Ryanair’s 60-minute bag drop rule starts on Tuesday 10 November, replacing the airline’s current 40-minute cutoff before scheduled departure. The change applies at all Ryanair airports and affects passengers who check in a bag, while those without checked luggage are not part of the change.
Dara Brady said the new cutoff will give passengers with bags more time to clear security and passport control queues and reach their departure gate before boarding begins. Ryanair said about 20 per cent of its passengers check in a bag, while the remaining 80 per cent will be unaffected.
Dara Brady on the new cutoff
“From Tuesday, 10 November, bag drop services at all Ryanair airports will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of the current 40 minutes,” Brady said. That is a 20-minute change for checked-bag passengers, who will need to reach bag drop earlier in the airport process.
For passengers without checked-in luggage, the routine does not change. They still have to check in online before travelling to the airport, and they can proceed directly through security to their departure gate.
Ryanair 40-minute rule
Ryanair said the adjustment is designed to reduce the number of passengers who miss their flights. Brady said, “This small change will give the 20 per cent of Ryanair passengers who check in a bag, more time to clear airport security and passport control queues and get to their departure gate before boarding begins, particularly during busy travel periods when airport queues can be longer.”
The added time is simple but operationally specific: checked-bag passengers now have an extra 20 minutes before the bag drop desk closes, while the airline keeps the process unchanged for the larger group that travels without checked luggage.
Tuesday 10 November
The practical step for affected passengers is to build the earlier cutoff into their airport arrival time before Tuesday 10 November. The rule applies across Ryanair’s network, and the airline has framed the change as a way to give checked-bag passengers more runway through the airport before boarding begins.
Michael O’Leary predicted last month that travellers across Europe will face the biggest increase in airfares in history in 2027.
