In the ninth and final winning story from 2025’s Airline Strategy Awards, which were held in London on 14 July, Ryanair received the Digital Leadership Award
Judges agreed that Ryanair has significantly advanced its digital capabilities in the post-Covid period, leveraging the strong work done by Ryanair Labs.
“Everywhere you look there are interesting and effective developments,” a judge says. “It’s a strong digital leadership story that puts them ahead of most peers.”
Recognising the competitive advantage offered by innovative digital ecosystems, the low-cost carrier has executed a series of robust digital initiatives over the past few years that have enhanced customer experience, driven ancillary revenue and improved operational efficiency.
Central to Ryanair’s recent digital evolution is its extensive focus on mobile-first customer interactions, judges observed. The airline’s mobile app has emerged as the carrier’s primary customer interface, achieving adoption rates exceeding 60%, with ambitions for complete digital boarding processes by November 2025.
The app features the innovative Day of Travel Assistant, providing real-time updates on flight status, gate changes, baggage handling, and personalised travel notifications, effectively reducing customer friction and improving satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Ryanair’s implementation of artificial intelligence through a highly effective multilingual chatbot, powered by AWS’s Amazon Lex and SageMaker platforms, has revolutionised its customer support capabilities. The chatbot has successfully resolved around 80% of customer inquiries without human intervention in millions of cases, improving response times and allowing customer support staff to focus on complex issues requiring personalised attention.
The airline has further enhanced its e-commerce strategy, significantly expanding digital ancillary revenue streams, which now drive 30%-plus of total earnings. Utilising advanced data analytics, Ryanair has tailored its ancillary offers, optimising customer interaction points on its digital platforms for maximum engagement and conversion.
“The results of their actions speak for themselves,” another judge says. “These initiatives make them formidable competitors.”
The introduction of the “myRyanair Wallet” in 2021, which facilitates rapid refunds and encourages immediate reuse of credits for future bookings, exemplifies Ryanair’s commitment to improving the customer journey through seamless financial interactions.
Furthermore, the “myRyanair” registration service, which allows customers to securely store their personal and payment details, has also significantly quickened the booking process and made it easier for customers to book a flight.
Judges noted Ryanair is also improving its website through a series of ongoing upgrades.
Judges were also impressed by Ryanair’s digital marketing strategy, which leverages viral, cost-effective social media campaigns, particularly through its TikTok channel, building an exceptionally engaged digital audience, significantly larger than those achieved by competitors.
This innovative approach to digital customer acquisition not only reinforces Ryanair’s brand presence but also efficiently drives direct bookings, judges observed.
These sustained digital advancements have supported Ryanair’s robust market performance, reinforcing its position as a leader in low-cost aviation.
“Ryanair hasn’t got to where it is by chance; in technology, as in other areas, it is among the best at what it does,” a judge states.
The full list of 2025 Airline Strategy Awards winners, by category, were:
Executive Leadership: North America Scott Kirby, United Airlines
Executive Leadership: Europe Luis Gallego, IAG
Executive Leadership: Asia-Pacific Shinichi Inoue, ANA
Executive Leadership: Latin America & Caribbean Pedro Heilbron, Copa Airlines
Executive Leadership: Africa & Middle East Ghaith Al Ghaith, Flydubai
Air-Cargo Leadership Azul Cargo Express
Digital Leadership Ryanair
ESG Leadership JetBlue Airways
The Airline Business Award Harry Hohmeister