Ryanair has announced the winner of its 2026 annual “Win A Million” charity scratch card draw, with Helen Swindells from Liverpool taking home a cash prize of €500,000.
Swindells bought the Ryanair Charity Scratch Card while travelling from Krakow to Liverpool in May 2025, saying she wanted to support Naomi and Jack’s, a UK charity that provides expert care for more than 600 seriously ill babies, children and young adults. The card cost €2 and was purchased as part of Ryanair’s charity fundraising programme.
Naomi and Jack’s is one of 13 charities across Europe supported by the airline’s scratch card initiative. Ryanair says the programme raises money for charity partners while also giving passengers the chance to win major prizes, including the top reward of €1 million.
Swindells said she was shocked by the win, describing herself as “over the moon” and saying she never expected the scratch card to change her life. She said she bought it simply to help the charity and thought it was worth trying because of the low cost. Although she knew the promotion offered a chance to win €1 million, she said she never imagined she would win anything close to that amount.
She later joined the Ryanair team at Slane Castle in County Meath earlier this month for the annual “Win a Million” event, where participants play for the chance to win the full €1 million prize.
Aoife Greene of Ryanair said the airline was delighted for Swindells and praised the impact of the charity scratch card programme. She said it continues to make a real difference to charity partners across Europe by supporting organisations that do important work for children and families in need.
The announcement highlights both the fundraising side of Ryanair’s scratch card scheme and its prize draw element, which has become a regular part of the airline’s charity efforts. For Swindells, the purchase made during an ordinary flight home from holiday turned into a life-changing windfall.
