Ryanair Cancellation Policy: Refund Rules and Fees 2026

Ryanair tickets are generally non-refundable if you simply don’t travel. You’re only entitled to a refund if Ryanair cancels, delays your flight by 5+ hours, or denies you boarding. However, EU court rulings confirm you can usually reclaim unused taxes and fees often €30+ per passenger even on standard non-refundable fares.

Ryanair has built its brand as Europe’s largest low-cost carrier by keeping fares lean and policies strict. That strategy works wonders for your wallet when plans go smoothly, but it gets confusing fast when a flight gets disrupted or your own plans change.

Is Ryanair’s cancellation policy non-refundable?

Yes. Ryanair’s standard policy makes all fares non-refundable if the flight operates and you don’t travel. This applies across every fare class, including Value and Regular tickets. Ryanair’s low-cost model relies on this rule to keep base fares competitive, so voluntary cancellations typically forfeit your airfare.

This isn’t unique to Ryanair most budget carriers operate the same way. The logic: your seat flew empty, and Ryanair already incurred the operational cost of running that flight regardless of whether you boarded.

That said, “non-refundable” doesn’t mean you lose everything. Taxes and government fees included in your ticket price work differently, and we’ll cover that below.

When am I entitled to a refund from Ryanair?

You’re entitled to a refund when Ryanair cancels your flight, fails to operate it reasonably according to schedule, denies you boarding, or delays departure by five or more hours. In these cases, Ryanair must refund the fare paid plus any associated taxes, fees, and charges not just a partial amount.

These protections stem from Ryanair’s own terms and conditions alongside applicable Passenger Rights Regulations (EU261 in the EU, UK261 in Britain). Specifically, you may be entitled to a refund if:

• Ryanair cancels your booked flight
• Ryanair fails to operate your flight reasonably according to schedule
• You’re denied boarding due to overbooking or operational issues
• Your flight is cancelled entirely as a route

When any of these apply, Ryanair typically processes your refund to your Ryanair Wallet within 24 hours. From there, you can transfer the balance to your original payment method, which usually takes up to 5 working days.

Example: Say you booked a €120 round-trip and Ryanair cancels your outbound leg. You’re entitled to a refund of the full €120, not just the unused portion because the disruption was Ryanair’s responsibility, not yours.

What happens if my Ryanair flight is delayed?

A delay alone doesn’t guarantee a refund. You become eligible for a refund of the ticket price specifically when your flight is delayed by 5 or more hours from the original scheduled departure time and you decide not to travel. Shorter delays typically only entitle you to information about your rights, not a cash refund.

It’s worth noting the distinction between a 2-hour delay and a 5-hour delay. At the 2-hour mark, Ryanair is required to provide information about your rights, including potential compensation and assistance options. It’s only once you hit the 5-hour threshold that the refund right for choosing not to travel kicks in.

If your flight is diverted, Ryanair is responsible for arranging alternative transport to your originally booked destination airport at no additional cost to you.

Flights cancelled by Ryanair: what are my options?

If Ryanair cancels your flight, you typically get three choices: a free rebooking onto another Ryanair flight, a travel voucher valid for future bookings, or a full cash refund of your fare plus taxes and fees. You’re entitled to choose the cash refund even if Ryanair offers a voucher first.

Here’s how the three options compare:

You don’t have to accept a voucher just because it’s offered first. Under applicable Passenger Rights Regulations, cash refunds remain your right when Ryanair is responsible for the cancellation.

Edge case: If only part of your booking is affected say, your outbound flight is cancelled but your return isn’t your refund rights generally apply only to the disrupted leg. The return flight segment remains valid and usable.

Cancelling flights with Ryanair: how does it work?

To cancel, go to the “Manage Booking” section on Ryanair’s website or app, log into your MyRyanair account, and follow the cancellation prompts for your specific booking. No cancellation fee applies for simply not flying, but remember: standard fares don’t refund the airfare itself only certain taxes and fees may be reclaimable.

If you booked directly with Ryanair, cancellation is straightforward through your account. If you booked through an online travel agent (OTA), the process looks different:

• You may need to go through the OTA’s own cancellation system first
• Ryanair may not have your direct payment details on file
• You may need to complete a separate customer verification process before Ryanair can process any refund directly to you

Important: If you’re considering cancelling because you simply can’t make the flight, compare the cost of rebooking versus cancelling and rebooking fresh. Change fees plus fare differences can sometimes exceed the cost of a new one-way ticket always check the current fee schedule on Ryanair’s official Fees page before deciding.

Special circumstances: can I get a refund for bereavement?

Yes, in specific cases. If an immediate family member not traveling with you dies within 10 days before your flight, you can apply for a travel credit covering the fare paid plus taxes and fees. If someone on your actual booking dies before the trip, Ryanair offers refund options for the remaining passengers too.

Ryanair defines “immediate family” narrowly for this purpose: husband, wife, or civil partner; child or stepchild; parent or step-parent. Siblings, grandparents, and extended family generally don’t qualify under this specific provision.

To apply, you’ll need to:

1. Submit your claim through the MyRyanair bereavement request form before your scheduled travel date
2. Provide a copy of the death certificate
3. Specify your relationship to the deceased

If the passenger who died was the lead name on the booking, their executor can apply on their behalf. Note this comes as a travel credit, not a cash refund, and must be used within the specified validity window.

Can I reclaim taxes and fees even on a non-refundable ticket?

In many European jurisdictions, yes. Courts including rulings confirmed at the EU level have established that unused taxes, air passenger duty, and certain government fees must be refunded even when the base fare itself is non-refundable. These amounts commonly total €30 or more per traveler, depending on the route.

Here’s the logic: Ryanair only owes taxes and airport fees to tax authorities and airports for passengers who actually fly. If you don’t travel, Ryanair never has to pay those amounts out so courts have ruled it’s unfair for the airline to keep money it never actually owed on your behalf.

Illustrative example (hypothetical): Say your round-trip ticket cost €90, including roughly €30 in combined taxes, security fees, and airport charges. If you don’t fly either leg, that €30 portion may be reclaimable separate from the €60 base fare, which remains non-refundable under standard terms.

This right exists independently of Ryanair’s own voluntary refund process, which typically covers only government-imposed air passenger duty, and even then, Ryanair may apply a processing fee that can offset small claims. If you believe you’re owed a tax refund, it’s worth checking the actual breakdown on your booking confirmation or invoice, since totals vary by departure country and airport.

Steps to claim taxes and fees independently:

1. Locate the tax/fee breakdown on your original booking confirmation or invoice
2. Submit a written refund request to Ryanair’s customer service, specifying the booking reference and the taxes/fees you’re claiming
3. Keep records of your request and any correspondence
4. If Ryanair doesn’t respond or declines without justification, you can escalate through consumer protection channels in your country of residence or the airline’s registered jurisdiction

Always verify current rules directly on ryanair.com, since terms and fee amounts are updated periodically.

Ryanair missed flight: can I rebook?

If you miss your Ryanair flight entirely (a no-show), you generally forfeit the fare under standard terms, since the flight operated as scheduled. Your options at that point are to book a new flight at the current fare or check Ryanair’s help centre for any applicable rebooking paths. Unused taxes and fees may still be reclaimable separately.

A missed flight is treated differently from a flight you cancel in advance. Once the departure time passes and you weren’t on board, there’s no automatic right to transfer your ticket to a later flight without paying for a new one.

Before you miss a flight, it’s always worth checking your booking for the specific check-in and boarding gate deadlines listed these vary by airport and are shown clearly at the time of booking. Arriving even a few minutes past the posted cutoff can result in denied boarding that counts as a no-show, not a Ryanair-caused disruption.

If you realize in advance that you’ll miss your flight, don’t wait until the last minute. Contact Ryanair or check your MyRyanair account to explore rebooking options, since acting early sometimes opens up more flexibility than showing up late or not at all.

Ryanair flight cancellation refund on Tiltify: is this a real process?

No official Ryanair refund process exists through Tiltify. Tiltify is a charity fundraising platform unrelated to Ryanair’s booking or refund systems. Any Ryanair refund must be processed through Ryanair’s own channels your cancellation email link, the MyRyanair portal, or Ryanair Wallet.

If you’ve come across references linking Ryanair refunds to Tiltify, treat this with caution. There’s no documented partnership or refund mechanism connecting the two platforms. If you’ve made a charitable donation through Tiltify related to travel fundraising, that transaction is governed entirely by Tiltify’s own terms, not Ryanair’s.

For an actual Ryanair refund, always go directly through:

• The refund link in your official cancellation or disruption email
• Your MyRyanair account’s “My Support Cases” section
• Ryanair’s official website (ryanair.com)

Avoid third-party sites promising faster refunds through unrelated platforms or listing unofficial phone numbers these are not affiliated with Ryanair and can pose a scam risk.

How do I request a refund from Ryanair?

Use the refund link provided in your cancellation or disruption email from Ryanair, or log into your MyRyanair account and navigate to “My Support Cases” to track your request. Refunds to your Ryanair Wallet typically process within 24 hours, with transfers to your original payment method taking up to 5 working days.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Check your email for the official cancellation or disruption notice from Ryanair, which includes a direct refund request link.
2. Can’t find the email? Log into My Bookings on your MyRyanair account to access the same request options.
3. Choose your preferred outcome: refund, rebooking to a comparable flight, or a free date/time change on the same route.
4. Track your request via the “My Support Cases” section of your MyRyanair portal.
5. Receive your refund to your Ryanair Wallet within 24 hours, then transfer to your original payment method within 5 working days.

Booked through an online travel agent (OTA)? The process requires an extra verification step, since Ryanair may not hold your direct payment details:

• Complete Ryanair’s customer verification form
• Submit proof of your booking details
• Wait for Ryanair to verify and process the refund directly to you (this can take longer than direct bookings)
• In some cases, refunds are routed back to the OTA instead, requiring you to follow up with the travel agent directly

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ryanair charge a cancellation fee?
No fee applies simply for not flying. However, Ryanair’s base fares remain non-refundable in that scenario, so you won’t recover the airfare itself only potentially reclaimable taxes and fees.

How long does a Ryanair refund take?
Refunds to your Ryanair Wallet typically process within 24 hours of approval. Transferring that balance to your original payment method takes up to 5 working days.

Can I get a refund if my flight is delayed by 3 hours?
Not automatically. The refund-eligible threshold for choosing not to travel is a delay of 5 or more hours. Shorter delays entitle you to information about assistance, not necessarily a cash refund.

What if I booked through an online travel agent?
You’ll likely need to complete Ryanair’s customer verification process, since the airline may not hold your direct payment details. This can extend processing time compared to direct bookings.

Can I claim a refund if I simply missed my flight?
The fare itself is typically forfeited under standard terms since the flight operated as scheduled. Unused taxes and fees may still be reclaimable separately through a written request.

Does Ryanair refund taxes and fees automatically?
No. You generally need to submit a specific request, since Ryanair’s automatic processes typically cover only the disruption-related refund scenarios (cancellation, long delay, denied boarding).

Is there a Ryanair–Tiltify refund program?
No. No official connection exists between Ryanair and Tiltify. All Ryanair refunds go through Ryanair’s own channels only.

What counts as “immediate family” for bereavement claims?
Ryanair defines this as husband, wife, or civil partner, child or stepchild, and parent or step-parent. Siblings and grandparents aren’t included under this specific provision.

Can I rebook instead of cancelling if Ryanair cancels my flight?
Yes. Ryanair typically offers free rebooking to a comparable flight as one of your options, alongside a travel voucher or cash refund.

Where can I track the status of my refund request?
Log into your MyRyanair account and check the “My Support Cases” section for real-time updates on your refund or claim status.