Ryanair passengers could be paying more than necessary when booking flights. The MoneySavingExpert team suggests that selecting the correct currency at checkout can lead to savings. While the amount may not always be significant, on certain routes it could cover an airport snack or two, and for frequent travellers, the savings can add up.
The simple switch that can cut the fare
The trick involves splitting a return trip into two separate one-way bookings. The return leg is often priced in the currency of the departure country. Comparing that cost with Ryanair’s default pound price can reveal savings. MoneySavingExpert advises doing a quick comparison before paying.
Potential savings increase with more expensive flights, but depend on the currency. The team wrote: "Generally speaking, the more expensive the flight, the bigger the potential saving." In their spot check, paying in euros led to bigger savings than non-euro currencies like Polish zloty or Hungarian forint, which could actually be more expensive than pounds.
Examples from their research:
- Warsaw to London: £55.09 (GBP) vs £53.04 (Polish złoty) — 3.72% cheaper
- Ibiza to London: £82 (GBP) vs £77 (Euro) — 6.1% cheaper
- Kefalonia to London: £119 (GBP) vs £111.64 (Euro) — 6.18% cheaper
- Barcelona to Manchester: £25 (GBP) vs £21.64 (Euro) — 13.44% cheaper
- Budapest to Manchester: £63 (GBP) vs £64.34 (Hungarian Forint) — 2.13% more expensive
MoneySavingExpert’s method: search for the outbound flight as a one-way ticket, then in a separate tab search for the return leg as a one-way ticket. The return flight will be in the currency of the departure country. Check the equivalent in pounds using the Mastercard or Visa currency converters, then compare the total cost with a standard Ryanair return flight.
One big warning before you commit
This strategy works best if your card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, often around 3%. Travel-friendly accounts, app-based banks, and some fee-free options from traditional banks are recommended.
Even with the right card, Ryanair may try to steer you into its own conversion rate. MoneySavingExpert advises not to accept Ryanair’s 'guaranteed exchange rate'. They said: "After you enter your card details, look out for a sneaky message showing the cost of your ticket in pounds (using Ryanair's exchange rate). You have to click on 'more information' to opt out and use your bank's exchange rate instead (likely to mean a much bigger saving)."
