Published 23 June 2026 | Updated 7 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
Flying with Ryanair gets you some of the lowest fares from UK airports, but the base ticket includes only a small under-seat bag and the rulebook is one of the strictest of any budget carrier. This guide covers what you need before you fly: hand luggage rules, check-in times, onboard food, refund rights and how to find the cheapest seats.
Advertisement
Already got a booking? Go straight to myRyanair to check in, choose your seat or make changes.
What does Ryanair include in the ticket price?
Ryanair’s base fare covers very little compared with most airlines. The only guarantee for every passenger is a small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm) that must fit under the seat in front. Overhead locker access, hold luggage, seat selection, and food are all extras. The table below shows what comes standard and what costs extra, based on Ryanair’s current UK fare structure.
| What | All passengers | Extra cost or upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm, under seat) | Included for every passenger | None, already included |
| Cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm, 10 kg, overhead) | Plus and Flexi Plus fares | From £12.49 (Priority & 2 Cabin Bags add-on) |
| 20 kg hold luggage | Plus and Flexi Plus fares | From £21.49 per bag, per flight |
| Seat selection | Plus and Flexi Plus fares | From £4 per seat, per flight |
| Priority boarding | Plus and Flexi Plus fares | £12.49 to £36 per flight, at booking |
| Airport check-in | Available on all fares | £55 per person, per flight |
| Food and drink on board | Available on all fares | Buy on board from around £3 |
Ryanair hand luggage
Ryanair gives every passenger one free bag, measuring no more than 40 x 30 x 20 cm. It must fit under the seat in front. A second, larger bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm, 10 kg, for the overhead locker) is only free with Priority Boarding. It’s included in Plus and Flexi Plus fares, and available as an add-on on standard fares.
Ryanair hold luggage
Nothing goes in the hold unless you pay for it, or book a Plus or Family Plus fare that includes a bag. Ryanair sells three checked bags, at 10kg, 20kg and 23kg, and the price moves with the route, the date and how late you leave it. A 20kg bag starts at £21.49 with the booking and costs £59.99 flat at the bag drop desk.
Enforcement is tighter than many passengers expect. Since November 2025, Ryanair raised the bonus paid to gate staff for catching non-compliant bags, and enforcement has tightened noticeably at busy airports.
Ryanair’s Priority boarding is worth considering if you’re travelling with hand luggage only and want to guarantee overhead bin space. Without it, you’ll board last.
Best carry-on bag for Ryanair
Most bags marketed as “cabin luggage” are sized to easyJet or Jet2 standards and will fail Ryanair’s metal sizer. The free underseat allowance (40 x 30 x 20 cm) is narrower than many travellers expect, and standard wheeled cabin cases rarely pass it.
Ryanair flight sales
Ryanair runs flash sales four to six times a year, typically 48-hour windows with fares from around £14.99 one-way. The biggest sale of the year comes in January, when the airline discounts millions of summer seats. There’s no published schedule, but the patterns are consistent enough to plan around.
When does Ryanair release flights?
Ryanair is currently selling flights up to 30 October 2027, about 13 months ahead, because its summer 2027 schedule went on sale early (checked 4 October 2026). In earlier years it released summer routes airport by airport between November and January. The cheapest fares appear at launch, before demand builds.
Ryanair check-in
Check-in opens 24 hours before departure and is free via the Ryanair app or website. Airport check-in costs £55 per person per flight and closes 40 minutes before departure, rising to 60 minutes from 10 November 2026. See our full guide to Ryanair airport check-in fees and deadlines for the complete breakdown, including what happens if you miss the cutoff.
Seat selection
Ryanair doesn’t include seat selection in its base fare. Without paying to choose, a seat is allocated at check-in, which means passengers in the same booking may not be seated together on busy routes. Seat selection is included in Plus and Flexi Plus fares and can be added separately from around £4 per seat per flight. Window seats and extra-legroom rows cost more.
- Travelling as a family and need to sit together? Pay for seat selection at booking.
- Not paying? Check in as early as possible to improve the chances of adjacent seats being allocated automatically.
Food and drink when flying with Ryanair
Ryanair operates a buy-on-board service on all flights. There’s no complimentary food or drink for any fare type, even on longer routes. The trolley includes hot drinks from around £3, cold drinks, snacks, and sandwiches. Prices are higher than the high street but broadly in line with airport costs. The most cost-effective approach is to buy food airside before boarding. Ryanair permits passengers to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks, provided any liquids comply with airport security rules. You can’t bring your own alcohol.
Delays and your rights
Under UK261, Ryanair passengers are entitled to compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled, provided the disruption was within the airline’s control. Extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather are excluded. If your flight arrives more than three hours late, compensation is:
- Flights under 1,500 km: £220
- Flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km: £350
- Flights over 3,500 km: £520
Ryanair must also provide meals, drinks, and communication for delays of more than two hours, and accommodation if you’re stranded overnight. Keep all receipts. For delays of five hours or more, you have the right to a full refund if you choose not to travel, but this right disappears once you board.
Submitting a claim
Submit claims directly to Ryanair via Ryanair’s disruption rights page. If refused, escalate to the UK Civil Aviation Authority or an ADR provider. Third-party claims companies charge 25 to 35% of any compensation awarded.
Can you cancel a Ryanair flight?
You can cancel a Ryanair booking at any time, but the ticket itself is non-refundable, so you will not get your money back. A refund is only available if Ryanair cancels your flight, delays it by five hours or more, or denies you boarding. If the airline cancels with fewer than 14 days’ notice and the cause is within its control, you may also be entitled to compensation under UK261.
Ryanair travel insurance
Ryanair sells travel insurance at checkout through XCover, underwritten by Europ Assistance. The standard policy covers emergency medical expenses up to €150,000, cancellation for insured reasons, and delayed baggage. It excludes pre-existing medical conditions and doesn’t cover travellers over 70 as standard.
"Ryanair’s headline fare buys a seat and a small under-seat bag, and nothing more. Add a cabin bag for £12.49 to £36 at booking, seat selection from £4, and budget £55 for airport check-in if you arrive without a boarding pass. Treat the headline fare plus the extras you need as the real price of your trip."
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
Frequently asked questions
What does Ryanair include in the ticket price?
The standard Ryanair fare includes one small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm), which must fit under the seat. Nothing else is included: no hold luggage, no seat selection, no food, and no Priority boarding. These are all available as add-ons, or bundled into Plus and Flexi Plus fares.
Is flying with Ryanair worth it?
Yes, if you travel with only a small bag. Ryanair offers some of the lowest base fares from UK airports on European short-haul routes, and booked in a sale it’s hard to beat. Add a cabin bag, a chosen seat and hold luggage, and the total cost gets closer to easyJet or Jet2.
How strict is Ryanair at the gate?
Very. Ryanair uses metal bag sizers at departure gates, and since November 2025 enforcement has tightened noticeably. If your bag fails the sizer, Ryanair charges £70 to £75 to check it into the hold. See our full guide on whether Ryanair is strict with hand luggage.
What is Ryanair’s fleet?
Ryanair operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet. The workhorse is the 737-800, with newer 737 MAX 8 and MAX 200 aircraft added across the network. The MAX 200 is a high-density configuration unique to Ryanair, with 197 seats. Standard seat pitch is around 30 inches, typical for a European low-cost carrier.
Can I bring food on a Ryanair flight?
Yes. Ryanair allows passengers to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks, provided any liquids comply with airport security rules. You can’t bring your own alcohol. Ryanair sells food and drinks on board from around £3.
How do I claim compensation from Ryanair?
Go to Ryanair’s disruption rights page to submit your claim, you’ll need your booking reference, flight details, and evidence of the delay or cancellation. The right to this compensation comes from UK261, the post-Brexit flight delay law. If Ryanair rejects a valid claim, escalate to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or an approved dispute resolution service. Avoid third-party claims companies, they take 25 to 35% of any payout.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
How Kate works
Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.
Editorial standards
Flight Tribe covers deals and travel advice for readers first. Affiliate links do not decide whether an offer is worth writing about.
