Martin Lewis's MoneySavingExpert website has shared tips for Ryanair customers, including a method that involves booking outbound and return flights separately. This approach can reduce the cost of a flight when flying with the budget airline.
How the separate booking trick works
The advice is to search for the outbound flight as a one-way ticket, then search for the return flight in a second browser session. When searched this way, the return flight appears in the currency of the country you are flying from, which is often cheaper than paying in pounds.
However, the experts warn that this may not be cheaper if your bank charges a foreign transaction fee, so it is worth checking before booking. Customers also need to opt out of Ryanair's guaranteed exchange rate, otherwise they will still pay in pounds rather than euros or other foreign currencies.
Other ways to avoid Ryanair fees
While this method often leads to savings when travelling within Europe, it can sometimes be more expensive when purchasing with non-Euro currencies. To avoid extra charges at the airport, travellers should ensure their cabin bag and checked luggage fit the airline's rules, as budget airlines are typically stricter on these.
Passengers flying with Ryanair also need to check in and download ahead of time, otherwise they may have to pay up to £40 per person, per flight. For a family of four, that would amount to £220 before boarding the plane.
