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Who are Ryanair?

Ryanair is an Irish airline based in Dublin, and was founded in 1985. Steady growth has led to the company becoming one of the world's largest low-cost airlines. Ryanair constantly look for new ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs and utilise aircraft to the maximum, and it would be fair to say that most customers associate the company with a no-frills approach and a certain amount of "hard sell". However, most passengers are happy to go along with any inconveniences in exchange for some of the cheapest flights in the industry. Few companies can compete with Ryanair when it comes to rock-bottom bargains, and ever-rising passenger numbers speak for themselves. The company operates a modern fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft and forecasts 200 million passengers a year by 2024. The need for fast turnarounds means that Ryanair can point to better levels of punctuality than UK rivals easyJet and British Airways.

Where do Ryanair fly to?

More than 200 airports in 34 countries. You will find an extraordinary range of destinations across Europe, plus routes to North Africa and the Middle East. City destinations sometimes use smaller secondary airports to reduce costs, but this often brings the benefit of quieter airports and a more relaxed check-in and security procedure. However, you will also find flights to plenty of principle city airports like Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Madrid. In common with easyJet, Ryanair operates routes to all the main airports serving the UK’s favourite beach holiday destinations in countries like Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Malta and Greece. Ryanair is particularly useful when it comes to direct flights to smaller cities across Europe, with an unrivalled choice of destinations in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Each year sees new routes from the UK.

Which UK airports does Ryanair fly from?

There is an amazing choice of destinations from Ryanair’s largest base at London Stansted, as well as Luton, Gatwick, and Southend. You will also find an exceptionally wide range of routes from major regional airports like East Midlands, Liverpool, Newcastle and Leeds Bradford, as well as smaller UK airports like Exeter and Cardiff. Scottish departure airports include Glasgow and Edinburgh, while flights from Northern Ireland depart from Belfast International.

What’s included in the price?

Passengers looking for the cheapest option will choose the Standard fare, which includes an allowance for a small cabin bag. Plus fares include Priority boarding, 2 cabin bags, a reserved standard seat and a 20kg bag checked in to the hold. Flexi Plus tickets include Priority boarding, 2 cabin bags, any reserved seat, fast-track security, free airport check-in and a certain amount of flexibility when it comes to changing your flight. Family Plus fares include priority boarding, two cabin bags, two 20kg hold bags and free seat allocation for children to ensure you all sit together. Booking fees depend on the payment method. Booking online is always going to be cheaper than going through the call centre or buying tickets at the airport. Ryanair have made efforts in recent years to improve the transparency of its website, but it’s still fair to say that you should take your time to negotiate the various options offered during the booking process, in order to avoid paying for things you don’t want!

Can I choose a seat?

You can reserve a specific seat when you make your booking or when checking in online. You can also reserve seats at any time up to 2 hours before departure by going to the My Bookings section on the website or the Ryanair app. Seat location is displayed on a plan of the plane, along with the price. There are 3 types of seats available. Extra Legroom Seats in rows 1, 2 (D, E, F) and 16-17 cost from 15 pounds/euros per flight. Front Seats in rows 2 (A, B, C) in rows 2-5 start from 13 pounds/euros per flight. Standard Seats in rows 6-15 and 18-33 start from 4 pounds/euros per flight. Note that reserving a seat allows you to check in between 60 days and 2 hours before departure. If you don’t reserve a seat, you will have to check in during a much shorter time period, starting from 48 hours before your flight and up to 2 hours before departure. You’ll be given a random seat at no charge.

How do I check in?

Ryanair is doing everything it can to encourage passengers to check in online. Luggage is deposited at a bag drop. It is still possible to check in at the airport, but you’ll be charged a massive £55 per passenger to do so! Make sure you print or download your boarding pass, as you’ll be charged £25 if it has to printed out by Ryanair staff at the airport. Flexi Plus passengers can check-in at the airport for free. You’ll have 60 days to check in if you have reserved seating, but only from 2 days before departure if you haven’t paid for a seat. If you think printing out your boarding pass might be tricky when you are abroad, the simplest option is to download the Ryanair app on your phone.

What is Ryanair hand luggage allowance?

You can take a small bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm) that fits under the seat in front of you. If you pay for "Priority + 2 Cabin Bags" you can bring 1 small cabin and an additional bag weighing up to 10kg, measuring a maximum of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, which will be stored in the overhead lockers. You will also be entitled to join the priority boarding queue. Priority + 2 Cabin Bags can be booked when making your booking, or when checking in, or up to 2 hours before the flight online, or 30 minutes before departure via the Ryanair app. Priority + 2 Cabin Bags costs from £6 to £10 per passenger. If hand luggage exceeds the limits, it will be placed in the hold, and you’ll be charged £50. So if in doubt, drop it off at the bag drop desk before passing through security.

What is Ryanair hold luggage?

You can check in up to 3 bags weighing up to 20kg each. It’s much cheaper to add bags at the time of booking, so think carefully about how much luggage you’ll be taking. Each bag costs £25 at the time of booking and £40 after the booking is made, or at the airport, or via the call centre. Higher fees may apply on some routes or during peak periods. All passengers on the same booking can share their weight allowance among their bags. Excess weight is costly, at around £11 per kilo. A 10kg Check-in Bag, measuring up to 55cm x 20cm x 40cm, can be dropped off at the bag drop desk. The 10kg Check-in Bag costs between £10 and £12. Non-priority passengers can pay for a 10kg wheelie bag at the bag drop desk for £20, or at the boarding gate for £25.

How can I simplify boarding?

The Priority + 2 Cabin Bags option means you will be in the priority boarding queue and can take a second bag on board the plane. Passengers without priority can only take a small bag that fits under the seat in front.

How can I find cheap Ryanair flights?

Keep a close eye on the Ryanair website. Bargain fares come and go on an almost daily basis. Prices can be incredibly low when new routes are announced. Fares fluctuate according to demand and availability, but usually go up in price as the departure date approaches. Booking well in advance is usually the best policy, but no hard-and-fast rules apply. To make sure you get all the latest Ryanair sales and offers, sign up to our free sales alerts and get the best deals delivered straight to your inbox.