If you’re a budget traveler, odds are you’ve heard of RyanAir. It’s an airline in Europe that offers outrageously low prices on flights across the continent and beyond. We’re talking one-way flights for as little as $5.00. Who’s ready to jump on that?! Well, aside from the prices, RyanAir is also known for its poor customer service. I’ve heard stories of passengers flying with RyanAir being nickel and dimed for every possible thing, and stories of absolutely horrendous flight attendants.
Needless to say, when I entered the details of my credit card online and clicked purchase on my RyanAir flights, I was nervous. I scoured the internet reading horror story after horror story. After a while, I decided to just pull on my adventure panties and see if this RyanAir was really as terrible as people made it seem. I would discover the truth about flying with RyanAir.
After three flights with RyanAir, I did not have a single issue. No extra money was charged. I didn’t have anyone threaten to take my luggage away. Nobody tried to deny me entry to the plane. In fact, I found it all pretty much what I expected- a no frills, get you from point A to point B kind of flight.
And while I won’t bestow upon myself a badge of ultimate RyanAir expertise, I will happily share some tips, and everything I did to help my time with RyanAir run smoothly.
My three basic rules of flying with RyanAir
After flying with RyanAir, I have narrowed the process down to three key rules:
- Know the Rules and follow them
- Don’t expect to be pampered
- Go with the flow
The biggest way you can CYA is by reading the rules and policies of RyanAir and make sure you follow them. All of RyanAir’s policies are outlined on their website. Even throughout the booking process, make sure you’re reading everything that’s presented to you. RyanAir isn’t trying to trick you. Just educate yourself on how they operate.
RyanAir is a budget airline. You can’t expect to have a first class experience here. If that is what you are expecting, then yeah, your time with RyanAir is going to be upsetting. But in this case, you really pay for what you get. So if you paid virtually nothing, expect virtually nothing.
Things work a little differently when flying with RyanAir, than with most other airlines. Many airports won’t have your gate listed until close to boarding time. At boarding, you won’t be called up in zones or by section. You won’t be served beverages or snacks unless you pay for them. And you may have to listen to sales presentations through the flight. You’re just going to have to go with the flow of all these different procedures. It’s going to be okay. You can do it.
Read ALL the fine print
Like I mentioned in Rule #1, you have to read everything. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t just assume you know everything because you’ve flown on a plane before, or because you’re a seasoned traveler. The more informed you are, the less likely you are to violate a policy and have to pay for it (literally…). Some good places to start are their FAQs page and their Fees page.
Luggage
Like most other airlines, RyanAir charges a hefty fee for checked luggage. If you have no problem paying this fee, hey, great for you. But I suspect that if you’re flying with RyanAir it’s because you’re trying to save on that cash money. So, obviously, I’m going to encourage you to go the free carry-on luggage route. BUT! You have to know the rules. [EDIT: RyanAir has since changed their baggage policy, and carry-on bags are no longer free. Check out their fees page for up-to-date baggage costs.]
RyanAir is known for being very strict with their carry-on luggage sizes and weight. It says on their websites that all carry-on bags need to be 55cm x 40cm x 20cm and at a maximum weight of 10kg. Now, I’d recommend trying to fall under these numbers, to leave room for error. I’ve heard that some airports will weigh your bags to ensure they follow this rule. They also have little baskets near the counters and some airports will make you put your bag in the basket to prove that it is the proper size. I never had to do either of these things, but you better believe I was prepared for them!
The good news is, you can also bring a free personal item, as long as it’s 35cm x 20cm x 20cm. I also noticed, in my online research and during my experiences with RyanAir, that those who were carrying on backpacks rather than actual pieces of luggage had fewer issues with weight/size checks.
This is what I took onboard my RyanAir flights
To Pay for Seats, or to Not Pay for Seats
RyanAir offers the option to pay to choose what seat you want. Different sections of the plane cost different amounts of money ranging from $5 to $20. If you choose not to pay for a seat, one will be randomly selected for you on the day of departure. In this case, you can pretty much guarantee being put in a middle seat. If that’s not a problem for you it may be worth it to save those few dollars.
When flying with RyanAir, I chose to pay for my seats. I paid a total of $20 to choose seats for my three RyanAir flights. The main reason I did this is because if you choose your seat, then you can check into your flight 60 days before departure and print your boarding pass. While traveling in Europe, I didn’t know when I would have access to a printer, and if you don’t print out your own boarding pass, the airline charges €15 to print one for you at the airport. Therefore, by paying to pick my seats and print my passes at home, I actually ended up saving over $30.
How about that App?
RyanAir has a useful app you can download onto your smartphone. With it, you are able to keep track of your reservations and flight schedules. You can also pull up your boarding pass on the app, and not have to worry about printing it or paying for it to be printed. However, you can only use the app for your boarding pass IF you are flying out of an airport that accepts mobile boarding passes AND you are an EU/EEA National. So, because I’m from the United States, I was not eligible to use the app for my boarding passes. The only real use the app was for me was to make sure my flights were on time.
Check-In Options
The best way to check in for your Ryanair flight is online. Like I mentioned earlier, if you pay to choose your seat ahead of time, you have the ability to check in a whole 60 days before your departure. If not, then you can check in online 4 days before departure. You can also use the RyanAir app to check in. Otherwise, you can check into your flight at the airport, but they charge a whopping €50 per person. So it’s much better to check in online and save all that money.
The Visa Check
You guys, this one is SUPER important. So many people have been screwed over on RyanAir because they missed this important rule. If you are a non EU/EEU passenger, you MUST have your travel documents (your boarding pass and passport) stamped BEFORE you go through security. You will need to stand in line at the ticketing counter and have someone stamp your boarding pass. Basically, they just want to make sure that you are legally allowed to be flying into your destination country.
If you do not have this stamp on your boarding pass when flying with RyanAir, you will not be allowed to board the plane. You will have to go back to the ticketing counter, get the stamp, and go all the way back through security. Most likely, you’ll miss your flight and have to pay to rebook a new one. That’s more $$$ spent.
Make. Sure. You get. The stamp.
The early bird gets many worms
It is super important that you show up early for your flight. If you have to get that visa stamp, it means you have to stand in line at the ticket counter. This means you may be standing for a good amount of time before you get to security. Once you’re at your gate, keep an eye on when people start forming a line. The line will start forming before any boarding announcements are made.
The biggest reason to stand in line early is to ensure that there is space for your carry-on luggage in the plane. If there is not, it will have to be stowed underneath the plane. There have been accounts of passengers being charged a fee for this. So the best way to avoid it is to line up early. I found this to be a great time to have a book on my phone that I could just read to pass the time in line.
Headphones are a passenger’s best friend
As with many low-cost airlines, flying with RyanAir means that you are going to have to sit through multiple sales pitches on your flight. The best way to combat this is to bring along your headphones and use your music to drown out the sounds of airline staff trying to sell perfume. Not to mention listening to music or podcasts can help the time seem to pass more quickly.
Let’s be real here. I’m not guaranteeing that by following all these tips, you are going to have a perfect, stress-free experience with RyanAir. But by following the basic rules and knowing what to expect, your time with RyanAir likely to run much smoother. Don’t waive off those cheap flights as too good to be true! And don’t be scared off by the RyanAir horror stories. Give them a try with zero expectations, and discover your own truth about flying with RyanAir.
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25 Comments
I think this is a great summary article of what to know before you go on a flight with Ryanair. I had okay experiences, too, but I am still trying to avoid flying with them after all of their cancellations…
Never heard of Ryan air. Good to know, and will share. We don’t travel in Europe that much since we did so much of that in younger years. Spending our travel time seeing the rest of the world.
We really try to avoid them and with all the latest cancellations their customer service doesn’t seem to be getting better. A qualified pilot seems to be an optional extra now but they are cheap.
I haven’t flown RyanAir, but have read horror stories, like how they cancelled thousands of flights in 2018. Your article does a nice job of not getting emotional about the horror stories or the policies and procedures.
I havent ever flown Ryan Air, but read some stuff about it. Also saw a really funny meme with passengers climbing the staircase and no plane – with the caption The Plane Is Extra! 🙂
Good post in listing out all the dos before taking a flight with them.
I’m laughing so hard right now. I was just making jokes about the Ryanair flying experience. Every bit of your advice is so spot on, I really enjoyed reading this!
Well said. For as long as you follow the fine print, you won’t bring yourself the trouble. Have flown with them once and it was smooth. Was flying with a friend who forgot to do online checking, thus she had to pay for the airport check in and boarding pass. Super pricey 🙁
I fly with Ryanair all the time, like once a month at least because it’s the only airline connecting my home town to the city where my company has another office. I think they are ok and less strict with luggage as other airlines. If you know what to expect from a low cost airline then you shouldn’t have any issues flying Ryanair (just benefits, like paying £5 for a ticket haha)
What a great summary and guide everyone should read before booking Ryan Air. I’ve never booked a flight with them so far, but I know now where to read the rules. Thanks for sharing.
I like how you stressed the “read the rules! everything!” aspect of this, because that’s the #1 compliant I’ve heard about Ryan Air. Excellent guide, but I’m curious–would it be possible to give us a general breakdown of how much you saved flying Ryan versus the other options?
Tom, shoot me an email and I’d be happy to share my costs with you!
Ryanair is like a Russian Roulette, you never know what to expect. I also think it depends on the country how staff will treat you. I have various experiences but again low cost means no high expectations 🙂
Well, I don’t know if that much difference between budget and normal flights… maybe the seating space is less but in general most airlines have gone down with quality over the past 20 years. I remember when Qatar would give you a little pouch with small toiletries for free or when you could get delicious food in Turkish airlines. But again you are very right abotu the fine prints and that’s where the difference lies in the price!
I really enjoyed the tips and good to know that when you don’; t do the online checkin, that you will pay at the airport for the checkin.
Very helpful for anyone who has no experience with cheap airlines. You’re so right that you should read everything before you book a ticket. I can imagine that if you’re used to flying with non-budget airlines, Ryanair must be a big difference.
Handy guid!
You have cleared the air very positively. People need to understand that low-cost airlines need money to live and they choose different ways to make money from regular airlines.
Never had any issues with RyanAir and never even had my carry-on weighed! It’s a great way to get from A to B on the cheap. The airline has its issues (first and foremost with its anti-union perspective), but from a traveler’s standpoint they’re great!
Great survival guide for flying RyanAir! It’s nice how cheap their flights are so definitely an airline I’ve flown quite a few times. But it’s super important in order to keep it cheap to be aware of all the rules and guidelines.
Ah Ryan Air. Yes, definitely an airline where you get what you pay for. I’ve had good and bad experiences with it personally but haven’t travelled with them for years. I think they are fabulous for backpackers and budget travellers for sure and as you say, if you follow the rules, you should be fine. My tip is to get there is plenty of time – it can be expensive to miss your flight and have to buy another one at the airport 😉
Yesss, finally someone who speaks the truth! Knowing the rules ahead of time and following them is key. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love these tips! RyanAir can be a great cheap alternative- if you make sure to follow all the rules! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve only used RyanAir once or twice, and the other low-cost European company EasyJet many, many times – and I must agree that if you know and follow the rules, there are no problems in flying with such companies. I’m thankful that I could afford multiple great trips because of their low fares, so I’m willing to pay extra attention to the size and weight of my luggage for that =)
Great article with helpful tips. I agree that when you book a flight, you need to be educated on any hidden costs. Many airlines have them, and it seems as though baggage fees are a huge issue. I wish we had an airline that did inter Canadian flights for o cheap, I’d definitely give them a whirl!!
Oh my gosh, I love this post! I am the worst when it comes to trying something new because I read as many “reviews” as I can and often times let that influence my decision. I feel like I have been missing out on things because of the reviews that I have read. I applaud you for taking the plunge to experience RyanAir for yourself. I like that your tips include knowing and following the rules. It’s so simple but I think a lot of people need reminded of this from time to time. Thank you for sharing this post with us!
THis is a candid and factual post which is very useful. Have never flown Ryan air, but we were looking at the option when planning a future itinerary. We were looking at the option to minimize our costs. You have put across the facts and that helps in one being prepared.
We’ve flown with Ryanair many times and never had any issues to be honest. You have to check everything, the fine print, book luggage before, make sure you check in online, etc, but that is the same with all budget airlines and they actually have some of the best carry on allowance. Great for short flights around Europe.