If you catch a flight with Ryanair, you can’t travel with a paper boarding pass. But what’s the thinking behind this, and what if your phone dies?
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Are Ryanair Getting Rid of Paper Boarding Passes?
From Wednesday 12 November 2025, Ryanair has only accepted digital boarding passes (DBPs) on their flights.
According to Ryanair, this move provides an improved service for customers, streamlines operations and is better for the environment too.
Why have Ryanair made digital passes compulsory?
Ryanair said that moving to ‘paperless boarding’, where everyone has a digital boarding pass, should improve the customer experience, remove airport check-in fees, and save over 3,000 tonnes of waste a year.
A better customer experience
You might be wondering – how does a digital pass mean a better experience?
Well, passengers need the Ryanair app on their smartphone to get their digital boarding pass. And Ryanair want to use this app to improve the travel experience for customers, keeping them informed and generally making things easier.
Ryanair says their in-app features will be good for:
- Live flight info and updates
- Terminal, gate and boarding status updates
- Centralised updates from Ryanair during disruption
- Real-time alternative flight choices if there’s disruption
- Keeping travel documents in one place
- Order To Seat – you can order items from your seat on the plane
No more check-in fees
When everyone has to have a digital boarding pass, there won’t be the option to check in at the airport (which used to cost a hefty £55 for almost all flights).
No more print fees
I believe they previously charged £20 for printing the boarding pass, so this would force people to get a digital boarding pass which will always be free.
Saving paper waste
Ryanair says this move will help passengers reduce their carbon footprint, as it will save on a significant amount of paper waste.
Can I still travel with a paper boarding pass on Ryanair?
You must travel with a digital boarding pass to almost all of Ryanair’s destinations.
Ryanair says the only country that will continue to use paper boarding passes for now is Morocco. Passengers should check in online as normal, and present their DBP at the desk at the airport to collect a printed boarding pass.
What if my phone dies?
We get it, you can end up using SO much battery on a trip – all those photos, videos and scurrying around with Google Maps. So it could be that your battery has less juice when you’re travelling.
If you’re worried about what this could mean for you catching your flight, don’t worry. Ryanair says if your phone dies you’ll be fine – as long as you’ve checked in online.
If your phone dies before you reach security, you’ll be provided with a free of charge boarding pass – there will still be Ryanair ticket desks.
If your phone battery dies after security, then staff at the boarding gate can help you out.
However, the big question comes for when Ryanair’s future plans to get rid of check-in desks altogether come in to play. Who will customers speak to then if something goes wrong?
The best way to avoid any issues at this stage is to make sure you have enough battery for your journey. There are loads of power banks out there that are super compact and hold several charges. So grab one and you won’t have to worry if you run out of juice.
If you’re travelling with someone else, it’s a good idea to send each other your digital boarding passes just in case something happens.
What if my phone is lost or stolen?
Ryanair says if you lose your phone, they’ll give you a paper boarding pass at the airport, providing you’ve already checked in online.
If you lose your phone while you’re on a trip, as far as your Ryanair flight home goes – the key thing is to check in online before you reach the airport. So make sure you get to a computer, or use a friend or family member’s phone, to do this.
What about people who don’t have a smartphone?
Ryanair says that if you don’t have a smartphone or tablet, as long as you have checked-in online, you’ll receive a boarding pass at the airport free of charge.
Our top tips for travelling paperless with Ryanair
- Download the Ryanair app early and log in before check in opens
- Set an alarm to check in (24 hrs before your flight if no seat is reserved)
- Save your boarding pass offline – either screenshot or add it to your smartphone wallet
- Carry a power bank – your phone battery is now your boarding pass
- If you can, keep someone else’s phone ready with a copy in case yours fails
- If you’re flying to Morocco, Turkey or Albania, check if a paper pass is still required
- Stay calm – if you’re checked in, Ryanair says you’ll be assisted free of charge if your phone fails or is lost
Be Prepared for Ryanair’s Total Move to Digital Boarding Passes
So many of us have smartphones these days, so Ryanair’s insistence on digital boarding passes shouldn’t impact most of us.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be in a scenario where you can’t use a digital boarding pass. But just in case, send a copy of your boarding pass to your travel buddies, and carry a charged-up power bank to avoid any sticky situations.
