Ryanair is Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, and their promotional fares — sometimes as low as €0.99 — generate significant attention. The advertised prices are real fares, not fictional numbers. But the total price you pay will be higher, and understanding the structure matters before you book.
How Ryanair Sales Work
Ryanair runs promotional campaigns several times a year, typically with 24–72 hour booking windows. During these campaigns, a limited number of seats on selected routes are available at the promotional price — often far below their standard fares. When that inventory is gone, standard pricing resumes.
The campaigns are announced on the Ryanair website, app, and through their email newsletter. They also appear through deal tracking services. The booking window is short and the promoted inventory is limited — popular routes sell out quickly.
The Add-On Structure
Ryanair's base fare does not include: checked baggage, priority boarding, seat selection, or airport check-in. On a short domestic route where you're carrying only a small personal item and checking in online, the base fare is the total fare. On longer routes or if you need any of these additions, the total price rises.
In practice: if you travel with a standard cabin bag (not just the personal item included in the base fare), you'll pay an additional fee — typically €6–10 per flight booked in advance, significantly more at the gate. For a return trip with a cabin bag, this adds €12–20 to the promotional fare, which may still be excellent value but changes the headline number.
How to Get Closer to the Advertised Price
Book add-ons at the time of your original booking — bag fees are always lower when added immediately than when added later or at the airport.
Travel with only the personal item (40×20×25 cm) that fits under the seat — this is included in the base fare at no additional cost. For short trips, this is genuinely sufficient.
Check in online, not at the airport. Ryanair charges €55 per person for airport check-in on most routes. This is avoidable and should be.
The Value Assessment
On routes where Ryanair operates — primarily intra-European — their promotional fares with add-ons included are still frequently the cheapest option available. The complexity of their pricing structure is real, but the underlying value on many routes is genuine.
AirHuntr publishes Ryanair campaign announcements when they launch, noting the promotional pricing and the relevant fare conditions. As with all promotional fares, the booking window is short — act within the first 24 hours of a campaign going live.