Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary is on target for his over €100 million ($113.3 million) payout.
The low-cost carrier's shares closed at €23.74 on May 29, marking the 28th consecutive day the shares have closed above €21, one of two conditions to collect shares worth over €111 million.
Now, all that remains is for O'Leary to remain at the airline until the end of July 2028 to collect his bonus. This bonus was part of an incentive scheme agreed in 2019.
The airline's profits after tax had dipped 16% in its full fiscal year, compared to a year prior, though still providing a profit of €1.6bn ($1.8bn).
O'Leary said, at the time, that despite the dip, the company was delivering “exceptional value” to its shareholders.
Ryanair had said it aims to pay down maturing bond debt over the next year from its own internal cash resources — including an €850 million bond in September 2025 and €1.2bn in May 2026 — while continuing to invest in aircraft and engine from internal resources. The company said it “remains committed to shareholder returns”, with its board approving a follow-on €750 million share buyback. The programme will run over the next six to 12 months.
“That is the key strength of Ryanair,” said O'Leary during the company's earnings call. “We are paying down debt to effectively zero over the next two years, while most of our competitors remain exposed to expensive long-term financing and rising aircraft lease costs.”
The airline said summer bookings for 2026 are strong, with peak fares trending “modestly” ahead of the prior year. The first quarter of the fiscal year will also benefit from Easter holidays landing in that appeared as opposed to the March ending quarter in 2024.