That's La Plagne
How to fly Ryanair with your ski equipment: 2023/24
All your Ryanair ski holiday questions answered in 1 place
Winter is upon us, and the call of the snow-covered mountains is irresistible. If you're planning a skiing or snowboarding getaway with Ryanair, you're in for an adventure like no other. To make sure your valuable ski gear reaches your destination hassle-free, here's your comprehensive guide to flying with ski equipment on Ryanair.
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1. Ryanair ski equipment fee
First things first, Ryanair indeed welcomes your ski equipment on board. However, there's a separate Ski Equipment fee that you need to be aware of. When booking online ahead of time, this fee stands at £45 GPP / 45 EUR. If you decide to sort out the details at the airport, it'll cost you slightly more at £50 / 50 EUR.
You need to book your ski gear at the time of making the flight booking to get the lower rate. If you go back to your booking at a later date to add in ski bags, you will be charged the “in-airport” rates.
2. Ryanair standard luggage and ski weight limits
A standard flight booking with Ryanair includes 1 x hand luggage of no more than 40x20x25cm, and it must fit under the seat in front of you. You can buy an additional cabin bag of up to 10 kg.
Hold bags can be booked at 10kgs or 20kgs per bag. And you can book up to 3 x 20 kg bags per person.
Then, for your sports or ski equipment, Ryanair sets a weight limit of 20 kg (44 lbs) for your ski equipment and costs £45, booked in advance. This is comparable to EasyJet, but less than Jet2, who provides 22kgs. This includes your skis or snowboard, boots, and any other gear you're taking along. It's crucial to stay within this limit, as exceeding it will result in an excess baggage fee. This fee can range from £9 to £11 GBP per kilogram, and it can add up quickly.
3. No pooling of weight
Whilst airlines like EasyJet and Jet2 allow you to combine the weight of your ski equipment with your standard-hold luggage, Ryanair has a separate policy. Unfortunately, you can't pool the weight between the two. So, it's essential to pack efficiently and stay within the 20 kg limit for your ski gear.
4. Smart Packing
To optimise your weight allowance, consider packing your ski boots together with your skis, as long as the combined weight remains below 20 kg. However, if you find that your gear is pushing the limits, there's a cost-effective solution.
You can purchase an additional piece of carry-on luggage: a 10 kg Check-In Bag, which can be used for your boot bag, and you can take this on the flight to put in the overhead locker. This often works out cheaper than paying the per kilogram excess baggage rate.
5. Ski boots on board RyanAir?
With RyanAir, you can take your ski boots on as a cabin bag if you have paid for an additional cabin bag. Your free/included cabin bag must be small enough to fir under the seat in front of you. Your extra paid cabin bag can weigh up to 10 kg, as ski boots are accepted.
Otherwise, your ski boots can go in your checked, hold luggage. As mentioned above, you cannot pool your luggage allowance, so don't pack your ski boots as a separate bag to your hold luggage; otherwise, you'll get charged for an additional bag. Your standard luggage is 20 kg, and your ski boots need to be in this bag, contributing to the 20 kg.
6. Is RyanAir sustainable?
As with all the other airlines I have looked at, RyanAir has committed to net zero by 2025. They have outlined their pathway as focusing on:
- Investing in greener aircraft: $62 billion to date
- Starting to use sustainable airline fuel:12.5% by 2030
RyanAir has aligned its operations with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and has openly listed its 2023 sustainability report on its website. So, it seems that RyanAir is working to be as transparent as possible.
A final point for us passengers: RyanAir does not offset carbon emissions per customer. This is something you need to look into yourself if you want to offset your carbon emissions.
That’s La Plagne and flying Ryanair with ski equipment
So, there you have it, your guide to flying with ski equipment on Ryanair. While there are fees and weight limits to consider, with some smart packing and pre-planning, you can enjoy the slopes without any baggage worries.
Personally, I rarely fly with Ryanair as whilst they often have the cheapest flight for my route, it is often with several changeovers along the way. Historically, when I have flown Ryanair, I have found the customer service to be somewhat lacking if – or when – there is an issue. As such, I’d rather pay slightly more for EasyJet or British Airways for the peace of mind it provides me.
See you on the slopes.
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