Passengers who choose to fly with Ryanair are being cautioned about a costly mistake that could result in them facing significant bills right before their flight. This error can be avoided by carefully verifying a specific detail when making a booking with the airline.
In the haste to snag a great deal, the small keypads on mobile devices or a simple typographical error might lead travelers to accidentally misspell their name when booking a journey with Ryanair. This seemingly minor mistake could end up costing them as much as £160 to rectify.
As of April 2026, the fee for name changes is still in effect and can be found on Ryanair’s official website. Apart from the £100 penalty for missing a flight, the name change fee ranks among the highest charges that Ryanair passengers may encounter.
The budget carrier enforces a policy for correcting passenger information with a limited timeframe and specific terms and conditions, as reported by the Express.
According to Ryanair, passengers can make name changes on their bookings, with full modifications available online up to 24 hours before departure or at the airport up to two hours before take-off, subject to a fee. Free corrections include swapping first and last names within 48 hours of booking or changing up to three characters per name once, up to 48 hours before the flight.
Discovering an error only upon reaching the airport could result in a charge of up to £160. This policy was previously highlighted by Martin Lewis’ MSE team in an article discussing effective strategies to avoid additional charges imposed by Ryanair.
Ryanair is notorious for penalizing passengers who violate their booking policies, even for errors that occur unintentionally. Rectifying a minor misspelling, such as jumbled or omitted letters, is free if done within two days of booking directly through Ryanair. Beyond the 48-hour window, passengers will face a £115 fee for a name change, which increases to £160 if processed at the airport, according to MSE.
Each airline has its own policy regarding fixing such mistakes, with some offering free corrections for minor typos if reported promptly. Ensuring that the name on the passport matches for boarding is crucial, as errors could lead to being denied boarding.
MSE suggests a drastic workaround to avoid the fee if it’s too late to make changes without incurring a cost of £115 or more. Given the typically low fares of Ryanair flights, starting a new booking might actually be a more economical option.
Ryanair has confirmed on its website that certain passengers need not worry about the name change fee. Bookings made under a maiden name can be updated at no additional cost if the name is changed in the passport before the travel date, with proof of marriage required.
