When traveling with Ryanair, one of the key steps to ensuring a smooth journey is printing your boarding pass at the correct time. Ryanair, as a budget airline, offers various services with a few differences from traditional carriers, including their boarding pass rules. Printing your boarding pass in advance is important, as failing to do so could lead to additional costs at the airport. This article will explain the different timelines and scenarios for when you can print your Ryanair boarding pass, and why timing is critical for a hassle-free experience.
Online Check-In: The Starting Point
Before you can print your boarding pass, you need to complete Ryanair’s online check-in process. The timing for this check-in process varies depending on whether you’ve purchased a seat or not.
- For Reserved Seat Holders:
If you’ve paid to reserve a seat, you can check in online 60 days before your scheduled flight departure. This gives you a lot of flexibility to plan ahead, print your boarding pass, and avoid any last-minute issues. Passengers who have reserved seats are given priority in this regard, as part of the paid-for seat selection package. - For Non-Reserved Seat Holders:
If you’ve opted for a more budget-friendly approach and haven’t paid to reserve a seat, the online check-in window opens only 48 hours before departure. This option is more limited, and you must ensure you check in within this shorter time frame.
Ryanair encourages all passengers to complete online check-in early, regardless of whether they have paid for a reserved seat or not. Completing check-in ahead of time allows passengers to avoid fees and save time at the airport.
How to Print Your Boarding Pass
Once you’ve completed the online check-in process, Ryanair will issue your boarding pass, which you can either print or download to your smartphone via their app. While printing is an option, many travelers prefer to use mobile boarding passes for added convenience.
To print your boarding pass:
- Go to the Ryanair website and log in to your account.
- Navigate to the ‘Check-in’ section and follow the steps to input your details and finalize check-in.
- After successful check-in, you will see an option to download or print your boarding pass. Select ‘Print Boarding Pass’ if you prefer a physical copy.
It’s important to note that once the boarding pass is printed, you should keep it safe and bring it with you to the airport. Ryanair charges a hefty fee for printing boarding passes at the airport, often around €20-€30 per pass, which is a cost easily avoided by printing at home.
Mobile Boarding Passes
If you prefer a paperless option, you can also choose to download the boarding pass to your smartphone via the Ryanair app. This is particularly convenient for travelers who prefer to avoid carrying additional papers or printing their boarding passes. However, make sure your phone is fully charged before heading to the airport, as you’ll need access to the app when passing through security and at the boarding gate.
Special Considerations
Some airports may not accept mobile boarding passes, so if you’re flying from a location that doesn’t support them, printing a physical boarding pass is still necessary. Ryanair will alert you if this is the case during the check-in process.
Additionally, certain passengers such as those traveling with children, special needs passengers, or non-EU/EEA travelers may need to visit the check-in desk for document verification, even if they have already checked in online. In these cases, having a printed boarding pass is still advisable to speed up the process.
Conclusion: Plan Ahead
In summary, Ryanair’s boarding pass printing rules are straightforward but come with specific time frames depending on your seat selection. To avoid unnecessary fees and stress at the airport, ensure you print your boarding pass after completing online check-in. Whether you choose to print your boarding pass or use a mobile version, the key is to check in early and stay prepared for your journey.