The Secrets Behind Ryanair’s Billion-Dollar Upsell Funnel (And How to Copy Them)

What if one of the most effective upsell funnels on the planet wasn’t built by an eCommerce brand... but by a budget airline?

Ryanair is one of the undisputed masters of upsell funnels.

Their booking flow is engineered to squeeze maximum value from every customer before, during, and after checkout.

And it works.

In 2020, Ryanair made more money from upsells than actual flight tickets. Over $3.4 billion of their revenue came from baggage fees, seat selection, trip insurance, and other "optional" extras.

Every stage of their booking process is a lesson in behavioral psychology, persuasive design, and conversion strategy.

Here’s why that matters to you:

If you run an online store, Ryanair’s upsell funnel is your blueprint for boosting average order value (AOV).

In this post, you’ll learn:

• How Ryanair builds urgency, fear of loss, and convenience into every offer
• Where and when they place their upsells for maximum conversion
• The real psychology behind their design and copy choices
• How you can replicate the same strategies in your eCommerce business

Whether you're selling supplements or sneakers, the principles behind Ryanair’s upsell funnel can help you turn more browsers into buyers, and every buyer into a higher-value customer.

Let’s keep going!

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What is an Upsell Funnel?

An upsell funnel is a series of targeted offers presented to a customer before, during, or after a purchase to increase the total order value.

Unlike a single upsell, an upsell funnel is strategic and sequential. It guides the customer through multiple high-converting offers at key decision points.

For example:

• Before purchase: “Upgrade to premium for just $9 more”
• During checkout: “Add travel insurance for peace of mind”
• After checkout: “Checkout these discounted hotels”

Each step is carefully timed and designed to feel helpful, not pushy.

Done right, an upsell funnel:

• Increases average order value (AOV)
• Improves customer experience by offering relevant add-ons
• Unlocks more revenue without extra traffic or ad spend

And while airlines like Ryanair have mastered this process, you can build a similarly effective upsell funnel with the right approach.

Inside Ryanair’s Upsell Funnel: Step-by-Step Breakdown

Ryanair’s booking flow isn’t just a path to checkout, it’s a strategically designed upsell funnel engineered to extract maximum value at every turn.

Let’s walk through each stage of their funnel, dissecting the copy, design, and psychology they use, and how you can replicate the same tactics in your eCommerce store using ReConvert.

Step 1: The Price-Ancored Offer Table

Ryanair’s upsell funnel kicks off before you even realize you're in it. 

Right after selecting a flight, Ryanair hits you with a clean, comparison-style pricing table: Basic, Regular, Plus, and Flexi Plus.

At a glance, it looks like a simple choice. But under the hood, this is a masterclass in psychological pricing.

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

Instead of showing a single price and adding upsells later, Ryanair presents all your options upfront - in a way that subtly nudges you away from the cheapest choice.

How?

• Price Anchoring

Flexi Plus, at €112 extra, makes every other option feel “reasonable” by comparison. This is classic price anchoring - show a high-priced offer first (or alongside others) to shift perception of value.

• Decoy Pricing

The “Plus” tier is only €7 more than Regular, but appears more valuable. It’s highlighted in yellow, positioned as the best deal, and loaded with the most practical benefits. This classic Goldilocks effect is designed to guide the buyer toward the middle option.

• Perceived Value Contrast

By showing the Basic tier stripped of everything, Ryanair amplifies the perceived value of even the smallest upgrades. It's designed to make you think: “I might as well pay a little more to avoid pain.”

• Illusion of Low Price

Their “from” price is for a ticket that doesn’t include any real baggage. That makes Ryanair appear cheaper in search results, only revealing the real cost once you’re in the booking flow - a tripwire to drive prospective customers into their funnel.

Step 2: The Downsell Pop-up

If you try to move forward with the Basic fare, Ryanair doesn’t just move on. Instead, they hit you with a carefully crafted pop-up:

"REGULAR is ideal for your trip!"

This isn’t an error message or a warning. It’s a second-chance upsell, triggered the moment you show hesitation and it’s loaded with persuasive tactics.

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Loss Aversion Framing

Instead of highlighting what you’re gaining by upgrading, the popup emphasizes what you’re losing by sticking with Basic - no reserved seat, no priority boarding, no carry-on. These features are visually marked with red X’s to reinforce the pain of missing out.

• Visual Hierarchy

The “Regular” fare is wrapped in a “Recommended” banner and set in a brighter card. The upgrade CTA is bright yellow and says “Switch to Regular”, while the Basic option is muted and secondary - clearly not the path they want you to take.

• Price Reframing

Ryanair doesn’t just say it costs €34.75. They say “just €34.75 more” - using the word “just” and anchoring it against the full flight price (€203.57) to make it feel like a no-brainer.

Step 3: The Default Seat Selection Upsells

Once you pass the fare selection, Ryanair takes you straight to seat selection - and here’s the trick: choosing a seat is the default, even though it costs extra.

The UI shows you a colorful seat map with pricing baked in. Recommended seats are pre-selected at €8, and highlighted to catch your eye. 

You can “Select your own,” but nearly every visible seat costs something. Want a free option? You’ll have to hunt for the tiny link that says “Select seats later.”

And even if you find it, Ryanair has one more trick.

Before continuing without a seat, you’re hit with a warning screen that emphasizes everything that could go wrong:

And again, declining this offer presents a pop-up on the following screen, reinforcing the possible negative consequences of refusing the offer:

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Default Bias: Choosing a seat is framed as the standard, not the upgrade.

• Effort Friction: It’s almost easier to pay €10 than find the free option. If you even know that option exists.

• Visual Anchoring: Yellow seats up front (“Get off quick!”) are priced highest and draw the eye first.

• Scarcity + Urgency: Don’t wait too book a seat later, or you may regret it

Now this type of upselling could be considered a little unethical. 

In our book, Ryanair isn’t really helping the customer get the best overall value here. Instead, they’re focused on getting themselves the best value. 

So, before implementing, consider how this type of aggressive upselling may affect your brand perception.

Step 4: The Baggage Downsell

Even after selecting the Basic fare earlier, Ryanair reintroduces baggage upsells - this time with a twist.

You’re offered a Priority + 2 Cabin Bags upgrade for €24, cheaper than the earlier €35 version bundled with Regular fare. It’s the same benefit, now framed as a standalone deal - making it feel more accessible.

They also present check-in bag options below, with clear pricing and urgency nudges like “Cheapest time to buy” and “Up to 50% cheaper if you buy now.”

Should you decline the baggage upsell, there are more loss-aversion-based tricks from Ryanair.

They remind you that if you bring a second bag, you will be charged a fee of up to €75 at the boarding gate. €24 doesn’t seem so bad when compared to €75, right?

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Downselling: Since you declined earlier, they try again with a lower-friction price point.

• Timing: The offer appears after seat selection, when you’re already more invested in the booking.

• Urgency Language: Limited-time price framing pushes action (“Buy now,” “Cheapest now”).

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Step 5: The Extras Page - Add-Ons With Urgency

On the next step, the “Extras” page, Ryanair bundles multiple small upsells: Fast Track security, travel insurance, and prepaid credit. Each one is positioned with smart design and subtle urgency.

The Fast Track option is headlined with “Best time to buy,” framed as a no-brainer for skipping queues. The Travel Insurance section offers three tiers, with “Protect your gadgets for just €3 extra” nudging you toward the mid-tier plan.

Lastly, the Prepaid Credit section promises a 10% bonus when you load money in advance - a micro-incentive for a macro margin.

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Bundled Upsells: Presenting 3 small-value offers together makes them feel lighter and easier to accept.

• Tiered Pricing: Insurance plans use the same Goldilocks tactic as before.

• Incentivized Spending: Prepaid credit feels like a bonus, not a sale.

Step 6: Complementary Cross-Sells Done Right

After flights, baggage, and extras, Ryanair shifts to cross-selling - but not just anything. They promote products directly related to the trip: rental cars, airport parking, and local transport.

These aren’t random affiliate links. They’re natural next steps in the customer journey.

Car hire comes with value props like “Price match guarantee” and “Free cancellation.” Parking emphasizes convenience and stress reduction. And airport transfers are framed as an easy, low-cost add-on, just one more click to check off.

🎯 What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Contextual relevance: These aren’t just upsells - they solve the traveler’s next problem.

• Convenience framing: “Save time,” “Avoid hassle,” and “Recommended” all reduce decision fatigue.

• Segmented presentation: Each option is neatly separated but part of a single flow, making them feel like value, not noise.

Step 7: Low-Friction Checkout Upsells

Even at the final payment step, Ryanair isn’t done.

Three non-intrusive but powerful checkout upsells appear above the “Pay Now” button:

• The option to send flight details to your phone by text for €2.99
• A one-click upsell for Priority Boarding + 2 Bags at a “last chance” price of €24.

• A travel insurance add-on (€17.29), requiring users to select an option.

The insurance section includes a small line of social proof-style pressure: “Ryanair recommends that all passengers obtain travel insurance.”

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Low-friction placement: Offers don’t interrupt the flow; they appear naturally as part of checkout.
• Opt-out copy: Requiring users to select ‘I don’t want to be insured’ increases uptake through fear-based framing.
• Scarcity & urgency: “Last chance to buy at this price” creates urgency for the baggage offer.

Step 8: Post-Purchase Popup - The Thank You Page Upsell

Ryanair doesn’t waste the thank you page. As soon as you’ve paid, they present a full-screen popup for car rental, framed as a convenience, not a sale.

The message is clear: “Book with confidence - flexible booking, free cancellation, and over 900 suppliers.”

What’s smart here is timing. You’re no longer comparing prices or questioning your booking. You’ve already committed. Now, Ryanair’s upsell feels like a helpful next step, not a pitch.

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Moment of relief: This offer hits right when customer anxiety fades and openness returns.
• Friendly positioning: “Let’s find your ideal car” feels like assistance, not an ad.
• Low resistance: Risk-reduction copy like “free cancellation” makes the action feel safe

💡Pro Tip: Use ReConvert to deploy similar thank you page pop-ups. Present context-aware offers when customers are most receptive. Think accessories, extended warranties, or subscriptions.

Step 9: The Confirmation Page That Keeps Selling

For most companies, the order confirmation page is a dead end. For Ryanair, it’s just another layer of the upsell funnel.

After payment, you land on a full account-style summary, but nearly every section includes an offer:

• Add Priority Boarding & Baggage
• Add Equipment, Fast Track, Travel Insurance
• Book Private Transfers
• Upsell Hotels at your destination

What makes this page work is its persistence without pressure. These offers feel like reminders, not pitches. Plus, customers are now in “trip planning mode,” so these suggestions feel genuinely helpful.

🎯 What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Extending the funnel: The sale doesn’t end at checkout - it continues post-purchase.
• Contextual upsells: Everything shown ties directly to your trip.
• Multiple impressions: In follow-up emails, links return to this page, re-engage, and buy more later.

💡Pro Tip: With ReConvert, you can turn your order status page into a conversion machine - offering tailored post-purchase add-ons, bundles, or time-sensitive deals that extend customer LTV without extra traffic.

Step 10: The Post-Purchase Email That Keeps Converting

Ryanair’s upsell funnel doesn’t end after the checkout page - or even the thank you page. It extends into your inbox.

Their confirmation email isn’t just a receipt. It’s a curated collection of “Ryanair Travel Essentials”, packed with upsell links: Fast Track, Airport Transfers, Car Hire, Parking, Baggage, Seat Changes - all one click away.

Each block is visual, scannable, and action-driven with CTAs like “Add now” or “See deal.”

What Ryanair Is Doing Here

• Behavioral timing: Emails land when travel planning is still top of mind.
• Mobile-first layout: Clean grid design makes it easy to skim and tap.
• Ongoing revenue: Even after the sale, Ryanair’s knows customers will check this email multiple times & the offers can pull them back in.

The Genius of Timing in Ryanair’s Upsell Funnel

What makes Ryanair’s upsell funnel so effective isn’t just what they offer - it’s when they offer it.

As former CMO Kenny Jacobs put it:

“You’re getting that last-minute opportunity to upsell them or cross-sell them… at the most relevant time for them on the day of travel.”

From the first flight selection to the final confirmation email, Ryanair’s funnel is designed to adapt to buyer psychology in real time.

• Skip an upgrade? You’ll see a lower-priced version on the next screen.
• Finish your booking? Now’s the perfect moment to pitch car hire.
• Week before departure? Expect an email about baggage and transfers.
• Just landed on the thank you page? Here’s a curated set of essentials to complete your trip.

It works because each touchpoint meets the customer where they are - mentally and emotionally. 

As urgency increases, so does conversion potential. And because these offers feel contextual, they don’t trigger resistance.

With ReConvert, you can time upsells based on real customer behavior, not guesswork. 

Whether it’s right before checkout or on the order confirmation page, timing your offer to perfection can turn hesitation into a “yes.”

Final Thoughts: Ryanair’s Upsell Funnel Is a Masterclass in Revenue Growth

From the moment you search for a flight to the final confirmation email, Ryanair’s booking experience is one long, seamless upsell funnel.

But what makes it so effective isn’t aggressive tactics. It’s smart timing, clear copy, and strategic design that nudges customers toward convenience, peace of mind, and added value.

Let’s recap what Ryanair teaches us about upselling:

• Use price anchoring and visual hierarchy to drive higher-value choices
• Offer second chances with timely, lower-friction down-sells
• Leverage urgency, loss aversion, and default options to reduce resistance
• Stack upsells before, during, and after checkout - not just at one touchpoint
• Extend the funnel through thank you pages and email flows
• Time your upsell offers to perfection

And the best part?

You don’t need to run an airline to do this.

With tools like ReConvert, you can implement a similar upsell funnel in your Shopify store and turn one-time customers into high-value repeat buyers.

Ready to build your own Ryanair-style upsell funnel?

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