Ryanair has announced a major change to its check-in system that will come into effect later this year. The budget airline is extending the time passengers have to check in their luggage before a flight, a move it says could provide more time for travellers to clear security and reduce the number of people missing their flights.
New Check-In Deadline
From Tuesday, November 10, 2026, check-in and bag drop services at all Ryanair airports will close 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Previously, these services closed 40 minutes before departure. The change applies to all passengers who need to check in a bag, which accounts for around 20 per cent of Ryanair's customers.
Ryanair Chief Marketing Officer Dara Brady explained: "From Tues 10 Nov next, Ryanair customers will see airport check-in and bag drops close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of today's 40 minutes. This will allow these 20 per cent of our customers (who check in a bag) more time to clear through airport security and passport queues, and get to their departure gate on-time, especially during busy travel periods when some of these airport queues can be longer."
Self-Service Kiosks
The change coincides with the installation of more self-service bag-drop kiosks across the Ryanair network. By October 2026, over 95 per cent of airports served by the airline will have these kiosks. The self-service kiosks are fully integrated with the Ryanair app, allowing passengers to check in bags and print bag tags, which the airline says speeds up the bag-drop process and reduces waiting times.
Brady added: "We are also installing self-service kiosks at over 95 per cent of Ryanair airports before October. This means a quicker bag-drop service, less queuing at airport desks, and an even more punctual service for the 20 per cent of our customers who still wish to check-in a bag, while the 80 per cent (who don't check-in a bag) will be unaffected by this small 20 minute change, as they will continue to check-in online before they arrive at the departure airport and they go straight through airport security to their departure gate."
For more information, passengers are advised to visit the Ryanair website.
