Ryanair Hidden Fees UK: Bags, Seats and Check-in Rules

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Last updated: 10 October 2026 · Checked against Ryanair’s own site and the CAA on 10 October 2026. Ryanair’s fees and rules change often and vary by route, so always check the Ryanair website before you fly.

Ryanair hidden fees can turn a cheap-looking family flight into an expensive one. The good news is that most Ryanair hidden fees aren’t really hidden at all: they’re written in Ryanair’s own rules, and once you know them you can plan around them.

In this guide I’ll walk you through the Ryanair hand luggage rules UK families need to know, the exact Ryanair baggage size for the free small bag, online check-in and the airport check-in fee, digital boarding passes, Ryanair family seating for children, and what you’re owed if your flight is delayed or cancelled. I’m not a travel agent or a financial adviser, just a mum and scientist who likes reading the small print so you don’t have to.

Ryanair hidden fees at a glance

How to avoid Ryanair hidden fees: 8 steps for UK families

Here’s the order I’d tackle things in, from booking to boarding. Each step links to the rule on Ryanair’s own Help Centre or the CAA in the sources at the end.

1. Know the free small bag size (Ryanair hand luggage rules UK)

Every Ryanair fare includes one small personal bag, like a handbag, small backpack or laptop bag. Ryanair’s baggage size for this bag is 40 x 30 x 20 cm, and it must fit under the seat in front of you. There’s no separate weight limit listed for it, but you need to be able to lift it and stow it yourself.

This is where a lot of the “hidden” cost comes from. If your bag is bigger than the sizer at the gate, you can be charged a gate fee or the bag can be refused. Ryanair’s Table of Fees lists the gate charges as a range, and it isn’t cheap, so it’s far better to get the size right at home.

A few tips that help:

• Measure your bag when it’s packed, not empty. A soft backpack that measures 20 cm deep empty can easily bulge to 25 cm.
• Check the label, then check again. Bags sold as “Ryanair size” don’t always match the current rules, and Ryanair can change its sizes. Always compare the dimensions with Ryanair’s bag policy page on the day you buy.
• Soft beats hard. A soft, squashable bag is easier to fit into a sizer than a rigid case.

If you’re shopping for one, here’s a search for 40 x 30 x 20 cm underseat cabin bags (ad). Please check the listed dimensions against Ryanair’s current size before you buy, because sellers don’t always measure the same way.

2. Decide if you really need Priority & 2 Cabin Bags

If one small bag isn’t enough, Ryanair’s Priority & 2 Cabin Bags option lets you bring a second, bigger bag on board: up to 10kg and 55 x 40 x 20 cm, stored in the overhead locker. It also lets you board first through the Priority Boarding queue.

The price changes by route and date, so you’ll only see your real cost in the booking screen. Here’s how I’d think about it as a family:

• Short trips: could the whole family manage with small bags only, plus one checked bag to share?
• Compare against a checked bag: sometimes one 20kg checked bag for everyone costs less than several Priority bundles. Put both options into the booking screen and compare.
• Add it at booking. Ryanair’s fees table shows bags added after booking or at the airport are usually priced higher than at the time of booking.

3. Book checked bags online and weigh them at home

Ryanair offers a 10kg Check-in Bag, a 20kg Check-in Bag (up to three per booking) and a 23kg Check-in Bag (one per booking). The 10kg Check-in Bag is dropped at the check-in desk before security and goes in the hold, so it isn’t a cabin bag.

Prices vary by route and date, and Ryanair’s fees table shows them going up if you add a bag later or at the airport. So:

• Add checked bags when you book if you know you’ll need them.
• Weigh every bag at home. A cheap set of digital luggage scales (ad) pays for itself if it stops one excess baggage charge. Weigh again before you fly home, because souvenirs add up.
• Pack smarter, not bigger. Packing cubes (ad) make it easier to share one checked bag between children and to see exactly what you’re taking.

4. Check in online to avoid the £55 airport check-in fee

This is the big one. If you don’t check in online and have to check in at the airport, Ryanair charges an airport check-in fee of £55 per passenger, per flight (as of October 2026, from its Table of Fees; it’s lower on flights from Spain and Austria). For a family of four that’s £220 for one flight, which is more than many of the fares.

The online check-in rules are simple once you know them:

• Free random seats: you can check in online from 24 hours up to 2 hours before departure.
• Reserved seats: you can check in online from 60 days before departure.
• Return flights: if you chose free seats, you’ll need to check in for your flight home while you’re away, within that 24-hour window. This is the one people forget on holiday.

Ryanair sends reminder emails 48 and 24 hours before you fly, but I’d still set a phone alarm for exactly 24 hours before each flight. If you booked through a third-party website, check Ryanair’s Help Centre for its extra steps, because it can take longer.

5. Get your digital boarding passes sorted

Since 12 November 2025, Ryanair only issues digital boarding passes in the Ryanair app. Paper boarding passes are no longer printed at home. What this means for families:

• Download the Ryanair app before you travel and check in through it or on ryanair.com.
• Each passenger gets their own digital boarding pass. An adult can hold the children’s passes, and one phone can show everyone on the booking, though Ryanair recommends each adult has their own on their own phone.
• If you’ve checked in online and your phone dies or gets lost before security, Ryanair says it will issue a free boarding pass at the airport. After security, staff at the gate can help, because you’re already on the system.
• If you don’t have a smartphone, check in online anyway and you’ll get a free boarding pass at the airport.
• Flying back from Morocco? Ryanair says you check in online as normal, then show your digital pass at the airport to collect a printed one.

Pack a charged power bank in your small bag. Your boarding passes now live on your phone, so a flat battery is the last thing you want at the gate.

6. Understand Ryanair family seating before you pay for seats

Ryanair family seating rules are one of the most searched topics, and for good reason. Here’s what Ryanair’s Family Seat Policy says:

• Children aged 2 to 11 must sit next to an accompanying adult.
• Infants (8 days to 23 months) sit on an adult’s lap.
• If you choose free random seat allocation, a child will be seated next to an accompanying adult on the same booking free of charge. Other adults and teenagers on the booking may be seated separately.
• If you reserve seats, you must choose the child’s seat next to the adult’s reserved seat. Reserving also lets you check in from 60 days before.

So you don’t have to pay for seats just to keep a young child next to a parent. You may want to pay if you’d like the whole family together, or if you have teenagers who’d rather not sit beside a stranger. Seat prices vary by route, date and seat type, so check them in the booking screen.

Travelling with a baby? Ryanair’s fees table lists an infant fee of £25 per infant, per one-way flight (as of October 2026). Infants don’t get a cabin bag of their own, but Ryanair allows a baby bag up to 5kg (45 x 35 x 20 cm) and two free baby equipment items per child, such as a pushchair and car seat, tagged at check-in or the gate. Extra baby equipment can be checked in for a fee.

7. Book at the right time and use Ryanair’s fare tools

You’ll see lots of claims online about the “cheapest day to book”. I couldn’t find any official data that proves one day is always cheapest, so I won’t pretend there is a magic day. What does help:

• Be flexible with dates. Ryanair’s Fare Finder and the fare calendar in the booking screen show prices across different days, so you can spot cheaper dates near the ones you want.
• Compare the total, not the headline fare. Add bags, seats and the infant fee before you compare with another airline or a different date.
• Think about times of day. Early morning or late flights can be priced differently, but also think about the cost of an airport hotel, a taxi or parking at odd hours.
• Book direct and check cashback. Some cashback sites offer cashback on travel bookings. If you use them, my guide to turning cashback apps into Amazon vouchers explains how to make that cashback go further. Always read the cashback site’s terms, as airlines are sometimes excluded.
• Watch the extras at checkout. Booking screens offer add-ons like car hire, insurance and fast track. Only add what you’d actually buy anyway.

8. Know what you’re owed if your flight is delayed or cancelled (UK261)

Under UK law (often called UK261), you may be owed fixed compensation if your flight is badly delayed or cancelled. The CAA says this covers flights departing from a UK airport on any airline, flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline, and flights arriving in the EU on a UK airline.

Delays: if you arrive at your destination more than three hours late, the CAA lists these amounts per person:

Cancellations: if your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice, the CAA says you may be due between £110 and £520 each, depending on how much notice you had, the distance and how late you arrive. You can also choose a refund or a replacement flight.

A few important points from the CAA:

• Compensation isn’t due if the problem was caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as extreme weather.
• Whatever the cause, during a long delay you should get food and drink, and a hotel with transport if you’re stuck overnight. If you pay yourself, keep itemised receipts and keep costs reasonable.
• If your delay is 5 hours or more, you can choose not to travel and get a refund.
• Claim with Ryanair first, for free, on its website. If you’re unhappy with the final answer, or it’s been eight weeks, you can escalate to Ryanair’s ADR scheme, which the CAA lists as AviationADR.

You don’t need to pay a claims company to do this for you. And if your trip is disrupted in other ways, check your travel insurance policy for what it covers.

More ways families can avoid Ryanair fees

• Check passports early. GOV.UK travel advice says, for Schengen countries, your passport must be issued less than 10 years before you arrive and have at least 3 months left after you leave. A rushed passport renewal can cost more than the flights.
• Allow extra time at the border. GOV.UK says the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) may mean registering at a booth and giving fingerprints or a photo. Children aged 11 and under aren’t fingerprinted but may be photographed. Missing a flight because of a queue is a very expensive “hidden fee”.
• Get the name right. Ryanair charges a fee to change a passenger’s name, so copy names exactly from each passport when you book.
• Bring snacks and empty water bottles. Fill bottles after security instead of buying drinks on board.
• Plan your holiday spending. A bank account with no foreign transaction fees can save money abroad. My guide to bank switching offers explains how switching works.
• Earn back a little. Scan your holiday shopping receipts with receipt cashback apps, and if you’re eating out before you fly or once you’re home, check my kids eat free list.

Want to get your whole family budget in shape before the next holiday? Grab my free 7-Day Financial Reset Kit.

Ryanair hidden fees: FAQs

What size is Ryanair’s free small bag?

On 10 October 2026, Ryanair’s bag policy says every fare includes one small personal bag of 40 x 30 x 20 cm, which must fit under the seat in front of you.

How much is Ryanair’s airport check-in fee?

Ryanair’s Table of Fees lists £55 per passenger, per flight, as of October 2026 (lower on flights from Spain and Austria). Checking in online is free.

Do I have to pay for seats to sit with my child on Ryanair?

Children aged 2 to 11 must sit next to an accompanying adult. Ryanair says that with free random allocation, a child is seated next to an adult on the same booking free of charge. You may choose to pay if you want the whole family together.

Can I still print a Ryanair boarding pass?

No. Since 12 November 2025, Ryanair uses digital boarding passes in its app. If you’ve checked in online and your phone dies or you don’t have a smartphone, Ryanair says you can get a free boarding pass at the airport.

How much compensation do I get if my Ryanair flight is delayed?

Under UK261, the CAA lists £220, £350, or £260 to £520 per person depending on distance, if you arrive more than three hours late and it wasn’t caused by extraordinary circumstances. Claim directly with Ryanair first.

Ryanair hidden fees: summary

• The free small bag is 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Measure it packed.
• A 10kg cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) needs Priority & 2 Cabin Bags.
• Add checked bags at booking and weigh them at home.
• Always check in online to avoid the £55 airport check-in fee.
• Boarding passes are digital only: download the app and charge your phone.
• Children aged 2 to 11 must sit next to an adult; read the family seat policy before paying for seats.
• Delayed 3+ hours or cancelled at short notice? Check UK261 and claim with Ryanair for free.

For more ways to cut everyday costs, have a look at my save money guides.

Sources and useful links

• Ryanair Help Centre: Ryanair’s Bag Policy
• Ryanair: Table of Fees
• Ryanair Help Centre: Seat Policy
• Ryanair Help Centre: Family Seat Policy
• Ryanair Help Centre: Baby equipment
• Ryanair Help Centre: Digital Boarding Pass
• CAA: Delays
• CAA: Cancellations
• CAA: Alternative dispute resolution
• GOV.UK: Spain entry requirements (passports and EES)

This is general information, not financial, legal or travel advice. I’m not connected with Ryanair. Fees and rules were taken from Ryanair’s and the CAA’s own websites on 10 October 2026, vary by route and can change at any time, so always check before you book and before you fly.

About the author: Dr Kalpana Govindaraasan is a UK mum, PhD materials scientist and former secondary science teacher. MoneySavvyUK shares practical ideas and general information with sources readers can check.

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