Budget Travel - best strategy for buying RyanAir tickets?

I plan to fly to Morocco on RyanAir next April. I've never flown them before and am not particularly looking forward to it, but they seem to have the best fares/service on my route.

The April schedule isn't loaded yet, but in looking at the website, it seems like they're more likely to offer promo fares a month or two out. So am I better off buying when the schedule opens, or wait for a deal? I'm travelling around Easter time, so I wonder if demand might spike, making it better to just buy when the schedule opens.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Buying tickets for Ryanair is a black art. I guess there are no right or wrong answers.

In general, they gave regular promotions, usually changing on Mondays and Fridays. These are typically for the next two months, excluding the next two weeks. They are often 'free' (= 1p), £1, 1.50, £2, £5 and son on. (Same figures for prices in €.) Today's offer prices are £/€4.99 for a number of destinations. Today's price for LTN-Marrakesh is from £36.22.

Important caveat: All Holidays, School Breaks and Major Sporting Events are excluded from this offer

Any promotional fares are unlikely to include holidays. I'd be inclined to book as soon as you have firm dates, remembering that it is in practise very difficult to change dates. (Possible, but expensive).

Good luck!

Hi, in general I book Ryanair as early as possible for the cheapest fares. although they do have fare sales from time to time. Watch out for extra fees and charges! You will likely have to pay checkin fees, credit card processing fees and baggage handling fees. The base fare should be very cheap, no more than about 20 euros in my experience.

Have a backup plan just in case the flight is cancelled - you will be left stranded if that happens!

Having said that, they do get you from A-B and I have never personally had a flight cancelled. I have seen it happen to others though.

Thanks, guys.

By coincidence, the schedule opened today! The fare was only 10 Euros, and since my travel plans are fixed, I bought it, figuring it was pointless to wait (especially since the bulk of the cost of flying Ryanair is fees).

What's the deal with cancellations? They only fly my route (from Seville) a couple times a week, so I couldn't realistically wait for the next flight. Am I just stranded to fend for myself? And what are the statistical odds of this happening?

And now I have to figure out if I need to check any luggage. I bought none. Up until I do the on-line check-in, I can buy luggage for 15 euros a bag, right?

Thanks for the help.

The fare was only 10 Euros, and since my travel plans are fixed, I bought it, figuring it was pointless to wait (especially since the bulk of the cost of flying Ryanair is fees).^
What's the deal with cancellations? ... Am I just stranded to fend for myself?You should be protected by EU legislation. Howver, Ryanair have been known to duck and dive. As jfisher21 recommends, try to have a backup.And what are the statistical odds of this happening?I don't know of published statistics by route. However, their canx and delay rate is better than most (all?) other airlines.Up until I do the on-line check-in, I can buy luggage for 15 euros a bag, right?Yes, the first bag of 15kg or less. Keep an eye on http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=fees and http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

Adding baggage to a 0 baggage reservation incurs a change fee of €25 per passenger per one way flight in addition to the bag fee.

Adding baggage to a 0 baggage reservation incurs a change fee of €25 per passenger per one way flight in addition to the bag fee.

Ah, so it would now cost me 40 Euros to check a bag! Didn't see that coming. Oh well, more incentive to travel light. I guess we're going to travel VERY light!



EDIT: I looked through the rules again and didn't see anything about "Adding baggage to a 0 baggage reservation incurs a change fee of €25 per passenger per one way flight in addition to the bag fee." Where is THAT? :)

... Flight Change Fees* - Per Passenger/ Per One Way Flight £25 / €25 / £55 / €55 ...

* Up to 4 hours prior to your scheduled departure you can contact your local Ryanair reservations centre to add: flight change fees (route/date/time), name change fees, infant fees, baggage fees, priority boarding fees, sports, infant equipment and musical instrument fee ...In the second of the two links I posted above: http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

You can also do this online via Manage My Booking.

Sorry!

I guess we're going to travel VERY light!

Truly. There's no wiggle room on the size of the carry-ons either. So take the sizing requirements very seriously, as those sizers are pretty small.

What's the deal with cancellations?
If they cancel the route several weeks before flying then all you'll get is your money back. If they cancel your flight then they'll put you on the next available flight - which may be several weeks away.

You can try to get the EU mandated money out of them but if you succeed then put your life savings on the lottery as you are obviously having a good week

In the second of the two links I posted above: http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

You can also do this online via Manage My Booking.

Sorry!

I still don't see how checking luggage incurs a reservation "change fee" -- bringing the price of a first checked bag to 40 Euros. That's just not spelled out -- and a huge trap for those who don't know their procedures. No airline in the US requires the pax to determine their luggage needs when they buy their ticket. They'd be slammed in court if they imposed this kind of fee without full disclosure during the ticketing process.

Just because passengers don't understand is not in itself a reason. I don't understand how the legacy carriers can still get away with so-called fuel surcharges, which in fact are revenue and should be part of the price. They do, though.

When we added a bag to a nil baggage booking online, we were hit with the combined charge - baggage fee and change fee. As always with Ryanair, things may change and YMMV.

Give them a call to discuss. Better yet, try to make the change online - you can do this before clicking the button to pay - and you'll see what they want you to pay. If you're happy, go ahead. If not, don't.

Give them a call to discuss. Better yet, try to make the change online - you can do this before clicking the button to pay - and you'll see what they want you to pay. If you're happy, go ahead. If not, don't.

Yeah, I went to "manage my reservations," and I only saw the 15 euro bag fee. But I didn't hit "continue" to pay -- fearing that Ryanair (who I'm obviously leery of) wouldn't let me go back to "0 bags." Ideally, I like to know in advance what will happen. :) Reading the rules, I would think I'm not subject to the extra 25 euro fee as long as I don't add baggage AFTER I check in.

I honestly don't know yet whether I can "live with" only carry on luggage. I'm travelling for 10 days, and I don't think I can "survive" with only 22 pounds unless I bring very few clothes and keep doing laundry. I'll also have to strip my suitcase of all non-essential "gear" -- including tourbooks, reading material, and maybe things like a sunglass case, etc. And then I need to find a scale -- since I see the excess luggage fee at the airport is completely insane! Not sure why they want to hassle their customers to this extreme. Seems like a very bad business strategy, at least to an American traveller.

If it were me (which it's not, of course), I'd probably go for the 1 bag and hope it's €15 each way. Remember the weight limit, just 15kg (33 lbs).

There are those who say it's better value to take cabin baggage, use clothes etc for a few days, then throw them away and buy new. I'm not in that camp! IMO 10kg cabin baggage is OK for 2-3 days or so.

Both checked and cabin baggage are ruthlessly checked. There have been reported cases of checked bags being OK at STN (not your airport) but over the limit when returning even without extra purchases. We have one of those portable scales devices - hang the bag on a hook to check the weight. Also, Ryanair's cabin bag dimensions are slightly smaller than other airlines'.

I have flown Ryanair over 10 times in the last two years and never had, or heard of any problems with cancellations. Your travel insurance should have some cover as well?

Use a Visa electron card is another tip, but probably useless as you have bought them!

I have flown Ryanair over 10 times in the last two years and never had, or heard of any problems with cancellations. Your travel insurance should have some cover as well?

Use a Visa electron card is another tip, but probably useless as you have bought them!

Travel insurance? What's that? :) I travel so much I "self insure."

As far as Visa electron goes, yeah, I looked at that when I saw it was worth 5 euros per pax. Unfortunately, there seems to be no way for an American to get a Visa electron account.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no way for an American to get a Visa electron account.
Try Entropay for a virtual visa card - but it's got to be in GBP

http://ryanair.site-forums.com/ryanair-news-f1/total-price--electron-t600.htm

I guess we're going to travel VERY light!

I am presuming that you are traveling with your family. If so, I'd employ this strategy:

* Get canvas gym bags for everyone, if they don't have them already. These are much lighter than suitcases. You'll just have to put up with the inconvenience of carrying them. These can easily be packed with several outfits and a bunch of underwear and socks, and a few books, and you can still make the Ryanair carry-on requirements.

* Get a larger canvas bag, or duffel, or the lightest-weight suitcase you can find. Put everyone's extra shoes, etc. in this one. You will still want to keep the total weight under 15 kg, of course. This one you will have to check.

I hope this isn't a trip that requires winter clothes. If so, everyone wears them on the plane.

Then you can have one (or maybe two) checked bags, and the price spread out over all your family members is not so bad.

As for a backup strategy, several points to keep in mind:
* Ryanair's overall on-time/not-canceling record is excellent. It's just that their service recovery in the few bad cases is reputed to be terrible.

* If you are taking Ryanair to connect to a flight back to the US, don't do so from a limited-circulation route. For example, if you were going back to London from Spain to catch a flight home, don't fly back out of Seville, but fly back out of Madrid. You have many more options out of a larger center.

* If something happens to your flight, either on the outbound or inbound, Ryanair might want to send you somewhere else on some other available flight to fulfill their obligations. (E.g. Bristol instead of Manchester, etc.) It's either that or wait days or weeks.

* Ryanair can change their schedule at anytime up to X days before departure with no compensation. Thus, it's risky to plan a route that involves connecting up with your USA flights, either on the inbound or outbound.

All that said, most of the time you can get away with no forethought or planning in this regard whatsoever, but it's just now and then that doesn't work out.

You will still want to keep the total weight under 15 kg, of course. This one you will have to check.
For a "reasonable" (well reasonable by Ryanair standards) fee each person can now check 2 bags with up to 30kg with each bag weighing up to 15kg. However it's still cheaper for 2 people to check one bag each

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=checkedbaggageallowance

As for cabin luggage Ryanair, like most of the low costs use 55cm x 40cm x 20cm for the size which includes anything that sticks out like handles or wheels. Ryanair will charge £30 / €30 to gate check anything it decides is too big or too heavy.

And note that when they say one piece of cabin luggage they mean ONE PIECE OF CABIN LUGGAGE, not one piece plus a purse / backpack / duty free / lunch / newspapers / books / Spanish donkey...

Travel insurance? What's that? :) I travel so much I "self insure."

As far as Visa electron goes, yeah, I looked at that when I saw it was worth 5 euros per pax. Unfortunately, there seems to be no way for an American to get a Visa electron account.
Fair enough re insurance. As mentioned, a virtual card may have been a possibility.

Thanks for all the tips, guys. I looked at that Entropay site. Am I correct that you have to pay 4.95% to transfer money into the account? When you then add the currency conversion fees, this doesn't sound like much of a savings for most Ryanair fares.

I like the duffel bag idea -- at least duffels for the kids that I can then hook on to a (small) rollerboard.

We're headed to Morocco in April, so I figure I don't need that many heavy clothes. Within reason, you can wear as many as you like onto the aircraft (including a coat), right? And I assume you can take off that coat and put it in the overhead bin? This must be a common spectacle of undressing!

I still haven't seen anything about whether it costs more than 15 Euros to add checked luggage to a zero bag rez.

If Ryanair changes my flight (by many hours or day), I can get my money back, right?

While I am flying back to the US, I'm leaving at least a day in each direction to make my connections. So that shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for all the tips, guys. I looked at that Entropay site. Am I correct that you have to pay 4.95% to transfer money into the account? When you then add the currency conversion fees, this doesn't sound like much of a savings for most Ryanair fares.
It's £5 per person per flight to use a CC - so for a family of 4 that's £40 for a return trip. Even if your bank is charging 5% currency conversion fee you are still saving money on a flight bill of £400 - and most flights with Ryanair are a lot cheaper than that.

And I bet a lot of people can tell you where to get an account that charges a lot less than that for Forex

If Ryanair changes my flight (by many hours or day), I can get my money back, right?
If the change is more than 12 hours then you'll (eventually) get your money back. Otherwise you use it or lose it