All you need to know about flying with easyJet – Check-in, baggage policy, fares, refunds and more

Everything you need to know before flying with easyJet – A complete guide 

Although easyJet keeps playing second fiddle to the likes of Ryanair among many European vacation-goers, the truth is that the British low-cost airline has been expanding and consolidating its business across most markets within the continent.

With a sturdy operation which serves 180 different airports across 39 countries – among which you can find some non-european destinations, such as Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan or Egypt – easyJet seems determined to strengthen its upward spiral, following a rough period with the covid pandemic.

As such, if you’re planning on booking your next trip, it remains likelier and likelier that you’ll be flying out with easyJet at some point in the near future! Therefore, we have decided to compile all of the information that can be remotely useful to those traveling with the airline.

From their online check-in process to the baggage policy, and with further detailed information on their fare rules, refund procedures and cancelation provisions, here’s everything you need to know about flying with easyJet!

easyJet flight fares – what kind of tickets can you buy?

easyJet fares are split into 4 different categories: Standard, Standard Plus, Essentials e Flexi.

Easyjet’s Standard Fare

As its name indicates, this is the airline’s basic fare. Being the most budget-conscious of options, it only allows you to take on board a small handbag which can be placed under the seat (45 x 36 x 20 cm), with all remaining baggage paid separately. Not just that, but with this fare you will not be able pick your place on the aircraft, with a seat being attributed to your randomly.

easyJet’s Standard Plus Fare

Next on our list is the Standard Plus Fare, which includes a cabin bag which can be stowed in the overhead compartments (56 x 45 x 25 cm), priority boarding (which they call Speedy Boarding) and a seat from the “Up Front” category, which are located at the front of the aircraft.

easyJet’s Essentials Fare

With this fare, you are no longer allowed to take a cabin bag and you will only get a Standard seat (with no extra leg room), which makes for a downgrade when compared to the previous option. However, passengers who buy Essentials are able to check a bag up to 23kg in weight.

easyJet’s Flexi Fare

Considered the airline’s premium fare, Flexi includes a pretty extensive range of advantages which clearly sets it apart from all others. Besides allowing you to take a small handbag (45 x 36 x 20 cm), a cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm up to 15kg) and a checked bag (23kg), this fare also includes an “Up Front” seat, priority boarding, security fast track and an £7,95 voucher to be used aboard the flight, so that you can buy some food and drinks.

In addition to all of these perks, Flexi’s biggest convenience when compared to the remaining fares is definitely the flexibility, allowing passengers to make changes to their booking. As such, if you’re not able to make the trip on the day of your flight, you can move your booking within a 1-day timeframe, meaning you can fly the day before or after your original date without having to pay any fee for the change. If your route is not served daily, you can still make a free change for the next immediate available flight.

The same applies if you wish to change your flight route. You’re free to do it, so as long as your new flight takes place 1 day before or after your original booking. On both instances, you will only need to pay for differences in air fare (if applicable).

Choosing a seat with easyJet

Unlike most of its competitors, the purchase/booking of a specific seat with easyJet comes with an entire array of different advantages you can enjoy during your flight.

There are 3 types of seats you can pick: Standard, Up Front and Extra Leg Room.

Standard Seats

This is the only seat whose choice does not imply any other perks. If you don’t wish to add any specific seat to your booking, the one that will get randomly assigned to you will belong to this category. Standard seats are available for purchase starting from £0,99 (up to £9,99).

Up Front Seats

This is where things get interesting. Aside from being bigger and more spacious, Up Front seats are located at the front of the aircraft, speeding up the process of boarding and exiting the plane for those who sit there.

However, by purchasing one of these seats, passengers are also able to partake in priority boarding and – most importantly – take a cabin bag which can be stowed in the overhead compartments (56 x 45 x 25 cm).

This option is available from £7,99, although it can easily go all the way up to £27, depending on the route and timing of the purchase.

Extra Leg Room Seats

Finally, we cap of our list with the most expensive seats in the entire plane. Not only do these include all of the perks one gets when buying an Up Front seat, (speedy boarding + cabin bag), but they are also located in the first row, meaning these are the seats with the most leg room in the aircraft.

Extra Leg Room seats are available from £12,99, all the way up to £30 per seat.

Cancelation policy and changing flights with easyJet

Making changes to your easyJet flight

Unless you have previously chosen the Flexi fare, changing a flight with easyJet always comes at a cost. However, that cost will depend on how early in advance the change is made.

So, if you make online changes to your flight more than 60 days before departure, you will have to pay a £25 fee. However, if those changes are made with the help of easyJet’s Customer Service Team, the fee will go up to £30.

On the other hand, if you make online changes to your flight 60 days or less prior to departure, the fee will be higher – £49. Once again, if you use their Customer Service Team, you will have to pay more for the change. In this case, £54.

On both instances, the passenger will also be responsible for paying potential differences in air fares. For example, if you had originally booked a flight from London to Lisbon which cost you £20 per passenger, and you intend to change it online less than 60 days before departure for a new date in which the same route is now at £35, then you will have to pay a total of 64£ per passenger for the change (£49 fee + £15 difference in route fare).

Finally, if your flight ends up being canceled by the airline or has a delay which lasts longer than 5 hours, then you are able to make any changes you want to your booking without incurring in any fees.

What happens if I miss my flight with easyJet?

In case you find yourself in the unfortunate position of missing your flight but still make it to the airport within 2 hours from your original time of departure, you might be able to pay what Easyjet calls a “Rescue Fee”.

By paying £110, easyJet can transfer you to the next available flight to your original destination.

Requesting a name change for an easyJet flight

When it comes to changing a name on an existing easyJet booking, the airline’s policy varies according to the extension of those changes.

For example, if you simply need to change the spelling of a name or the title (Mr., Miss, Mrs. and so on) of a passenger, you will not need to pay any fees.

However, if we’re talking about a more substantial change, then you will have to pay a hefty £55 fee. In such cases, sometimes it will be cheaper to simply buy a new ticket.

Also, keep in mind the passengers’ names must match what is written on the ID used upon check-in. There is no need to include middle names to secure your reservation. First and last names will suffice.

Canceling a flight with easyJet

If you need to cancel your flight with easyJet, we’re sorry to tell you there is practically no chance you will get a full refund.

Should the online cancelation take place within the first 24 hours after you completed your booking, a £49 fee is applicable (£55 if it’s done through Customer Service). Whenever passengers wish to cancel their flight after that specific timeframe, then the refund can only contemplate the government taxes. So that you can get that amount back in your card, you will have to reach out to the support team.

That being said, there are extremely rare, one-off situations where you can actually get a full refund. For example, if by sheer coincidence your flight ends up being canceled by Easyjet or experiencing a delay exceeding 5 hours, then you can claim your refund. In fact, easyJet even has its own flight tracking tool, which you can use in order to monitor your flight’s status.

The only other situation where you may be able to get a refund from easyJet is when a passenger cannot board the flight because of a serious illness or due to the death of an immediate family member (only through a voucher, unless the deceased was also a part of the booking). In both cases, you will need to present suitable documentary evidence.

easyJet’s baggage policy

easyJet’s small baggage

Much like its competitors, easyJet mandates that, in case you choose their cheapest fare and do not add any extra baggage to your booking, then you can only travel with a small bag (45 x 36 x 20 cm) which can be placed under the seat in front of you.

If you show up at the boarding gate with an oversized bag and get noticed by the staff (which doesn’t always happen), then you will have to pay a £24 fee so that your bag can be placed in the hold.

easyJet’s cabin baggage

Even if you go with the Standard fare, you can still separately add a cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm) to your booking. This option is available from £5,99. Other items, like umbrellas, crutches, canes or “duty free” bags will also be allowed onboard, along with the rest of your cabin baggage.

You may also add a cabin bag to your booking by choosing either an Up Front or an Extra Leg Room seat, as previously explained above.

If you show up at the gate with a cabin bag whose dimensions/weight exceed the maximum allowance, then your bag will have to be placed in the hold for a total fee of £48.

easyJet’s Check-in baggage

Unless you have chosen a fare which already includes checked baggage, you can always add this later-on to your booking. First, you will select whether you need a 15kg or 23kg checked bag. If you need something bigger, there is also the option of including additional weight for pre-booked hold luggage, up to a maximum of 32kg per bag. easyJet offers you the possibility of increasing your allowance gradually, through small 3kg installments. Each 3kg add-on will cost you an extra £15.

Here are the fees you’ll need to consider if you want to add checked baggage to your booking:

• 15kg bag – from £6,99
• 23kg bag – from £9,49
• 3kg add-ons – £15 per 3kg instalment

For each kg that your actual bag exceeds the allowance you had pre-purchased, you will have to pay a £12 fee at the airport. For example: if you added a 23kg checked bag to your booking but show up at the counter with baggage weighing 25kg, then you will pay a total fee of £24 (£12 for each of the 2kg in excess).

Once again, no checked bag can weigh more than 32kg in order for it to be allowed a place in the hold of the aircraft.

Transporting liquids aboard an easyJet flight

You can only carry liquids, aerosols and gels in containers of 100ml or less when you pass through security. They should all fit into one transparent, re-sealable 20cm x 20cm bag.

In total, each customer can carry a maximum of 1L through security, though passengers can buy more liquids in the departure lounge should they wish to do so.

The 100ml liquid limit doesn’t apply to baby food, milk or medications. Although they must still be isolated from the rest of your baggage upon security inspection – and there’s still a 1L cap per passenger – there are no limitations when it comes the size of each container.

Transporting sports equipment and musical instruments with easyJet

You can add sports equipment and musical instruments as “baggage” throughout your booking. These naturally belong on a different category compared to the rest of the passengers’ ordinary bags.

Regarding fees, these will depend on whether the equipment’s dimensions are considered small (up to 20kg) or large (between 20 and 32kg), according to easyJet’s guidelines. That being said, small sports equipment such as golf clubs, skis, paragliders, diving equipment or pole vaults incur in a cost of £37 per item. On the other hand, large sports equipment such as bikes, surfboards, kayaks or canoes will set you back £45 each.

As for musical instruments, their transportation process is entirely different. If these objects obey the standard preset dimensions for cabin or hold bags, then they can be added as ordinary baggage. However, if they’re bigger than 30 x 117 x 38 cm, then you will actually need to buy a seat on the plane for your instrument. The funny part is that upon online check-in, you will have to identify the “passenger” on that seat as “Mr. Musical Instrument”.

Yeah, sounds like an April Fool’s joke, but this is what’s actually written in the airline’s policy!

Prohibited items onboard an easyJet flight

You may consult the extensive list of items not allowed onboard an Easyjet flight right here.

Required Documentation to Board an easyJet Flight

Just like any other airline operating in Europe, easyJet requires you to present a valid ID in order to board one of their flights.

That being said, and more important than looking into the airline’s requirements, you should check the visa and passport requirements of the country you are planning to visit. The easiest way to do so is by contacting the Embassy or Consulate of the country you will be traveling to.

If you’re a UK passport holder travelling to the EU (except Ireland), or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City or Switzerland, your passport will need to meet the following criteria:

• It must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to depart;
• It must be no more than 10 years’ old on the date of travel.

If your passport is lost or stolen while you are abroad, the first thing you need to do is find the closest police station and file a report. Once you have access to that document, you can then contact your embassy or consulate and request a replacement passport or another emergency document that allows you to board your flight home.

However, and should you receive no feedback or support from the local embassy, you should still head to the airport and look for easyJet’s counter. Explain the situation, show the staff your police report and try to prove your identity by showing copies of your lost ID document or a driver’s license. If you manage to verify your identity, the airline will issue a new boarding pass in order to help you get home.

Non-EU/EEA Passengers – Visa Check

In the specific case of non-EU/EEA passengers who don’t have a legal residency card for any country within the Schengen Area, they must be in possession of an appropriate visa and a passport which must be valid for 3 months beyond the date the traveler will exit the Schengen space.

As such, and before going through security, the passenger must validate all its documents at an easyJet counter in order to get the proper authorization to board. This requirement is mandatory and can’t be skipped.

Non-EU/EEA passengers must do this in order to ensure compliance with immigration authorities. If there is a failure to comply with this requirement, passengers may be denied boarding.

Country Specific ID Requirements for Minors

Each country has their own requirements for minors.

In cases of minors traveling without their parents or legal guardians, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any specific requirements and meet them. You can check visa and passport requirements by contacting the Consulate or Embassy of the country you are planning to visit.

What you need to know about easyJet’s check-in process

All passengers are able to check-in online (through the website or app), for free, between 30 days and 2 hours before the time of departure. This timing is the same for all passengers, regardless of their fare.

After completing check-in, you will have access to your boarding pass, which must be printed or saved on your mobile device. If you choose the latter, be careful not to save the boarding pass as a pdf file, otherwise the airline staff might not be able to scan it and verify its authenticity.

If for some reason you experience any issues and are not able to check-in, you must go to an easyJet desk at the airport at least 3 hours before departure and request help. If nothing else works, they will be able to complete the check-in process for you.

How does easyJet handle the boarding process?

For a start, we recommend that you install easyJet’s mobile app. After logging into your account, you will receive a notification stating the boarding gate on the day of your flight, saving you the time and the hassle of having to look it up at the airport. Please do not forget that boarding gates close 30 minutes before departure – NO EXCEPTIONS!

As for the order in which passengers board the aircraft, priority is given towards passengers who have requested special assistance, bookings which contain children under 5 and customers who have previously purchased a fare or seat that includes Speedy Boarding.

At that moment, you must be in possession of your ID and boarding pass, be it physical or digital. In the special case of these airports, it is mandatory to have your boarding pass printed out.

After your ticket is scanned and validated by the staff, you are finally able to board the plane towards your destination. Pay attention to your ticket, which will indicate whether you’ll be boarding the aircraft through the front or the back, depending on your seat. Once inside the aircraft, and in case you’re traveling with a cabin bag, you must stow it in one of the overhead compartments. On the other hand, if you’re traveling light and only have a small handbag, it must placed under the seat in front of you.

Regarding seating, always take the seat you were given… at least initially! You may, after the aircraft reaches cruising altitude, inquire the staff about the possibility of seating next to your group. However, DON’T do it while passengers are still boarding the plane, otherwise the flight might end up being late for departure, since pilots are only allowed to take-off after all passengers are seated.

If you are seated at an emergency exit row, remember you are not allowed to place anything over your lap, or under the seat in front of you (including handbags, small backpacks or coats you’re not wearing). All these items must be stowed in the overhead compartments during both take-off and landing (and no, this is not negotiable). Also, children and teens under 16 are not allowed to take these seats.

What to expect when flying with easyJet

Much like its competitors in the low-cost segment currently operating in Europe, easyJet is not particularly worried about providing the most pleasant of flights. And why should that be the priority? After all, the secret behind the airline’s success is directly linked to its low prices. For that reason, while the company is able to transport passengers for sums which are light enough on the wallet, easyJet will never loose its share of the market.

Unsurprisingly, that ends up resulting in flights with very little leg room, no meal service and no inflight entertainment (better bring that book you’ve been taking forever to finish). However, should you feel hungry during the trip, it is always possible to buy snacks or light meals from the onboard bar.

Rules you must comply with when flying with easyJet

As it happens with any other airline – and with life in general – you are required to display some sort of common sense. As such, passengers who behave in an erratic way that may lead to flight disruptions can find themselves being expelled from the aircraft or, in far more serious cases, detained by the police upon landing.

Other rules include an undisputed smoke-ban aboard any aircraft, as well as the prohibition to use bigger electronic devices (such as laptops) during take-off, landing, or while the seatbelt signs are on. Furthermore, all devices must also be switched to “Flight Mode” during the entirety of the flight.