Hidden airline charges
When you add up the booking fees, baggage charges and admin costs that come with no-frills airlines, it can sometimes be cheaper to fly with traditional operators. We've put together a summary of the main add-on airline charges that you need to consider before you book your flights to make sure you're getting the best deal and don't run into any nasty surprises at the airport.
Booking fees
Recently airlines have been called to make booking fees for debit or credit card payment more transparent, but this is still coming into play and many advertised flight prices currently do not include these costs. Some airlines, including easyJet and Ryanair, charge a flat admin fee for each booking.
| Airline admin charges | |||
| Airline | Pay by credit card | Pay by debit card | |
| Ryanair | Varies (percentage of transaction value) | No extra charge | |
| easyjet | No extra charge | No extra charge | |
| Thomson Airways | No extra charge | No extra charge | |
| British Airways | No extra charge | No extra charge | |
| Virgin Atlantic | No extra charge | No extra charge | |
Baggage restrictions and fees
If you can manage with just hand luggage this will be much cheaper than checking in luggage, which can set you back between £10 and £100 return. However, be careful to check the weight and luggage size restrictions as if you go over on your allowance you could end up having to check-in luggage at the airport and pay a hefty fee. See our hand luggage allowance page for details on how much you're allowed to take on the plane with you. See the tables below to compare and work out allowances and for check-in luggage.
| Hand luggage allowance | |||
| Airline | No. of bags | Weight | Dimensions |
| Ryanair | 1 (2 if Priority & 2 Cabin Bags is purchased) | 10kg for larger cabin bag | 40cm x 20cm x 25cm for small bag, 55cm x 40cm x 20cm for larger bag |
| easyjet | 1 | No weight limit | 45cm x 36cm x 20cm (small cabin bag), 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (large cabin bag) |
| TUI Airways | 1 plus 1 personal item | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 20cm |
| British Airways | 1 plus 1 personal item | 23kg | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm for cabin bag 40cm x 30cm x 15cm for personal item |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1 | 10kg (Economy and Premium), 16kg (Upper Class) | 23cm x 36cm x 56cm |
| Checked baggage fees | |||
| Airline | Checked-in baggage allowance | Paid in advance online | Paid at the airport |
| Ryanair | 10kg-20kg | £25 | £40 - £50 |
| easyjet | 15kg (up to 32kg) | £6.99 - £42.49 (varies by route) |
£45 per hold item up to 23kg £12 per kg for excess baggage |
| TUI Airways | 20kg - 25kg (varies by route) | Varies by package and route | Varies by package and route |
| British Airways | Up to 23kg depending on ticket type | £20 - £40 (varies by route) | £40 - £65 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 23kg-32kg (varies by ticket) | Varies by ticket | Varies by ticket |
Check-in Fees
Generally it's much cheaper and quicker to check-in online before you arrive at the airport but make sure you print off your boarding pass, as you may be charged to do this at the airport. Ryanair charges £60 per person to print a boarding pass at the airport.
| Check-in fees and options | ||
| Airline | Paid in advance online per person, per return | Paid at the airport |
| Ryanair | Free | £55 |
| easyjet | Free | Free |
| TUI Airways | Free | Free |
| British Airways | Free | Free |
| Virgin Atlantic | Free | Free |
Food & Drink
Check out the table below to find out if your airline will provide refreshments or how much you can expect to pay to stay fed and watered during your flight. For low cost airlines, which won't include food and drink on your flight, keep costs down by taking your food on the plane and buying drinks from the terminal shop before boarding.
| Drinks and snacks | |||
| Airline | Teas/coffee | Beer/wine | Breakfast or snacks |
| Ryanair | £2.70 | £5.50 (Spirits) | £2.10 & up (Snacks) £5.10 (Sandwich/ Panini) |
| easyjet | Inflight menu available | Inflight menu available | Meal deals from £8.50 |
| TUI Airways | No extra charge | No extra charge | No extra charge |
| British Airways | No extra charge | No extra charge | No extra charge |
| Virgin Atlantic | No extra charge | No extra charge | No extra charge |
Insurance
Watch out for insurance add-on options when booking your flights. If you are wondering what travel insurance covers, usually it will include the following to some degree:
- Cancelling / curtailment of your trip
- 24 hour emergency medical assistance
- Medical expenses
- Loss or damage to personal possessions
- Redundancy cover for cancellation
- Stolen or lost travel documents
- Compensation for delayed baggage
If you already have travel insurance or a 'multi-trip' package it's likely that you will be covered for these essentials. Always ensure you have travel insurance but you may find it far cheaper to buy elsewhere.
*All information correct at time of writing and is subject to change.
