Copyright Simple Flying
Ryanair has officially ended paper boarding passes and moved to 100% Digital Boarding Passes (DBPs) from today. Passengers can no longer download and print a physical paper boarding pass, and must instead use the digital boarding pass generated in their “myRyanair” app during check-in. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has said the airline would continue to be "reasonably forgiving" of passengers showing up with paper boarding passes until after Christmas and the New Year. But if you are one of Ryanair's over 200 million annual passengers, it is worth understanding the new DBP requirements, especially as other carriers are sure to follow this route. Day One Is Touted As A "Huge Success" Ryanair officially announced it was moving to an exclusively DBP system via a press release in September, confirming that all passengers would need to use the myRyanair app to generate their boarding passes. The start date was originally planned for November 3, but was postponed to today so as to avoid the busy UK schools' mid-term break travel period. The airline said that the move is a way to lower airport costs, reduce paper waste (an estimated 300 tonnes annually), and provide a faster, more streamlined travel experience. As of 13:00 today, Ryanair provided an update on the initiative, saying that it has been a "huge success," and more than 700 flights had already departed across Europe without any delay or disruption. Over 98% of passengers presented with their DBP and the other 2% – all of whom had checked in online before arriving at the airport – were issued free-of-charge boarding passes at airport ticket desks. The airline says that customer feedback was "universally positive," and where one or two passengers had a problem with their phone, they were boarded without difficulty as the boarding gates had their details from their online check-in. Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, had the following to say: “So far, day one of Ryanair’s DBP has been a huge success as over 700 flights and more than 100,000 passengers enjoyed the improved service and better experience of paper-free boarding. We estimate our DBP initiative will save up to €40M annually, and this will help us to lower ticket prices and make air travel more competitive for Ryanair’s customers.” Requirements For A Ryanair DBP According to Ryanair, almost 80% of its 200 million+ passengers already use digital boarding passes regularly, so the move is really about converting over the remaining 20%. The airline is keen to emphasize the advantages to passengers beyond the mere convenience. It will also eliminate almost all airport check-in fees, and passengers using the app will benefit from direct updates from Ryanair’s operations center during disruptions. To get a digital boarding pass with Ryanair, you must meet the following requirements: Check in online via the Ryanair website or the myRyanair app no later than two hours before the scheduled departure time. Failure to check in online before arriving at the airport will result in a substantial airport check-in fee of £55 or €55 per passenger, per flight. Use a smartphone or tablet and download the official myRyanair app, and log in to your account. The digital boarding pass will appear automatically in the app after you have successfully checked in online. Ensure your device is charged when you are at the airport, as you will need to present the digital pass at security and the boarding gate. You don't need to be online at the airport. The pass is made available offline once downloaded to the app, so airport Wi-Fi or cellular data is not required. Note that certain routes still require a paper boarding pass due to local regulations, such as flights departing from all airports in Morocco and Albania. For these flights, you must still check in online, but you will collect a free printed pass at the airport check-in desk. Ryanair has acknowledged these challenges and is working with regulators to expand coverage. It recently signed an agreement with Albanian authorities that will allow digital boarding passes for flights from March 2026. Riyadh Air Also Has A Digital-Only Approach While Ryanair is the first airline to make DBPs mandatory, Riyadh Air has indicated that it will also be adopting a digital-only approach when its first flights become publicly available in the coming months. Tony Douglas, the CEO of the new Saudi airline, recently remarked that the airline will not be offering printable boarding passes as an option. In fact, Douglas believes that paper boarding passes will be gone in three to five years. Riyadh Air's ultimate vision is for biometric scans (facial recognition, iris scans, and fingerprints) to fully replace the need for physical tickets or even traditional mobile passes by around 2030. Facial recognition technology is already being implemented at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport in partnership with providers like SITA, allowing for a camera-integrated system where passengers can simply look at a screen at check-in and boarding gates for verification.
