Flying with Ryanair: Check-in and Baggage Allowance Tips

Is there anything better than finding a super cheap flight? With budget carriers, it’s never been easier or more affordable to become a globetrotter. However, sometimes that is only in theory as low cost airlines are notorious for having exorbitant prices if you accidentally pack too many pairs of socks or slip up on the spelling of your name during the booking process. Because the last thing we want during our trips is to start them off or end them with anything but smooth sailing. We’ve broken down all you need to know about low cost Ryanair flights. 

Important Note: All prices displayed below are per one way flight.

1. Ryanair’s Booking Process

Buying Ryanair Flight tickets

Depending on what type of debit/credit card you use when booking Ryanair flights, there is an administration fee applied to your total charge. If you pay with a credit card there is a fee of 2% of the total transaction value.

Travelling VIP on Ryanair Flights

If you would like to board first or reserve a seat ahead of time, there are two options available:

• Priority Boarding: starting at 2€/£2 per passenger if booked in advance and starting at 4€/£4 at the airport.
• Reserved/Allocated Seating: Regular seat starting at 5€/£5 per passenger booked in advance and 7.50€/£7.50 at the airport. Regular seat with priority boarding included is 7€/£7 per passenger booked in advance. Premium seat with priority boarding included is 10€/£10 per passenger booked in advance or 15€/£15 at the airport.

Ryanair Special Passenger Rules

If you are pregnant or are planning to buy a ticket for a passenger under the age of 16 it is important to know the following information:

• Pregnant Women: Once an uncomplicated pregnancy enters its 28th week, expectant mothers are required to carry a ‘fit to fly’ letter completed by their doctor. This letter should be dated within 2 weeks of your booked flight and presented at either the bag drop desk or the boarding gate.
• Children Under 16: Unaccompanied minors under 16 years of age cannot fly with Ryanair. Children under the age of 16 must always be accompanied by a passenger over 16 years. Escort and special facilities are not provided.

Travelling with an Infant on Ryanair

• Infant Fee: 30€/£30 per infant, per one-way flight.

Please note: The infant must be under 2 years for both legs of the flight (inbound/outbound).

• Infant Equipment: 1 push-chair per child is free, 10€/£10 per additional item (booster, travel cot) per one-way flight with a maximum weight of 20kg each item.

Ryanair Baggage and Equipment

Ryanair changed their baggage policy on November 2018 and has the following rules:

Hand luggage:

– Passengers with priority boarding can carry for free one small bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm) plus another cabin bag (55cm x 40cm x 20cm) with a maximum weight of 10kg.

– The non-priority passengers are only able to take one small bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm) which should fit into the sizer. A big bag of 10 kg can be purchased online for a lower cost or at the airport for a higher cost.

– In case you’re travelling with an infant (up to 23 months old), you can carry a baby bag up to 5 kg for free.

Checked luggage:

– Each passenger travelling on Ryanair flights can carry up to 3 checked bags of 20 kg that can be purchased online for 25€/£25, via the call centre or at the airport for 40€/£40.

Sports Equipment and Musical Instruments:

– Passengers can carry sports equipment and musical instruments as hold luggage as long as it doesn’t exceed 20 kg (or 30 kg for bicycles). The fees for this equipment vary from £35 – £60 per item (one way) when booked online or £40 – £75 when booked at the airport.

2. Personalise your Ryanair Booking

Making Changes to the Reservation in Ryanair

• Ryanair Flight Change Fees: 30€/£30 low season, 40€/£40 high season (during the booking process) or 45€/£45 low season, 60€/£60 high season (at the airport).
• Ryanair Name Change Fee: 110€/£110 (during the booking process) or 160€/£160 (at the airport).

3. Ryanair Check-in

All passengers must check-in online from 15 days up to the deadline of 4 hours before the scheduled flight departure time.

To check-in online: Go to the Manage my Booking section on ryanair.com and print out boarding passes. If you do not have baggage to check, you can go straight to the security checkpoint with your boarding pass.

4. At the Airport

Passengers flying with Ryanair are required to print boarding passes during the online check-in deadline. Otherwise, passengers failing to do so will be charged a re-issue fee:

• Boarding Pass Reissue Fee: 15€/£15 for passengers who have completed online check-in or 70€/£70 for passengers who have not checked-in online at least 4 hours before scheduled flight departure.

Baggage passing the defined weight limits is subject to fees per extra kilogram:

• Ryanair Excess Baggage Fee: 10€/£10 per kg.

Hand luggage that does not fit in the bag gauge at the boarding gate will need to be checked:

• Checking Luggage at Departure Gate: 50€/£50

All Ryanair flights require passengers to travel with valid documentation.

• Accepted Documents: A valid passport, a valid UN Refugee Convention Travel Document, or a valid Collective Passport issued by an EU/EEA country.

5. On the Plane

• Beverages and snacks aren’t complimentary on Ryanair flights but are available for purchase. Drinks run around 3€/£3 and snacks such as crisps start at 2€/£2.
• The Ryanair Magazine is complimentary and free to take with you on all flights.

Ryanair new coronavirus safety measures

Like most airlines, Ryanair has implemented extra precautions for flying amid the coronavirus pandemic. These precautions include: 

• Social distancing rules will apply at the airport and when boarding the plane.
• A face covering must be worn at all times, including inside the airport and for the duration of the flight.
• You may be asked to board the plane row by row, depending on your seat number.
• Limited inflight service consisting of wrapped snacks and drinks
• cashless payments to avoid physical contact
• All of Ryanair’s aircraft are fitted with state of the art filtration systems, the same as those used in hospitals.
• Aircraft are professionally cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis.

Ready to go?