Prepaid MasterCard and Ryanair
We previously wrote about how Ryanair customers could avoid the Ryanair credit card fees by using a virtual Visa Electron card from Entropay. Sometimes – when buying very cheap flights – the credit card fee can be as much as 10 times the fare.
This week Ryanair announced that they are changing their free purchase option to Prepaid Mastercards instead of the Visa Electron.
From December 1st 2009 – Ryanair customers will not be charged the credit card fee when using a prepaid Mastercard. Visa Electron cards will start to incur a charge on Ryanair from January 2010.
For the frequent flyer on Ryanair – these €5 per flight credit card charges can soon mount up. For a family of six booking return flights for €300 on Ryanair – the credit card booking fee would come to €60. Using the “free” option could cost them as little as €9 Euro.
Where can you get a Prepaid Mastercard in Ireland?
There are a few ways for Irish residents to obtain a Prepaid Mastercard .
1. People who already used Entropay to avail of the Visa Electron – will be happy to hear that they can still use their Entropay account to apply for a prepaid Mastercard. See here. Entropay charge 4.95% when you load the card and there is no charge when you use it to purchase something. It is free to join. Buying 6 tickets on Ryanair worth €300 would cost you €14.85 in loading fees.
2.Wirecard have a virtual prepaid Mastercard and Irish residents can apply. No initial fee or usage fees. Loading fees are 3% from another credit card. So a €300 load to buy 6 tickets on Ryanair would cost €9.
3. Neteller – have a physical pre paid Mastercard (virtual one doesn’t work on Ryanair)
4.Payzone also offer prepaid Mastercard with loading fee of €3.50 on amounts up to €350 . It costs €6 to apply for one online. Using the card for online purchases will cost you 2.95% of the spend. Buying 6 return tickets with a value of €300 will cost you €12.35 including the loading fee. NB- Payzone will charge you €3.50 a month if you don’t use the account for 3 months !
5. Rubycard is another suplier of Prepaid Mastercards in Ireland. They have a Pay as you Go option which has a 2.95% fee on purchases (MAX €2) . It costs €12.95 to buy one online or €15 to buy via text.
With Rubycard the loading fees are 3% with a €5 cap. (At Paypoint) There is a free loading option available if you use bank transfer. Assuming top up at aPaypoint – the purchase of 6 tickets costing €300 Euro would cost you €7 in fees at Rubycard. (There is also Stamp Duty of €5 a year.)
The Ruby MasterCard Prepaid Card has a €1,650 cumulative annual limit - which means that you can’t spend or load more than that sum in any 12 month period. You can can upgrade to a €3,000 limit card for €3.95.
6 You could buy yourself a giftcard at Dundrum shopping centre – see more at http://www.perfectcard.ie . These cards are prepaid Mastercards too. There is a €1 fee but no reloads. It lasts 12 months and if there is a balance remaining after 12 months you have to pay €7.50 to get the balance back. Probably only useful if you live in Dublin because you have to buy them from the shopping cenre.
7 Members of Bishoptown Credit Union in Cork can apply for a Prepaid Mastercard Debit Card from TruCash- see . (You will have to live in the area to open an account with them.)
Here are some places for UK residents who want to get a Prepaid Mastercard. (Not available to Irish Residents)
Can you please clarify that should I change to an Entropay Prepaid Mastercard to pay for Ryanair Tickets do I still have to select Sterling as the currency in order to have zero Ryanair charges.
January 24th, 2010 at 17:45Bernard
I just ordered a prepaid mastercard with entropay, firstly I had to get another entropay card and select currency as euro then on this new card was able to order the prepaid mastercard. As you know originally you had to select the currency as sterling for the entropay electron to work but this is not the case for prepaid mastercard but you have to have the euro entropay first if this makes sense!!
February 1st, 2010 at 01:02I have just got a prepaid mastercard in Dundrum Town Centre but it will not work on Ryanair Website. Why is this?
February 1st, 2010 at 22:25Just booked a flight on Ryanair and it worked no problem Used a prepaid mastercard from Blanchardstown and it was fine.
February 7th, 2010 at 16:38Mark
Where in Blanchardstown shopping center did you buy the Prepaid Mastercard? I have read they cost a Euro and last for 12 months. Is that right?
Cheers
February 10th, 2010 at 14:27Steven – The card is provided by Perfectcard.ie Tel 1850 496 496
February 10th, 2010 at 14:47Thanks Moneymate
February 11th, 2010 at 12:10Has anybody tried the “wirecard” yet? If yes, how is the experience with them.
February 16th, 2010 at 15:40I think Moneybookers Mastercard should work too and is 10 euro per card issued + 10 euro/yr. No fees for paying or topping up via bank/laser. Just ordered mine. Here’s the info from their web site:
The Moneybookers MasterCard is a reloadable prepaid card which is connected to your Moneybookers account. The card accesses the funds on your account and does not require separate loading. It can be used in a similar way to a debit or credit card – for shopping at millions of locations, online or over the phone and for withdrawals at over 1 million cash machines worldwide.
February 24th, 2010 at 15:41Hi Folks
February 28th, 2010 at 00:00Joan i’ve understood the card bought at dundrum didnt worked on ryanair though it seems to be the same than the one at blanchardstown(perfectgift) as i live close to dundrum really wouldnt have to travel to blanchards so can you confirm if it did work at last?
cheers
I would like to buy Mastercard Prepaid but it is in euros.
February 28th, 2010 at 22:18Next can I book flight from England and pay in euros?
If i get a Mastercard Prepaid card, will i have to pay the annual €40 government levy on it?
March 26th, 2010 at 10:46Rua – if the prepaid mastercard is issued by an Irish institution there should be a stamp duty charge of just €5 – but non Irish debit cards or credit cards should not have an Irish stamp duty charge.
March 29th, 2010 at 13:16No stamp duty is €40 euro anymore – it is 30 for credit cards and 5 for debit/atm cards.
Just about to book flights with Ryanair. Are people having problems using Dundrum giftcards? I’m wondering if I should get one.
April 16th, 2010 at 16:03I am seeking to clarify the situation as regards Irish Stamp duty on prepaid mastercards.
I understand that the fee is €30 for a credit card and €5 on an ATM / debit card. Am I correct in assuming that a prepaid MasterCard would be considered the same as an ATM card for stamp duty purposes.
Is the stamp duty fee €5 per card issued, (if a secondary card is sssued for other family members or club members is it €5 for every card issued or just €5 on the main card.
Also, if I acquire a card issued overseas in €uros do I still have to pay the stamp duty if I use the card solely in Ireland.
Many thanks
April 23rd, 2010 at 16:32The entro prepaid Master cards have no annual fee if you live in EIRE, and they work fine on Ryan air site.
April 28th, 2010 at 15:21Hi,
I’ve just asked today in Dundrum shopping centre – there are 2 type of gift cards:
a) free gift card – can be used only in shopping centre, CAN’T be used online
b) 2 EURO gift card – master card pre-paid card , can be initially loaded once with amount 10E to 1000E, CAN be used online, I hope it can be used with Ryanair
May 9th, 2010 at 21:43Moneybookers prepaid Mastercard works with Ryanair, I have it in euros. Card is issued by Newcastle building society, UK, cost is fixed 10 euro per year + 10 euro every 3 years, free laser and bank transfer top up.
May 31st, 2010 at 15:54Hello friends!
June 14th, 2010 at 22:00In Jervis and Stephen Green Shopping Center you can buy Dublin City Gift Card which is a prepaid Mastercard. It is free of charge, you just have to pay the amount you need on the card. The person working at ticketmaster in Stephen Green told me that you can use that card on Ryanair website. I am confused about one thing: when you buy a prepaid mastercard(gift card) like the one in Dundrum, Stephen Green or Blanchardstown, what details you use when buying the ticket? Can anyone tell me? Mark said that he used one from Blanchardstown and maybe he can tell us. Thank you!
[...] Ryanair is via the Prepaid MasterCard. This card can be purchased in Ireland through a limited few operators but is well worth the savings even if you only travel abroad a [...]
August 4th, 2010 at 17:42