Key Takeaways
• Ryanair will increase ticket prices by 5–6% during summer 2025, citing rising costs and reduced aircraft availability.
• Despite flying 200 million passengers, profits fell 16% due to lower fares and increased operational expenses.
• Delays in Boeing aircraft deliveries and new government taxes force Ryanair to limit routes and end super-low fare promotions.
If you’ve flown in Europe in the past two decades, you might know Ryanair for its famous low ticket prices and simple, no-frills service. As Europe’s largest low-cost airline, Ryanair has built a reputation for making air travel affordable, allowing millions of people to visit friends and family, explore new cities, or take short holidays without spending much. But starting in 2025, travelers could see a change. Ryanair is planning to raise its ticket prices during the busy summer season and possibly even later. For anyone who depends on this airline—whether you’re a student, a migrant worker, or a family looking for a budget getaway—these new changes are worth understanding.
Let’s look at why Ryanair is moving away from its traditional ultra-low-cost fares, what’s causing the price increase, and what this could mean for people who rely on the low-cost airline for travel and connections across Europe.
Rising Ticket Prices: The Main Reasons
Ryanair has not made the decision to increase ticket prices suddenly or without reason. Several factors have come together, forcing the airline to make adjustments. Here’s a closer look at each key reason.
Dropping Profits Even with More Passengers
The first thing to know is that Ryanair, even after flying a record 200 million passengers over the last year—a jump of 9% compared to before—actually saw its profits drop by 16%. That means that even though more people were flying, the airline made less money. Its annual profit was €1.6 billion for the year ending March 2025.
The reason for this is pretty straightforward: Ryanair had lowered its average ticket prices by about 7% last year. The goal was to get more people on board after several travel disruptions, especially with online travel agents, and to keep up demand during hard economic times. While this did help fill more seats, it also meant the airline was earning less on each passenger.
If you’re an immigrant worker or a student often flying home, this is important. Cheaper ticket prices might not always last if they mean the airline isn’t making enough money to keep running as smoothly as before.
Costs Going Up
Even for the world’s largest low-cost airline, running flights isn’t getting any cheaper. Several expenses are squeezing Ryanair’s finances, even if ticket sales are strong:
– Labor: Paying pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff is more expensive than ever as wages go up across Europe.
– Fuel: Jet fuel prices have been volatile. While Ryanair saved some money by buying fuel in advance (a practice called “hedging”), fuel still takes a big portion of the costs.
– Staff Shortages: Air traffic controllers and other critical workers have been in short supply, leading to more delays and unpredictability.
– Environmental Taxes and Air Traffic Control Charges: Governments across Europe have put in new taxes and higher airspace fees to offset the environmental toll of flying.
All of these rising costs leave Ryanair with less profit per flight. To keep flights running and avoid cutting back on routes, the only option is to raise prices.
Delays in Getting New Aircraft
Ryanair has been open about how delays in receiving new planes from Boeing have affected their plans. The airline was expecting to get new aircraft that are more fuel-efficient and would allow it to serve more passengers. Because of delays, Ryanair’s fleet hasn’t grown as fast as planned.
Fewer planes mean that Ryanair can’t add as many flights or new routes as it wanted to. For travelers, this means less choice when it comes to destinations or departure times, and for the airline, it adds up to a tighter supply of available seats. With fewer seats to offer and steady demand, increasing ticket prices becomes the only sustainable choice.
Less Competition Means Stronger Pricing Power
Ryanair is not the only airline facing trouble with their airplanes. Across Europe, other companies are also struggling to keep all their planes in the air, often because they’re waiting for engines to be repaired or new planes to be delivered. This means there are simply not as many short flights available as there were a few years ago.
When there are fewer seats overall but still plenty of customers, airlines like Ryanair have more power to set their ticket prices. Basically, if you need to fly and there aren’t many other choices, you end up paying more—a pattern seen across many industries, not just aviation.
Returning to Higher Per-Ticket Revenue
Last year, Ryanair decided to cut prices, betting that more people would fly. This did work for passenger numbers but hurt overall revenue per ticket. The plan now is to “recover most, but not all,” of that revenue shortfall, according to the airline’s CEO. Starting in summer 2025, Ryanair plans to raise fares by about 5% to 6%, following price increases that were already seen around the Easter holiday period.
This change means that while tickets may still be less costly than those of bigger, traditional airlines, Ryanair’s lowest fares—think €10 tickets—are unlikely to come back any time soon.
Ryanair Is Adjusting Its Market Strategy
Ryanair’s approach to growth and expansion is changing, too. Instead of rolling out new routes and keeping prices extremely low just to enter every possible market, the company is now thinking more carefully about where to put its planes and offer more flights.
Here’s how the airline is adapting:
– Focusing on Supportive Countries: Ryanair is adding more flights to places like Italy 🇮🇹, Hungary 🇭🇺, and Sweden 🇸🇪, where government policies support the aviation industry. These countries understand that strong air links help their economies.
– Cutting Back Where Taxes Are High: Conversely, Ryanair is reducing flights in places like Denmark 🇩🇰 or the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, which have recently added new aviation taxes. High taxes make it harder to offer cheap tickets and still make a profit, so the airline is reacting by shifting away from these countries.
– Fewer New Routes, More Flights on Existing Ones: Instead of adding dozens of new destinations, Ryanair is making the most out of its current network by increasing flights on strong, proven routes— especially those that are always in demand.
This strategy is about using scarce resources—such as limited aircraft—efficiently, and avoiding loss-making routes where taxes or government policies are not favorable for growth.
How Broader Economic Changes Shape Ryanair’s Choices
The bigger economic picture is also playing a part in Ryanair’s decisions. Europe is dealing with stubbornly high inflation (prices for everyday goods and services keep going up) and higher interest rates set by central banks. This means everyday people have less money to spend on extras, including travel.
Despite these challenges, demand for summer holidays and quick getaways remains strong. According to Ryanair, people are still prioritizing travel, choosing to spend on experiences and trips even if prices are higher. This willingness of travelers to accept increasing ticket prices gives Ryanair additional room to adjust fares without seeing a drop in passenger numbers.
How These Changes Affect Travelers, Immigrants, and Workers
Higher ticket prices always have an impact, especially on groups who are most price-sensitive. If you’re an immigrant worker who depends on Ryanair for affordable flights home, or a student who visits family during school breaks, these price hikes can add up. What was once a €20 or €30 round trip could become €40 or even more, especially during peak travel periods like summer, holidays, or major public breaks.
Some travelers may start looking at alternative transport options, like trains or buses, but in many cases, nothing matches the convenience or speed of a short-haul flight. For communities who rely on budget airlines for family reunification, job opportunities, or regular cross-border movement, even a small uptick in prices can stretch already tight budgets.
For tourists or short-term visitors, the price rise might mean fewer spontaneous breaks or choosing destinations closer to home.
Looking at the Broader Airline Industry and Ryanair’s Position
Even as it raises ticket prices, Ryanair is still likely to offer fares below those of larger “legacy” airlines. Its business model remains centered on keeping costs low, flying to less expensive airports, and charging extra for things like checked luggage, seat selection, and snacks. This approach, called “ancillary fees,” makes it possible to keep the core ticket price lower than many competitors, at least for basic seats without add-ons.
But as Ryanair faces the same hurdles as the rest of the industry—rising costs, tax hikes, fewer new airplanes—the days of widespread super-low ticket prices are behind us, at least for now. Still, some promotions and flash sales will continue, just not as often or as widely available across the whole network.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary highlighted that the airline’s goal is to “recover most…of last year’s seven percent fare decline,” all while keeping fares as affordable as possible compared to the rest of the industry.
Quick Look: Main Factors Behind Ryanair’s Fare Increases
Here’s a brief summary to keep in mind:
– Lower profits, even with more flyers: The airline’s ambitious price cuts did not lead to higher profits, so adjustments are needed.
– Higher running costs: Things like wages, fuel, and airport taxes are pushing overall costs up.
– New planes are late: Fewer planes mean fewer flights and less room for sale promotions.
– Government-imposed taxes: Higher costs for using airspace and for emissions are passed to customers.
– Fewer seats in the market: Other airlines also face limits, so Ryanair doesn’t have to compete as hard purely on price.
Each of these elements works together to put steady pressure on Ryanair’s ticket prices, especially during peak times.
What’s Next for Travelers?
For now, travelers should expect ticket prices to rise by about five to six percent during summer 2025 compared to last year, especially during busy months. Cheaper fares might still pop up, but they’ll be less common, especially on routes in high demand or flown at popular times.
Ryanair isn’t likely to return to frequent €10 fare sales anytime soon. Instead, prices will keep nudging upward as the airline and the wider industry balance rising costs with strong demand.
If you want to keep up with airline fee rules or are planning to travel soon, it’s a good idea to check for updates directly from Ryanair’s official website or the country’s main aviation authority. This way, you can be sure you understand the latest fares, baggage rules, and travel conditions before booking.
Final Thoughts
The big message is clear: Ryanair has reached a turning point where growing passenger numbers alone no longer make up for shrinking profits. Higher labor and fuel costs, government taxes, and problems getting new planes are forcing the airline to rethink how it sets fares and chooses which routes to support.
While Ryanair is still likely to remain an affordable option compared to many bigger airlines, travelers in 2025 and beyond will need to plan for slightly higher costs, particularly during busy times like school holidays and summer. People who depend on the low-cost airline for visiting family, work, or study should keep an eye on announcements and be ready to look for sales as soon as they appear.
Even as fares rise, Ryanair’s basic model—simple service and extra fees for add-ons—will help it stay in business and continue connecting millions across Europe. But for now, the era of ultra-cheap, last-minute deals is on pause.
If you’re budgeting for future travel, set aside a little extra for flights and follow official news closely to catch whatever savings might still be available. This approach will help you make the most out of the changing landscape of European air travel.
Learn Today
Low-cost airline → An airline offering basic, no-frills service at lower ticket prices, often charging extra for add-ons like luggage and seat selection.
Hedging → A financial strategy allowing airlines to secure future fuel prices in advance, reducing risk from sudden cost increases.
Ancillary fees → Additional charges applied for services not included in the base ticket price, like baggage, seat reservation, or food onboard.
Environmental taxes → Government-imposed charges on airlines intended to offset the emissions and environmental impact of air travel.
Legacy airlines → Traditional major airlines with established full-service offerings, typically operating at higher prices compared to low-cost carriers.
This Article in a Nutshell
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, will raise ticket prices by 5–6% in summer 2025. Causes include rising labor, fuel, and tax costs, alongside delays in new Boeing aircraft. While fares stay below traditional airlines’ prices, €10 ticket deals are unlikely to return, affecting students, migrant workers, and budget travelers.
— By VisaVerge.com
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