Money Saving Expert has revealed a simple Ryanair booking trick that could cut the cost of return flights by more than 13% on some routes. The consumer website describes the hack as "nifty" and says it can shave money off return fares by booking each leg separately rather than as a standard return ticket.
How the trick works
The trick takes advantage of the different currencies Ryanair uses depending on where a flight departs. Instead of booking a return journey in one transaction, travellers should search for the outbound flight as a one-way fare, then open a separate browser tab and search for the inbound flight independently.
Because the return flight departs from another country, Ryanair prices it in that country's currency rather than pounds. Money Saving Expert advises travellers to convert the foreign price into sterling using the Mastercard or Visa exchange rate calculators before comparing it with the cost of a conventional return ticket.
Savings tested on European routes
The website tested the trick on several European routes in June and found significant savings in some cases. A return journey from Barcelona to Manchester offered the biggest saving, with the inbound flight costing the equivalent of £21.64 when paid for in euros, compared with £25 when booked in pounds – a saving of 13.44%.
Flights from Kefalonia to London were more than 6% cheaper when paid for in euros, while Ibiza to London fares were reduced by just over 6%. Even a Warsaw to London flight was nearly 4% cheaper.
Not always cheaper
However, the trick does not always work. Money Saving Expert found that paying in Hungarian forints for a Budapest to Manchester flight actually cost 2.13% more than booking in pounds. The consumer champion says the biggest savings generally came on more expensive flights and on routes where the return leg was priced in euros rather than another foreign currency.
Travellers are also warned that any savings could quickly disappear if they pay with a debit or credit card that charges foreign transaction fees. Many banks add around 3% to overseas purchases, meaning the trick works best when using a fee-free travel card.
Avoid Ryanair's exchange rate
Money Saving Expert also warns passengers to avoid accepting Ryanair's own exchange rate during checkout. After entering payment details, customers may be shown the cost in pounds using what Ryanair describes as a "guaranteed exchange rate". Instead, travellers are advised to click "more information" and opt out of the airline's currency conversion, allowing their own bank or card provider to process the payment using its exchange rate, which is typically more favourable.
While the savings won't transform the cost of a holiday, the website says the simple trick could be worth checking before booking, particularly for expensive return flights where even a small percentage difference can leave travellers with extra spending money once they arrive.
