Ryanair have increased their baggage prices for cabin bags and check-in bags, which could really take the shine off that next bargain flight.
In this article, we’ll explain the new Ryanair bag charges, share the details on exactly what’s gone up and how you can still avoid these costs.
What Are the New Ryanair Cabin Bag Charges?
In October 2024, and again in March 2025, Ryanair updated their baggage fees – and the bad news is some prices have gone up.
What’s more, they’re not too obvious at first, so we think they could well catch a few people out who haven’t noticed the changes.
In fact, let’s see if you can spot the differences for yourself.
These are the prices from July 2024:
And here are the current prices:
Did you spot them?
Well either way, we’re going to break all the changes down for you…
How Much Do I Now Pay To Add a Bag to My Booking?
We’ve got the lowdown on the new Ryanair bag charges and how much it costs you to add luggage to your booking:
Small cabin bag
- No price change
On Ryanair, a small bag is a bag that measures no more than 40x30x20cm and fits under the seat in front of you.
The good news is that these bags are still free on Ryanair – there’s no change here.
In fact, Ryanair recently increased the maximium dimensions of their small cabin bag – you can read more about the reasons why below.
Large cabin bag
On Ryanair, a large cabin bag is a bag that measures no more than 55x40x20cm, and goes in the overhead locker.
The only way you can now pay for a large cabin bag on Ryanair is to buy Priority, which gets you a small cabin bag, a large cabin bag and allows you onto the plane first.
The amount you’ll pay to add Priority could depend on the route you’re taking,the time of day that you fly and also when you purchased your flight.
Buying Priority at time of booking
- Price change
Purchasing Priority at the same as booking your flight now costs you £12-£36.
Old price: £6-£36
New price: £12-£36
Buying Priority post booking or at airport
- Price change
You could now end up paying a fair bit more if you add Priority after you’ve booked your flight, both online or at the airport.
Old price: £20-£38
New price: £20-£60
Oversize bags
On Ryanair, an oversize bag is a small cabin bag or large cabin bag that doesn’t fit into the baggage sizer that matches its maximum allowed dimensions.
Sadly, fees have also gone up for oversize bags. So if you’re someone who likes to live on the edge and risk bringing along an oversize bag (who? me?), you’ll now face pricier charges if it doesn’t fit in the baggage sizer.
Paying to check your bag in at airport bag drop
- Price change
Old price: £35.99
New price: £35.99 – £40
Paying to check your bag in at departure gate
- Price change
Old price: £46
New price: £46 – 60
If your small bag is found to be too big at the departure gate, don’t automatically check it into the hold. You can purchase Priority up until 40 minutes before your scheduled departure time, as long as it hasn’t sold out, which lets you add a large cabin bag to your ticket. Check the price and availability of Priority, and if it’s less than the check-in charge, then you’ll save money AND get to keep your bag with you in the cabin!
10 kg check-in bag
A 10kg check-in bag is a bag or case that weighs up to 10kg and goes in the hold. It has to be dropped at the airport check-in desk before security.
And there’s now a bigger range of prices you pay for a 10kg check-in bag.
Buying at time of booking
- Price change
Old price: £11.99 – £29.99
New price: £9.49 – £44.99
Buying post booking or at airport
- Price change
Old price: £23.99 – £35.99
New price: £23.99 – £44.99
20 kg check-in bag
A 20kg check-in bag is a bag or case that weighs between 10-20kg and goes in the hold. It has to be dropped at the airport check-in desk before security.
If you add a 20kg bag after you’ve booked, there’s a new range of prices you’ll pay. The lowest charge has actually gone down by £5, but the upper limit remains the same.
Buying at time of booking
- No price change
Adding a 20kg bag at the same time as booking your flight will cost you the same as before.
Buying post booking or at airport
- Price change
Old price: £44.99 – £59.99
New price: £39.99 – £59.99
Yep, there’s actually potential for this price to go down versus what you used to pay!!
23 kg check-in bag
Ryanair have introduced an increased weight limit option for a check-in bag.
This is a bag that weighs between 20-23kg and goes in the hold.
It’s only available as an option while booking online – it cannot be added afterwards either at the airport or through customer service.
Here are the prices you’ll pay – they vary quite considerably as you can see, depending on the route.
Buying at time of booking
- New
New price: £29.99 – £80.99
Excess baggage
Excess baggage is when your 10kg check-in bag or 20kg check-in bag is over the weight limit. Fees for excess baggage weight have gone up slightly, and there’s no longer an option to purchase this online before you fly.
- Price change
Old price: £9-11 per kilo
New price: £13 per kilo
Fee for Special Declaration of Valuable Baggage
Ryanair have introduced a new charge to cover expensive items.
If you are travelling with a high-value item – which includes mobility aids – they suggest you add a special baggage liability cover called ‘Checked Baggage Special Declaration of Value’ .
This safeguards against loss or damage to the item, increasing their insurance liability limit. You request this at the airport ticket desk, not while booking.
Buying at airport
- New
New price: £50
Why Have Ryanair Introduced New Cabin Bag Charges?
It seems that Ryanair want to encourage you to purchase Priority when you book, rather than choosing it later on. The price of Priority hasn’t changed for passengers who book it at the same time as their flight – it’s only changed for people adding it afterwards.
On Ryanair’s website, they say that they only have 100 Priority slots per flight. This limits the number of large cabin bags, which keeps things moving – faster boarding, less time trying to find space for bags in the overhead lockers, and more prompt departures. According to Ryanair, this keeps costs low for them, which means low fares for us.
How Can You Avoid the New Ryanair Baggage Charges?
We’re happy to say that you can avoid some of these charges by getting organised and booking all your luggage when you book your flight.
As for check-in bags, the only one that will definitely cost you more at the time of booking than previous prices is the 10kg check-in bag, so have a think about whether that’s definitely what you need for your upcoming flight.
Overall, the best step forward is to make sure you know what luggage you’re allowed on your next Ryanair flight, and that you’ve added it to your booking before you hit check out.
