From November 10, 2026, Ryanair will close airport check-in and baggage drop-off 60 minutes before the scheduled departure instead of 40. Passengers should consider the updated check-in rules of Ryanair when planning their trip to the terminal. This is reported by Ryanair.
Ryanair baggage drop-off: new closing time from November 10, 2026
The new rule will apply at all airports in the carrier's network. If a flight is scheduled for 12:00, baggage check-in must be completed by 11:00. Under previous conditions, the counters would have closed at 11:20.
Thus, arriving at the airport an hour before departure will be too late for dropping off luggage. Passengers must have already completed check-in by the established deadline, not just stand in line.
The company explains the change as a need to allow more time for security checks, passport controls, and getting to the boarding gate. The carrier has previously also pointed to queues at European airports.
Ryanair recommends arriving at the check-in or baggage drop counter at least two hours before the flight. This is a separate guideline: the closing time of the counter is not a recommended arrival time.
Ryanair passengers: who is affected by the changes in November 2026
According to the airline, registered baggage is dropped off by about 20% of passengers. The remaining 80% who check in online and travel without baggage for check-in can proceed directly to security if they do not require additional procedures at the counter.
At the same time, the new deadline applies not only to luggage but also to airport check-in. Therefore, a passenger without registered baggage should also take this into account if they intend to use this service.
It is important to distinguish between three separate deadlines:
- online check-in: ends two hours before the scheduled departure;
- airport check-in and baggage drop-off: from November 10, ends one hour before;
- arrival at the boarding gate: as required by the carrier, at least 30 minutes before the flight.
For example, for a flight at 12:00, online check-in should be completed by 10:00, luggage should be dropped off by 11:00, and be at the gate no later than 11:30. When planning a flight with a low-cost airline, it is advisable to check each of these deadlines separately.