Many UK travellers could be paying more than they need to when booking flights with Ryanair, new research has found. Brand new research by consumer group Which? published on Friday highlights ways passengers can cut costs when booking their next flight. Which? has shared nine money-saving tips for travellers navigating what it calls Ryanair's "notoriously complicated website."

Their research found that, in many cases, buying the cheapest Basic fare and adding only the extras you need can be cheaper than opting for bundled fares that include everything. Ryanair has branded the Which? findings "fake news" and has rebutted most of the rules.

Here are the nine insider rules Which? recommends for getting the most savings when booking a Ryanair flight.

1. Don't book Ryanair's 'Regular' fare

Ryanair will often nudge you toward its 'Regular' fare, claiming it's the perfect choice. But in most cases, it's more expensive than sticking with the 'Basic' fare. Across roughly 30 comparisons over the last two years, Which? discovered that the Regular fare was only cheaper than buying a Basic ticket with selected extras on a single occasion. In a February 2026 check of 15 different routes, the Regular fare was cheaper just once. On seven flights, it actually cost more sometimes only slightly, by a pound or two, but occasionally the difference was far higher.

2. Make sure your bag fits

Ryanair's baggage rules are strict. The Basic fare only allows a small under-seat bag (40cm x 30cm x 20cm). If your bag exceeds these limits even by a few centimetres, you could be charged up to £60 at the gate. For larger cabin cases (55cm x 40cm x 20cm), fees can reach £75. Always measure your luggage carefully, including handles and wheels, to avoid surprise charges.

3. Ignore Ryanair's Plus fare

The Plus fare offers a 20kg checked bag and seat selection but booking Basic and adding those extras separately is often cheaper, according to Which? On a recent check, a family of four flying from Stansted to Malaga saved £35 by customising their Basic tickets instead of buying the Plus package. If you don't need full luggage or premium seat options, Plus rarely represents good value.

Ryanair has denied that it's cheaper to buy the Basic fare and then add extras.

The airline told Money: "The Ryanair bundles are a facility, which make it easier for passengers to buy and book the bundles. They are however dynamically priced, using the cheapest available fare at time of booking, and so the Ryanair bundles are the same price as the underlying air fare, plus the extras if booked separately. Your claim that it is cheaper to book separately is false."

4. Ignore Ryanair Flexi Plus fares

Flexi Plus includes benefits like fee-free flight changes, extra legroom seats, fast-track security, and two cabin bags. But these extras can cost significantly less when purchased separately, Which? said. For instance, a couple flying to Alicante could save £168 by avoiding Flexi Plus and adding only the extras they wanted. Flexi Plus only makes sense if you genuinely need every single benefit, including the flight-change option.

5. Families probably don't need Ryanair Family Plus

Ryanair promotes Family Plus for those travelling with children but unless you need all the included luggage and extras, the package is rarely worth the extra cost, according to Which? In one example, a family of four could pay £45 less by booking Basic and adding luggage and seat selection, rather than opting for Family Plus, which provides more baggage than most families actually need.

6. Don't add Ryanair travel insurance

Which?'s travel insurance experts recommend avoiding most airline-provided policies, as they are often pricier and may not meet your specific travel needs.

Ryanair said: "We don't care whether people buy Ryanair's travel insurance or third-party travel insurance, as long as they buy travel insurance. We strongly recommend all passengers buy travel insurance."

7. Don't let Ryanair do your currency conversion

If you book a ticket that starts overseas to fly into the UK, you should always pay in the currency of the country you are departing from, Which? advised. For instance, a family of four travelling from Alicante to London this summer would see a fare of €1,439. Ryanair converts this into pounds at checkout, but the resulting charge of £1,321 reflects a poor exchange rate. Which? compared the same fare using xe.com and found that by paying in euros instead of using Ryanair's automatic conversion, the family could save £81.

Ryanair told Which? that the claim is false and that its currency conversion is competitive.

8. Consider checking in a 20kg bag, instead of taking two 10kg bags

If you're not concerned with priority boarding, sometimes checking a single 20kg suitcase is cheaper than taking two 10kg cabin bags but always check before booking.

9. You should pay for seat selection

Unlike some other airlines where most passengers sit together by default, surveys suggest there's a 62% chance you'll be seated next to your travel companion without paying with Ryanair.

Seat selection usually costs £10-£20 per leg, depending on the type of seat. Which? acknowledged that there's still a "reasonable chance" of sitting next to your travel companion without paying, but recommended purchasing seat selection for those who want a guaranteed seat together.

Ryanair said that it's not true that it's more likely to split passengers up than other airlines.

Ryanair said the Which? findings were "fake news" and has disputed the majority of the Which? rules.

A spokesperson told Sky News:"This is more fake news from Which? Thankfully no one reads, or takes any notice of Which's fake recycled news articles or your spurious 'advice', as our traffic growth from 200 million to 208 million passengers in 2025 proves."