Ryanair (IATA: FR) is an Irish ultra-low-cost carrier and Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, carrying well over 180 million passengers a year. Rather than operating around one dominant hub, Ryanair runs dozens of bases spread across Europe, with Dublin (DUB) serving as its home and spiritual hub alongside major bases including London Stansted, Milan Bergamo, and Madrid.
Ryanair's business model is built on an all-Boeing 737 fleet and an aggressively unbundled, à la carte approach to pricing: the advertised fare only includes a small personal item, with cabin bags, checked baggage, seat selection, and priority boarding all sold as optional extras. This strict cost discipline — along with a preference for smaller, cheaper secondary airports over primary city airports — is what allows Ryanair to consistently offer some of the lowest base fares in European air travel. FareOptic compares Ryanair fares across its network to help you find the best FR ticket price.
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*All above fares are one way/round trip. Fares incl. all fuel surcharges, taxes & fees and our service fees. Displayed fares are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed at the time of booking. See all booking terms and conditions.
Ryanair has no single dominant hub — it operates dozens of bases across Europe, with Dublin as its home base.
Ryanair offers one Economy cabin with a strictly unbundled, pay-as-you-go pricing structure.
Ryanair does not run a traditional miles-based loyalty program. Instead, a free myRyanair account stores your travel details for faster booking, and optional paid fare bundles let you add commonly wanted extras in one purchase.
A free account that stores passenger and payment details, speeds up checkout, and keeps your booking confirmations and boarding passes in one place.
Ryanair's base fare — includes only a small personal item. Cabin bags, checked bags, and seat selection are all separate paid add-ons.
Adds a priority boarding slot and a larger cabin bag allowance plus a checked bag, on top of the base fare inclusions.
Ryanair's most flexible bundle, adding free date changes, priority boarding, checked baggage, and reserved seating for less last-minute hassle.
Ryanair's low base fares only include a small personal item. Cabin bags, checked bags, and seat selection are paid add-ons unless included in your fare bundle.
| Item / Policy | Regular | Plus | Flexi Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal item (fits under seat) | Included free | Included free | Included free |
| Priority + cabin bag (10kg) | Paid add-on | Included | Included |
| Checked bag (20kg) | Paid add-on | Paid add-on | Included |
| Seat selection | Paid add-on | Standard seat included | Any seat included |
Bags beyond the free small personal item are paid add-ons unless your fare bundle includes them. Fees are cheapest when purchased at booking and increase at the airport. Verify at ryanair.com.
Opens 30 days before departure and is free at ryanair.com or the Ryanair app. It is effectively mandatory — checking in at the airport desk carries a fee.
Download the Ryanair app to store your mobile boarding pass. A printed or downloaded boarding pass is required before reaching the gate.
Passengers who have not checked in online are charged an airport check-in fee, in keeping with Ryanair's unbundled pricing model.
Ryanair tickets booked directly can be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund, provided the booking was made at least 7 days before departure.
Regular fares charge a change fee plus any fare difference. Flexi Plus includes free date changes, making it worthwhile for uncertain travel plans.
Outside the 24-hour window, Regular and Plus fares are generally non-refundable in cash; cancellation does not typically return a travel credit either.
The Flexi Plus bundle offers the most forgiving change terms, letting travelers adjust dates without a separate change fee.
Ryanair's fleet consists entirely of Boeing 737 aircraft, including the newer 737 MAX 8200, simplifying operations and keeping costs low.
Snacks, drinks, and duty-free items are available for purchase onboard — there is no complimentary food or beverage service.
Ryanair frequently flies to smaller regional airports rather than a city's main airport, which helps keep fares low but may mean a longer transfer into the city center.
Ryanair is known for quick aircraft turnaround times between flights, part of the operational efficiency behind its low-cost model.
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Everything you need to know about booking Ryanair flights on FareOptic
No, not by default. Ryanair's base fare only includes one small personal item that fits under the seat in front of you. A larger cabin bag placed in the overhead locker, and any checked baggage, must be purchased separately as paid add-ons — this unbundled, à la carte pricing model is central to how Ryanair keeps its base fares so low.
No. Unlike many flag carriers, Ryanair does not operate around one dominant hub. It runs dozens of bases across Europe, with Dublin (DUB) serving as its home and spiritual hub, alongside major bases at London Stansted (STN), Milan Bergamo (BGY), Madrid (MAD), and many other cities.
Not always. Ryanair frequently serves smaller or secondary regional airports rather than a city's primary international airport — for example, Beauvais instead of central Paris, or Charleroi instead of Brussels Zaventem. Always check the exact airport code before booking ground transport.
Ryanair does not run a traditional frequent flyer miles program. Its closest equivalent is a free myRyanair account, which stores your details for faster booking, plus optional paid fare bundles — Regular, Plus, and Flexi Plus — that bundle together extras like cabin bags, seat selection, and flexible changes.
Ryanair operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet (including the 737-800 and newer 737 MAX 8200 'Gamechanger' aircraft), which simplifies maintenance, training, and operations and helps the airline keep costs — and fares — low.
Yes. Ryanair is Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, carrying well over 180 million passengers a year across an extensive network of intra-European routes from its many bases.