Ryanair has officially completed its transition to 100% digital boarding passes, marking a major shift in the way passengers fly with Europe’s largest budget airline.
Starting this week, travelers are no longer able to print out paper passes and must instead use the Ryanair app on their smartphones to check in and board their flights.
The move, which the airline describes as a “faster, smarter, and greener” experience, makes Ryanair the first major carrier in Europe to go entirely paperless.
A Greener, Cheaper, and Faster Experience
According to Ryanair, more than 85–90% of its 206 million annual passengers already used digital boarding passes before the change, making the shift a logical next step.
The airline says going fully paperless will help lower airport operating costs and reduce environmental waste, with an estimated 300 tons of paper saved each year. The company claims these savings will eventually translate into lower fares for customers.
The move is also part of a broader push to modernize the passenger experience through technology. Digital passes will allow travelers to receive real-time updates about boarding times, gate changes, and delays directly through the Ryanair app, offering a more streamlined and responsive travel process.
Passengers who lose their phones, experience dead batteries, or are not smartphone users will still be able to receive a boarding pass at the airport – provided they have checked in online in advance.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary defended the decision, describing it as a practical update to how people already travel. “It’s patronizing to assume older people can’t adapt,” he said, noting that the airline has been preparing for this change since launching mobile boarding passes in 2014.
He added that passengers who check in before arriving at the airport will face “no issues” boarding their flights, even if technical problems arise with their phones.
Mixed Reactions and Accessibility Concerns
While Ryanair frames the move as a major sustainability milestone, not everyone is convinced it benefits all passengers equally. Advocacy group Age Action has raised concerns about digital exclusion, particularly for older travelers who may not have smartphones or internet access.
Camille Loftus, the group’s Head of Advocacy and Public Affairs, argued that “flying is already stressful enough,” and requiring passengers to navigate an app adds unnecessary pressure for those unfamiliar with digital systems.
The airline maintains that its Digital Boarding Pass (DBP) system meets all accessibility standards and that special assistance is available at every airport it serves. Still, critics argue that such policies risk alienating some customers, especially in regions with unreliable mobile service or limited digital literacy.
Despite the criticism, industry observers believe Ryanair’s move could set a new standard for the aviation industry. Other airlines, such as Delta and Wizz Air, have already experimented with biometric boarding and digital ID systems.
If successful, Ryanair’s model could accelerate the transition toward fully digital air travel, where printed tickets and physical documents become relics of the past.
For now, Ryanair passengers can expect a more tech-driven – and paper-free – experience every time they fly, signaling a future where digital travel becomes not just convenient but inevitable.