This page is a little out of date now. See below for the latest Ryanair v easyJet price comparison:
- Ryanair v easyJet Price Comparison 1: The Business Trip
- Ryanair v easyJet Price Comparison 2: The Long Weekend
- Ryanair v easyJet Price Comparison 3: The Summer Vacation
See also Difficulties in Comparing Ryanair and easyJet Prices.
Ryanair & Easyjet Prices Compared
All prices were charged in Pounds Sterling on the website (as the outward flight starts in a UK airport). Some prices differ if origin airport is in euroland, but not by much.
If you want to see the Ryanair and easyJet price comparison without the explanations, take a look at the Ryanair v easyJet price comparison table.
- Itinerary Both flights depart from London Stansted; Easyjet fly to Bilbao's main airport, Ryanair fly to Santander, an airport 100km from Bilbao, though they label it as 'Santander (Bilbao)' on their destination map.
- Advertised Price The advertised price on the Ryanair website on 1/30/08 for the Ryanair flight is 0.01GBP each way per person, which works out as 0.04GBP in total. However, this is before any taxes or charges have been added on. The price of the easyJet flights is 25.99GBP and 10.99GBP per person with taxes and (some) charges included, working out to 73.96GBP in total.
Running total: Ryanair 0.04GBP v easyJet 73.96GBP. - Taxes, Fees + Charges Ryanair's taxes, fees and charges come to 68.02GBP in total. Ryanair explain their fees as 'Government Tax', PSC and 'Ins & Wchr Levy'. easyJet's fees were all included in the original advertised price.
Running total: Ryanair 68.06GBP v easyJet 73.96GBP. - Hand Baggage Allowance Easyjet has no restriction on weight for hand baggage. Ryanair's limit is 10kg. Bags checked into the hold with easyJet cost 3.99GBP in advance and 8GBP at the airport. Ryanair charge 6GBP in advance and 12GBP on the day.
Both Ryanair and easyJet have hand baggage size restrictions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm (21.6" x 15.7" x 7.8"). To make sure your luggage meets these standards, get one of these Carry-On Suitcases.
- Price for Taking a 12kg Bag Each 12kg is the weight of a sample case I packed - a few changes of clothing, toiletries (including hairdryer) a book, snacks and reading material for the plane.
Ryanair requires that you check a 12kg bag into the hold, at a cost of 6GBP per person per flight, so 24GBP in total. With easyJet you can carry it onto the plane.
Running total: Ryanair 92.06GBP v easyJet 73.96GBP - Airport check-in With Ryanair, if you have to check a bag in, you have to check in at the airport (as opposed to online). And if you check in at the airport, you have to pay 3GBP each way, or 12GBP for two people on a return flight. easyJet don't require this.
Running total: Ryanair 104.06 v easyJet 73.96GBP - Other added costs Both Ryanair add little 'extras' that you may not want at the purchasing stage, but they can all be removed. easyJet charge 11.50GBP per person for insurance, while Ryanair charge 8.50GBP. Ryanair then add 6GBP per person for "priority boarding", which gets you on the plane about two minutes before everyone else. All of these costs can be removed but you have to keep an eye out for it!
- Credit Card Fee easyJet adds a single 4.95GBP for a credit card transaction and 1.50GBP to use a debit card, while Ryanair adds 3GBP per journey per passenger (12GBP in total here) to use a credit card or 1GBP per journey per passenger for a debit card. As many of us prefer to use a credit card when paying for our vacations, I have used the credit card option.
Running total: Ryanair 116.06 v easyJet 78.91GBP. - Transfer from Airport to Bilbao Easyjet flies to Bilbao, while Ryanair flies to Santander (described as "Santander (Bilbao)" on the Ryanair destination map). A bus from Bilbao airport to the center of Bilbao costs 1.50� (1GBP) each way, or 6� (4GBP) for a round trip for two people. A bus from Santander airport to Bilbao costs 6� (4GBP) each way, or 24� (16GBP) for two people.
Final total for getting from London to Bilbao: Ryanair 132.06GBP v easyJet v 82.91GBP.
