Free Pimm's & lemonade
3x Clematis plants £7.50
Jones Bootmaker 30% offThey've more bolt-ons than Frankenstein. Budget airlines often describe taking baggage, checking in and even just paying as £100s added extras.
Be it Ryanair, Easyjet or Flybe, this guide has tricks to fly smoothly over those hurdles, including special payment routes, free check-in and baggage allowance busting.
In this guide
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Travel Money Checklist
The five facts everyone should know
If you only remember five things about this, make them:
1 Ryanair check-in's free with 'all taxes & charges' sales
Ryanair regularly holds 'including all taxes and charges' sales. The beauty of these is that you don't have to pay its £14 return online check-in fee or £5 return EU levies, though you have to pay it with all other fights.
With all others, even those that look very cheap, you pay for check-in.
2 You can beat payment charges
With most airlines, you can now avoid card charges simply by paying by debit card. Though it's impossible to avoid Easyjet's £10 per transaction fee, or Ryanair's £14 per return fee. See Avoid card charges for details.
3 Only take hand luggage
No airlines charge for hand luggage (yet) and up to 10kg is normally fine, though check size restrictions. More cases are now specifically built within these limits, and buying these is often cheaper than baggage charges.
It's amazing what you can fit into 10kg. See Hand-luggage only tips below.
4 Use £10 flights finders
Budget airlines have huge adverts for £10 or half price sales, yet these flights are tough to find. To crack this, use our FlightChecker.
Simply opt to 'find any £10-and-under including taxes & charges (but not added extras) Barcelona flights in August', or set a price and pick 'I'll go anywhere'.
5 Avoid check-in fees
One fury-inducing charge is up to £140 per person, per return for airport check-in. So do it free online first. Still, it's much cheaper than at the airport.
Always print your boarding pass before you go. If you've printer problems, it's usually cheaper to find an internet cafe than pay the fee for not bringing the boarding pass. More tricks to avoid check-in fees below.
Speedily find the cheapest tickets
There should be a law against hideous add-on charges, but as politicians won't sort it, we must take matters into our own hands.
Budget airlines can sell flights for miniscule prices because that's all you're paying for: just a flight. The only extras you get are the charges companies include to claw back the cash. Though remember:
Book the right way and you can still sometimes fly for less than a tenner each way in total.
Though if you're not careful, it could cost you big. A family of four on a Ryanair £10 each-way sale return (including taxes and check-in fees) in September, paying by debit card, taking two suitcases (not pre-booked) and forgetting to print boarding passes would have to pay… £736!
That's £14 return for debit card payments (£56 total), £200 return for each suitcase in its peak period (£400) and £70 for boarding pass re-issue (£280) one-way. We'd hope they wouldn't make the same mistake coming back.
Always check that price includes costs such as air passenger duty and tax, commonly £30-£50. Then, of course, there will be the other optional charges too.
Find the cheapest flights
Budget airlines take huge adverts out for £10 or half price sales yet these flights are tough to find. To crack this, always check sale details. Sales are always for set times, such as September only, and specific destinations, so restrict the search to those.
- Use a £10 flights finder
We found this 'tough to find' issue so annoying, we built the FlightChecker tool. Simply opt to 'find any £15-and-under including taxes & charges' (but not added extras) Venice flights in July' or set a price and pick "I'll go anywhere". - Don't assume budget airlines are cheapest
If you've specific dates in mind, check it's cheap via comparison sites. The top picks: Skyscanner*, TravelSupermarket* and Kayak*. Full help in the Cheap Flights guide.
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Don't pay to pay
Under an agreement with the OFT, most airlines including those listed in this guide, now include debit card surcharges in the headline ticket price rather than surprising consumers at the end of the booking process. Full info in the MSE News story: Airlines forced to display fees upfront.
With most airlines, you can now avoid extra card charges (though sadly not booking charges), simply by paying by debit card. However, if the flights cost more than £100, pay on a credit card to get extra protection. See the Section 75 guide for full info.
Ryanair - admin fee unavoidable
Since 1 December you can no longer escape Ryanair's £7 each way fee by using its Cash Passport Mastercard (see the MSE News story about Ryanair fees).
All passengers pay £7 per flight each way, plus a 2% fee for using a credit card.
Flybe, Jet2 & Thomson Airways - debit cards
Flybe, Jet2 and Thomson Airways now let you pay for free with a debit card. Book with a credit card and you'll pay extra.
Easyjet - admin fee unavoidable
Sadly, Easyjet passengers can no longer escape a £10 fee for the privilege of booking a flight, as the airline now charges for using a Visa Electron card. It's £10 with a debit card, £10 on Visa Electron and £10 + 2.5% with credit card.
These are per transaction, not per flight or person. See the Easyjet fees hike MSE News story.
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Beat baggage fees
If you want to stow luggage in the hold, expect to pay £20 to £135 per case return. Plus the weight allowance budget airlines allow can be lower than elsewhere, at 15kg to 20kg.
Wear your luggage
Most airlines will give you a free 10kg hand luggage allowance, so work out first if that's enough for all your holiday gear. It's amazing what you can fit into 10kg. To help minimise weight, wear your heaviest clothes and shoes.
Use your home scales. If you're near the weight limit, put heavy gear in your pockets then stow your jacket under your seat on the plane.
Then again, you could take it to the extreme. For an ITV Tonight programme, Martin wore a special US survivalist jacket on a Ryanair flight. It contained a laptop, two books, a towel, passports, a T-shirt, socks, magazines and much more. Even though it was heavier than hand luggage, they don't have rules to stop it… yet.
Martin wore a 22-pocket US Scottevest. It ain't cheap, so check your wardrobe or try a camping or army surplus store. One thing to look out for is a jacket with a poacher's pocket, a deep lower pocket at the back where hunters keep game.
Another option is a Rufus Roo specialist big-pocket jacket at £29.95, plus £3.95 delivery. We asked forumites to road-test it - typical feedback: "Fits in a lot of stuff, more than I expected. No hassle through check-in or security", and "It isn't the most stylish, but it's very lightweight.". See more reviews and pictures.
Pre-plan your packing
It's usually cheaper to book cases online in advance, so decent planning is important. Think carefully about minimising the number of cases you need to take, though bear in mind strict size restrictions.
Only take hand luggage
For short sojourns, hand luggage to go in the cabin is the way forward. So far, no airline charges for this.
It'll save you hanging out at the baggage carousel too. In most cases, you do get a free 10kg hand luggage allowance, so take full advantage. Thomson Airways gives you just 5kg, mind.
Stick to carry-on rules
You must carry liquids and gels in individual, 100ml-maximum containers. You're allowed to carry more than one 100ml container so you could decant sunscreen into two 100ml bottles. All liquid containers must be in one transparent, resealable bag.
If you're taking make-up or liquids, put them in a clear plastic bag, or you may be charged £1 for one.
Use the scales at home
Always weigh your baggage, never assume. Even 1kg over can cost up to £20 extra.
If you've no scales, a cheeky trick is to nip over to any empty airline's check-in desk and weigh the bag on its built-in scales; they should work whether the desk is open or not. Cram the excess into your hand luggage.
Don't assume more bags means more weight
Beware, more bags don't always mean more weight. On Easyjet you get a 20kg per person total, even with three bags.
You can't usually share weight allowances
Family members often can't pool allowances, so don't think one can take 8kg and another 30kg. Often, young children can't take baggage either.
Leave space for the way back
Most people return home from a holiday with more than they took (see the Cheap Travel Money guide for getting the best rates if you're going to spend). If you plan to shop, leave space in your luggage for the return.
Trash it
Overweight case at the airport? Consider whether it's worth paying the excess or throwing things away.
There are very few things that cost more than £20/kg so if you have to, it's sadly cheaper to chuck beach towels and the like and buy at home, than pay the excess. Though, of course, there's an environmental aspect to this.
Avoid check-in fees
One fury-inducing charge is up to £140 per person, per return for airport check-in. So if your airline charges at the airport, do it free online first. Though Ryanair still charges £7, it's still much cheaper than at the airport.
Always print your documents
Once you've checked in online, always print your boarding pass. If you've printer problems, it's nearly always cheaper to find an internet cafe than pay the fee for not bringing the pass.
| Budget airline check-in charges | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online check in per person, per return | Airport check in per person, per return | ||||
| Ryanair | £14 ¹ | £140 | |||
| Easyjet | Free | Free | |||
| Flybe | Free | Free | |||
| Jet2 | Free / £12 ² | £17.50 | |||
| Thomson Airways | N/A | Free | |||
Use these tips to fly over the final few hurdles:
Sit together without paying more
Airlines usually charge to book seats and ensure you sit together. To beat this:
- Turn up early
If seats are unassigned, turn up for your flight as early as possible and lurk by the boarding entrance to boost chances of grabbing a prime spot. If seats are assigned at check-in, do it online, early, to ensure you sit together. - Find the best seats online
Check the plane's layout on Seatguru, which shows the best and worst seats on different airlines' planes. If there is a choice of seats at check-in, you can pick the good'uns. - Do you need priority boarding?
Priority boarding simply means you'll be first on the plane to pick seats. One trick's to pay for priority boarding for just the biggest, burliest member of your party, who then gets on and saves the seats for you.
Some MoneySavers with families say priority boarding's worth it, others reckon it's still a big free-for-all and priority boarders don't always get on first. Remember these are generally short-haul flights lasting a few hours, so unless you've kids it's not the end of the world.
Don't book on the phone
Some budget carriers will charge for booking your flight over the phone. They also use premium rate numbers if you need to contact them. Use online services if you can.
Take your own snacks and sarnies
Keep costs down by taking your food on the plane and buying drinks from the terminal shop before boarding.
Airline-by-airline fee fighting
While the big catches above are common to all budgeteers, true to form, each has their own charging quirks to get a final snack on our cash. This is a quick guide to each, plus the Travel forum board has a wealth of expertise if you're stuck.
Ryanair cost-cutting
Unsurprisingly, the company with the lowest flight costs is the add-on charge king, so it pays to be uber-cautious. Especially important here is checking in online, spotting 'taxes and charges' sales and avoiding its expensive travel insurance.
See more Ryanair booking tips
- Always, always, always check in online
You must check in online with Ryanair and print your boarding cards. Forget to print or take them with you, and you might as well charter a private jet, as it'll cost a mammoth £70 per person each way to get them reprinted at the airport, even if it was a sale flight.
A family of four faces a shocking £280 each-way bill on top of their ticket price in this event. If your holiday is shorter than 15 days, print off the return pass at the same time as the outbound to save the hassle of finding an internet cafe abroad.
Online check-in costs £7 (unless it's an 'including all charges' sale), is open 15 days before you go and shuts four hours before your flight's due to depart.
- Look for all taxes and charges sales
Ryanair regularly runs £15-and-under flight sales, some of which include all taxes and charges. The beauty of these is you don't have to pay the £7 each way online check-in fee.
Ryanair also adds £5 per return EU levies to cover the cost of compensating customers for cancellations and delays. You don't pay these for Ryanair's 'including all taxes and charges' sales, but must on other flights.
- Select 'Don't cover me' to avoid insurance
Some airlines pre-tick an insurance box, automatically adding travel insurance. While Ryanair doesn't automatically include insurance, you still need to be careful.
The airline asks you which country you live in for the purpose of buying insurance. From the drop-down menu then displayed, make sure you click 'travel without insure'. If you click United Kingdom, you'll be charged.
You can get far cheaper travel insurance elsewhere - see Cheap Travel Insurance. - You can usually amend name mistakes for £10
Ryanair charges £110 per return to change the named passenger. However, it's uncharacteristically sympathetic to innocent errors, for example, if you booked a Ryanair flight under the name Matt, rather than Matthew, as shown on your passport.
If you enter an incorrect nickname, typo or old maiden name, call its helpline and it will usually amend for a £10 admin fee.
However, if you want to a change a passenger, say, Ariel Hassle to Justin Credible, it charges £110 to alter the ticket (£160 at the airport). Ryanair's press office says this fee's to stop travel agents buying up the lowest priced seats and reselling them.
Share your tips/read others'
Ryanair cost-cutting discussion
Easyjet cost-cutting
Easyjet has fewer strings, but at times its pricing isn't that much cheaper than traditional airlines. Huge savings on fees are still possible, especially card charges.
See full Easyjet booking tips
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Debit card is better than credit
Easyjet is one of the few airlines that makes a distinction between booking on a credit and debit card. It's £10 with a debit card and £10 + 2.5% with credit card.
However, if the flights cost over £100, pay on a credit card to get extra protection. See the Section 75 guide for full info.
- More bags doesn't mean more weight
Beware, more bags doesn't mean more weight on Easyjet. You'd get a 20kg per person total even with three bags, even though you paid for extra luggage. - Bag a sale flight
Easyjet also runs flight sales, typically between 10% and 50% off. It's first come, first served, so if you spot one, act quick. -
Tips from an anonymous Easyjet insider...
The following are tips from an anonymous senior Easyjet steward, who secretly slipped Martin a sheet of paper on a flight a few years ago.
-
Pick the best seats
The top rows to sit in depend on which plane model you're flying on; the number should be on the front of the plane.
Airbus A319. The best rows are 1, 10 and 11
Airbus A320. The best rows are 1, 12 and 13
Never sit in rows 14ABC onwards, ie, the seats on the right past row 14, as two extra rows have been added in, so there's much less space. Likewise, never sit at the back on late night flights. The crew congregate there, so you'll stay awake.
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Allocated Seating
In the next few months easyJet will roll out allocated seating across its entire network. Check if your flights will operate with allocated seating.
You will be randomly allocated a seat when you check in. If you want to change it, it costs between £3 and £12 per person per flight, depending on where you sit in the plane.
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Pick the best seats
Share your tips/read others'
Easyjet cost-cutting discussion
Thomson Airways cost-cutting
Thomson Airways is the flight-only arm of Thomson holidays. Thomson tips include sneakily getting extra legroom without paying extra and beating its stringent hand luggage rules.
See more Thomson booking tips
- Only take 5kg hand luggage
Watch out for Thomson's miserly 5kg hand luggage allowance (max dimensions: 55cm x 40cm x 20cm). This can make it hard not to avoid checking a bag, so it's especially important to wear your heaviest clothes and consider taking a specialist big-pocket airline jacket.
- You CAN pool luggage
Unlike some other budget airlines, baggage allowances can be pooled across a family, though no one suitcase can exceed 23kg.
Share your tips/read others'
Thomson Airways cost-cutting discussion
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