Ryanair has extended the online check-in window for passengers who don’t pay for a seat from 24 to 72 hours before departure. But travelers report that their randomly assigned seat number now appears in the app only about three hours before the flight.
Free check-in now opens three days before departure
Passengers who choose free random seating can now check in online from 72 hours until two hours before departure. Until recently, the window opened 24 hours before the flight.
Those who pay for a reserved seat can still check in up to 60 days ahead. Passengers who don’t pay are still assigned a seat at random, free of charge.
The two-hour online deadline hasn’t changed. Passengers who miss it may have to pay an airport check-in fee.
Seat numbers reportedly appear three hours before flights
According to Goosed, the seat number no longer appears immediately after check-in. Passengers see it in the Ryanair app about three hours before departure.
Previously, the seat number appeared as soon as passengers checked in. That gave them time to buy a different seat if the random assignment didn’t suit them, for example when traveling with family or friends.
Ryanair’s help page lists the longer check-in window, but the airline hasn’t announced a three-hour deadline for seat numbers. It also doesn’t specify when free seats become visible. It’s unclear whether the delay applies to all flights or only some.
Passengers can still buy a specific seat during booking or later, up to two hours before departure. More on airport deadlines: Ryanair airport check-in and bag drop changes.