The Mirror has delved into three key Ryanair rules to be aware of before heading on that summer trip abroad
It’s no secret that Ryanair is among the UK’s most popular airlines. In the past year, it carried 200 million passengers, a first for any European airline within that period.
With more Brits expected to fly in summer 2025, it is important to stay up to date with the budget airline’s latest travel policies. Even small oversights could lead to fees or penalties before your trip.
Below, the Mirror has delved into three key lesser-known fines to be aware of. While many of these penalties are not unique to Ryanair, being aware of them can assist in your holiday planning.
1. Check-in fee at Ryanair
Travellers who currently opt to check in at Ryanair’s airport desk are subject to a £55/€55 fee to ‘cover the extra cost’. If the flight is departing from Spain, this will cost £30/€30.
Instead, passengers are encouraged to check in for their flights using the Ryanair app or website before reaching the airport. Anyone who has pre-reserved a seat can check in up to 60 days before a scheduled departure, while others may check in during the 24 hours before a flight. Generally, check-in closes two hours before departure.
Besides this, it’s also essential to know that anyone who has checked in but cannot present a boarding pass when arriving at the airport may need to pay a reissue fee at the airport desk. This is usually £20/€20 per passenger.
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If you’d like to check in online with Ryanair, follow these steps:
- Visit Ryanair.com or access the Ryanair app on your device.
- Log in to your existing account or create a new one if needed.
- Click on the ‘Check-in’ option.
- Adhere to the on-screen instructions and input the required details from your travel documents.
- Once check-in is complete, either print out your boarding pass or save it to your mobile device for easy access.
2. Name change fee Ryanair rules
The ‘name change fee’ is charged to anyone who needs to update their reservation’s name. This is especially relevant if you are transferring flights to someone else, as you can modify the details online up until the day before your flight. While making these changes will cost £115/€115 online, the fee can bump up to £160/€160 if an agent is contacted to process the alterations.
Ryanair’s guidelines stipulate: “Full name changes can be made online up to 24 hours before scheduled departure, or by contacting us or at the airport up to two hours before scheduled departure subject to a fee, see our table of fees. The fee will be higher if you contact us and changes will be made through our Customer Service Team.”
Importantly, you won’t be charged if your booking was made under a maiden or married name that has already been updated on your passport before your flight. Additionally, passengers can change their first or last name once free of charge within 48 hours of booking.
Ryanair also allows passengers to correct up to three characters per name free of charge, as long as the correction is made at least 48 hours before the scheduled flight. There is no need to include middle names or double-barrelled surnames when booking.
Travellers who have already checked in for their flight must contact Ryanair to be ‘unchecked’, enabling them to modify their booking through the Ryanair app or website.
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3. Missed departure fee Ryanair rules
Known as the ‘missed departure fee’, this £100/€100 charge penalises travellers who arrive late at the airport. The budget airline’s website states that it also applies to passengers who arrive after their flight has departed and want to be rebooked on a later flight.
“Only available at less than 40 mins before and up to 1 hour after flight departure time,” Ryanair’s site reads. “Also available to customers who arrive at the ticket desk up to an hour after their flight departure to move to the next available flight. The fee is charged per passenger per sector.”
Even passengers who arrive at the airport before the 40-minute pre-flight deadline might face an additional charge.
For more information on Ryanair’s fees and policies, visit its website.
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