live, we just don't know how valuable they'll really be.

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📊 Not Sure? Use Our Ryanair Prime Calculator

We built a quick tool that crunches your flying habits and tells you — in plain numbers — whether Ryanair Prime will save you money or not.

Want more detailed analysis? Visit our dedicated Ryanair Prime Calculator page for a comprehensive breakdown.

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Ryanair Prime Vs Easyjet plus

If you're shopping around, here's a quick side-by-side with EasyJet's subscription:

While EasyJet Plus comes with a higher price tag, it clearly offers a broader range of benefits.

Unlike Ryanair's limit of 12 standard seats per year, EasyJet Plus provides unlimited selection of any seat, potentially leading to significantly higher annual savings.

EasyJet claims passengers could save as much as £714 per year based on 12 flights by utilising perks like the included large cabin bag, fast-track security, and free premium seat selection.

👉 Curious how EasyJet's scheme stacks up? Read our EasyJet Plus review here.

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So… Is Ryanair Prime Worth It?

That depends entirely on how you travel.

💸It Might Be Worth It If…

• You fly Ryanair 6+ times per year and usually pay for seat selection
• You're a solo traveller or couple who don't mind basic coverage
• You're happy to work around vague restrictions to save money
• You're open to grabbing the monthly flight deals

🙅‍♂️It's Probably Not Worth It If…

• You travel as a family or with kids
• You rarely pay for reserved seats
• You want comprehensive travel insurance
• You use other airlines regularly

In a nutshell: Ryanair Prime is specifically designed for frequent, loyal Ryanair customers who regularly choose seat selection and don't already have comprehensive travel insurance. Occasional travellers or those who rarely select seats will likely find it hard to recoup the £79 annual fee.

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✈️ Final Thoughts

Ryanair Prime presents an interesting proposition for frequent flyers of the budget airline giant, but it's not a clear-cut decision for everyone.

Personally, I'm a happy member of EasyJet Plus and have found tremendous value in its more comprehensive benefits package. However, I'm holding fire on Ryanair Prime until more details and user reviews emerge, as I'm not entirely convinced it's worth it for my circumstances right now.

What's most important is conducting your own personal value assessment. Use our calculator above, run the numbers based on your typical annual travel patterns, and make an informed decision that fits your specific needs.

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Note: As Ryanair Prime is a relatively new service, its benefits and terms may evolve over time. Always check the latest information directly from Ryanair's official Prime membership page before making a decision.