Budget airlines’ hidden ‘drip’ fees to be banned in new law in boost for cheap flights hunters
The practice of 'drip-pricing' — where hidden fees are added at the end of a transaction — has been banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which the Government officially passed into law in May 2024.
This landmark legislation requires businesses, including airlines, to be transparent about the total cost of a service from the very first click.
Drip-pricing is where businesses promote a product or service at one price but add extra charges throughout the purchasing process, increasing the final cost.
Budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet have become notorious for drip pricing due to the vast fees they charge for things like baggage, picking seats, and check-in at the airport.
Ryanair can offer a return trip from Manchester to Dublin for £30, but taking a cabin bag will add an extra £72 to the trip. A 20kg checked bag will set travellers back £59.99 per flight - or nearly £120 for the round trip. That makes a return journey advertised as £30 cost £150 - a 500% increase in what was first offered.
Ryanair has also increased fares by 24 percent in the past year, it emerged this week.
easyJet offers flights from about £15, but can charge about £45 for a cabin bag for one journey. Some baggage options include a priority seat selection at the front of the plane, but adding a seat choice alone can cost another £20 per trip.
Worst airlines for hidden fees
Wizz Air continues to be identified as the worst airline for additional fees, which can still cost travellers substantial amounts despite new transparency laws.
Research for the 2025/26 season from NetVoucherCodes found that the airline can charge up to £114.20 in extras when comparing costs for baggage, seat selection, and priority boarding.
On average, Wizz Air now charges £52.50 for a 20kg checked-in bag and £38.50 for large carry-on luggage.
Seat selection in the latest study, published in late 2025, cost an average of £14.20 per flight.
The study totted up prices for a 20kg check in bag, hand luggage, fast track, seat selection, onboard wifi and travel insurance.
Jet2 came third for hidden costs, despite NimbleFins research finding it is actually the best airline for free hand luggage.
Wizz Air charged £42.75 for a checked-in bag, and £34.29 for carry on luggage. Seat selection cost £11.15 in the research which was published in August.
Rank|Airline|Total Average Fees (2025/26) _ 1|Wizz Air|£114.20 _ 2|Ryanair|£88.45 _ 3|Jet2|£82.10 _ 4|Vueling|£76.30 _ 5|easyJet|£74.95
*Source: NetVoucherCodes
While the travel industry is most prevalent for drip pricing - 72% of transport providers use drip fees according to Government research - the tactic is also used by entertainment, hospitality and retail industries, with mandatory charges such as booking fees for gig and cinema tickets.
It means customers can end up paying far more than they originally thought, with some charges unavoidable.
Up to £3.5 billion is spent on dripped fees online in the UK, the Government estimates.
Consumer disputes expert Scott Dixon told NimbleFins that retailers often throw in drip pricing after a customer gets halfway through the purchase, or right at the end.
He said: "This is done deliberately as airlines and other providers know that consumers are more likely to accept it, rather than reject it if it was transparent from the outset.
"Consumers are enticed by low fares and prices and are suffering a significant detriment and harm from these insidious practices.
"This crackdown is welcome news for consumers and long overdue, given that airfares are rising and are likely to continue to do so."
Click here to compare travel insurance policies
Following a lengthy consultation period initiated in 2023, the crackdown on drip-pricing was formalised through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act.
This legislation was a centrepiece of the Government's consumer protection agenda and received Royal Assent in May 2024, effectively setting the standard for how airlines must now advertise their prices to UK consumers in 2026.
A source from the Department for Business and Trade previously told NimbleFins: “We know people are fed up with finding hidden extra costs in their online shopping baskets when times are already challenging.
“That’s why this Government is seizing the benefits of our Brexit freedoms by looking at new legal measures to keep more cash in people's pockets and crack down on hidden fees, restoring more honesty to retail pricing."
Read more: