Yes, on Ryanair you can add baggage after online check-in in My Bookings until 2 hours before departure; then re-download the boarding pass.
Booked light, then realised that outfit or gift needs space? You’re not stuck. Ryanair lets you change the baggage you carry even after you’ve checked in online. Here’s how to add a checked bag late, what the deadlines look like, and the traps to avoid so you don’t end up paying at the airport.
Post-Check-In Baggage: What You Can Do
You can add a 10 kg check-in bag or a 20 kg check-in bag to an existing Ryanair booking through the website or app. The change is available right up to the last 2 hours before the flight. Once you pay, your itinerary updates and you can fetch a fresh boarding pass.
When Adding Bags After Check-In Works
| Scenario | Where To Add | Cut-Off |
|---|---|---|
| Already checked in online; have booking code | My Bookings (web or app) | Up to 2 hours before departure |
| Booked via an agent and can’t access booking | Contact the agent or use Ryanair chat once you have the code | Up to 2 hours before departure |
| At the airport without time to add online | Bag-drop desk | Desk closes 40 minutes before departure |
Online beats the desk on cost and choice. Airport purchases tend to be pricier and depend on staff and queues. If you can still reach the 2-hour online window, do that first and avoid the rush to the counter.
You’ll find the option inside My Bookings (up to 2 hours before departure). If you’re at the airport instead, check the desk times; Ryanair says bag-drop opens about 2 hours before and closes 40 minutes before departure.
Step-By-Step: Add Baggage After You Checked In
- Open the Ryanair app or go to the website and log in to your myRyanair account.
- Choose My Bookings, select the trip, then hit Manage this booking.
- Pick Add bags/equipment. Choose a 10 kg or 20 kg check-in bag for the flight segment you need.
- Confirm passenger and direction (outbound, return, or both).
- Pay. Keep the screen open until you see confirmation.
- Re-download the boarding pass in the app or from the email. Print if you prefer paper at the gate.
If the app shows errors, switch to the website, refresh your login, or clear saved cards. Network hiccups can block payment for a minute or two; a different card often goes through.
What Kind Of Bag Can You Add?
Ryanair sells two main hold options on most routes: the 10 kg check-in bag and the 20 kg check-in bag. You can usually buy up to three 20 kg checked bags on one booking. If you fly with friends on the same reservation and both of you bought checked bags, the weights can pool across those bags as long as a single bag never exceeds 32 kg.
10 kg Check-In Bag
This is the quick fix when Priority is gone or a second cabin bag won’t do. You drop it at the desk; it rides in the hold; you travel hands-free on board.
20 kg Check-In Bag
Pick this for trips with bulk or liquids. One person can add more than one if stock allows, and families often spread items across two or three pieces to keep each one easy to lift.
Price, Timing And Why Online Wins
Ryanair uses dynamic pricing. The same bag can cost less when added early and more when demand spikes. Buying online before the 2-hour deadline tends to land the lowest total since you also skip last-minute queues.
If you miss the online window, you still can add at the desk while it’s open. Leave margin for queues: bag-drop closing at 40 minutes is firm, and the gate time comes fast after that. Gate purchases are the priciest route.
Boarding Pass After You Add A Bag
The boarding pass updates once payment clears. In the app, tap the trip and pull down to refresh. On email, look for the new itinerary and PDF. If your seat was already chosen, the seat stays the same; the pass just shows the new baggage.
Rules To Help You Breeze Through Bag-Drop
Weight And Size
Weigh at home. A kitchen scale plus a tote for overflow saves stress. No single item should go past 32 kg, and oversize shapes slow the line.
Labels And Locks
Put your name and a phone number inside and outside. Use a simple lock or zip tie; security can open and re-secure if they need to inspect.
Prohibited Items
Spare lithium batteries stay out of the hold. Pack power banks and loose cells in your cabin bag. Declare sports kit or musical gear at the time you add the bag, not at the desk.
Common Snags And Fast Fixes
You Booked Through An Agent
Some agents shield the booking from you. Ask them for the Ryanair reference and email, then link the trip to your myRyanair account. Once you can see the trip under My Bookings, you can add baggage yourself.
The App Won’t Take Payment
Try the website in a private window. Remove stale cards, then re-enter details. If you still hit a wall and the clock is tight, head for the desk while it’s open rather than gambling on another failed attempt.
You Added The Wrong Direction
Hold bookings are tied to each flight segment. If you added a bag to the return by mistake, go back into My Bookings and add the outbound as well. Ryanair doesn’t move a paid bag between legs, so select carefully.
You’re Past The 2-Hour Window
Go straight to bag-drop. Staff can sell you the product if the desk is still open. Prices at the desk run higher, yet it beats paying even more at the gate.
Smart Packing And Timing Cheatsheet
| Need | Best Move | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Late decision to check a bag | Add online before the 2-hour mark | Lower price and instant pass update |
| Heavy mix across two bags | Split weight; keep each under 20 kg | Easier handling; avoids a single overweight piece |
| Liquids and toiletries | Pick a 20 kg check-in bag | No cabin liquid limits to juggle |
| Tech and batteries | Keep spares in cabin | Hold rules ban loose lithium cells |
| Two people on one booking | Share the load across checked bags | Pooling helps balance weight |
Ryanair Add-After-Check-In: Quick Q&A
Can you add baggage after online check-in on Ryanair? Yes, through My Bookings until 2 hours before departure, then at the desk until it shuts.
Do you need to print again? The app pass refreshes; printed passes should be re-printed so staff see the updated baggage line.
Which bag is best to add late? If you just need to stash liquids or a jacket, the 10 kg check-in bag is the neat pick. For longer trips or gifts, grab a 20 kg check-in bag.
Worried about lines? Aim to be at the desk when it opens. Two hours sounds early, yet the 40-minute close comes fast.
Close Variations People Search And What They Mean
Ryanair add bag after check-in and adding baggage after check-in Ryanair describe the same process: you use My Bookings to buy a hold bag after you’ve checked in. Searches like add checked bag post check-in on Ryanair or can I add luggage after check-in Ryanair point to the same steps and the same 2-hour online deadline.
Taking An Aerosol Or Special Item?
Declare sports gear, musical instruments, strollers, or medical items when you add the bag. Some items need a checkbox or a fee type different from a standard hold piece. If you don’t see the option in My Bookings, the desk can help while it’s open.
Ryanair Add Bag After Check-In: The Playbook
Act before the 2-hour mark, buy the hold bag online, refresh the pass, and arrive early for bag-drop. If time ran away, go to the desk with a card ready. Keep batteries in cabin, weigh at home, and keep each piece under the limit. That’s the cleanest route from “I need more space” to wheels-up.