Budget Airline Hand Luggage Sizes 2026: What You Can Take for Free

Baggage sizes are subject to change, and while this article is updated regularly, it may not always be accurate for your particular flight. If in doubt be sure to double check with your airline.  

If the law allowed, it would only be a matter of time before budget airlines began to charge for breathing. Right now they can’t, but what they can do is charge you for checked in luggage, hit you with excess baggage penalties and offer minuscule cabin baggage allowances.

Since most of us flying with budget airlines are looking for the cheapest possible fare we should also look to shun costly checked in baggage in favour of a single cabin bag. Not only is this cheaper, it’s also quicker and far less hassle.

With that in mind we’ve compiled a cabin baggage allowance chart for the some of the most popular budget airlines, including EasyJet, Ryanair, and Flybe. For comparison we’ve also listed British Airways current cabin baggage limits.

According to a survey on Skyscanner, 82% of UK air passengers want all airlines to have the same cabin bag allowance. Be careful what you wish for, there are some super stingy allowances out there. Yes, we’re looking at you Wizz Air.

easyJet baggage allowance 2026

Every easyJet passenger can take one small cabin bag on board for free. The maximum size is 45 x 36 x 20 cm (including handles and wheels), and it must fit under the seat in front of you. There is no real weight limit on this bag, but 15kg should be used as a guideline.

If you book an Up Front or Extra Legroom seat, you can also bring a second, larger cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm, which goes in the overhead locker. The same applies to easyJet Plus cardholders and passengers on a FLEXI fare.

If your bag is oversized at the gate, easyJet charges £37 if flagged online or £47 at the airport. To avoid this, measure your bag carefully before you travel, including any handles, wheels and pockets.

Further details are available on the EasyJet website

Ryanair baggage size

All Ryanair passengers can carry one small personal bag for free. The maximum size is 40 x 30 x 20 cm and it must fit under the seat in front of you. Ryanair updated its free bag dimensions in July 2025, so if you’ve seen older guides quoting 40 x 25 x 20 cm or 40 x 20 x 25 cm, those are out of date.

I often fly with a backpack that measures 45cm x 38cm x 22cm, but it’s never full and can be compressed or squeezed to fit under the seat, or in the box Ryanair staff use to test luggage sizes form time to time. In around 10 flights I’ve not run into a problem. 

It’s worth noting though that for 2026, Ryanair increased the commission it pays its staff for finding oversize luggage. As such, some staff may be a little more strict than before, when it comes to checking your bags. 

Gate bag fee: £69.99. If Ryanair staff find you trying to bring an oversized or second bag through the gate without the right add-on, you’ll be charged £69.99 on the spot. It is nearly always cheaper to buy Priority or the 2 Cabin Bags add-on in advance, even if you only add it the night before travel.

To bring a full-size cabin bag into the overhead locker (up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm, max 10 kg), you need either a Priority boarding ticket or the 2 Cabin Bags add-on. Both can be purchased when booking or added later through Manage My Booking, and are almost always cheaper booked online than at the gate.

> Ryanair baggage policy explained

Want to know how to get the best seat on Ryanair flights without paying extra? See our guide. 

Wizz Air baggage price

Wizz Air has some of the most complicated baggage pricing around, as its prices change according to the season.

Hand luggage less than 40cm x 30cm x 20cm and weighing less than 10kg can be taken onboard for free. Think a large handbag or small backpack.

Cabin luggage less than 55cm x 40cm x 23cm and weighing less than 10kg, can cost between £5 and £35 depending on the flight and time of year. Priority customers however get this for free, as do Wizz Go customers and those with Wizz Air’s superior tickets.

Checked baggage again depends on season, flight and weight. In the low season it can cost as little as £10 for 10kg bag and up to £75 for a 32kg bag. In peak season this can range from £15-£100.

Jet2 baggage allowance 2026

Jet2 is one of the more generous budget airlines when it comes to hand luggage. Every passenger can bring one cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm and a maximum weight of 10 kg on board for free. You can also bring a small additional item, such as a handbag or laptop bag, provided it fits either in the overhead locker or under the seat in front of you.

There is no requirement to pay for priority boarding to use the overhead locker, which puts Jet2 ahead of Ryanair and Wizz Air on this point. That said, if your cabin bag is oversized or overweight at the airport, it will be checked into the hold and an additional charge will apply.

If you need to check a bag into the hold, Jet2 charges from around £10 per bag per way depending on your route, rising to a flat £45 per bag if you leave it to purchase at the airport rather than booking online. Each bag can weigh up to 22 kg, and passengers can check in up to three bags per person.

Passengers travelling on a Jet2holidays package receive a 22 kg hold bag included as standard. Full details are on the Jet2 baggage page.

TUI baggage allowance 2026

TUI made a significant change to its hand luggage policy from 1 May 2026. Previously, all passengers could bring a cabin bag up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm on board for free. Under the new rules, standard fare passengers are now only entitled to a small personal item, such as a handbag or small backpack, that fits under the seat. If you want to bring a full-size cabin bag into the overhead locker, you will need to purchase this as an add-on at the time of booking.

The cabin bag allowance, when purchased, remains 55 x 40 x 20 cm with a maximum weight of 10 kg. This brings TUI’s standard fare more in line with Ryanair and Wizz Air, where the larger overhead bag is also a paid extra. If you are travelling on a TUI package holiday, check your booking confirmation, as the allowance included can vary depending on the package type.

For hold baggage on flight-only bookings, TUI offers options of 15 kg, 20 kg or 25 kg bags to purchase. Package holiday passengers receive a hold allowance as standard, typically ranging from 15 kg to 25 kg depending on the holiday type. Excess baggage at the airport is charged at £14 per kg on short and mid-haul routes.

Full details are on the TUI baggage information page.

What else can I take on-board?

We’ve had a lot of questions about taking additional items on board. Here’s what you’re allowed to carry onto the aircraft in addition to your cabin baggage allowance.

• Overcoat
• Shawl
• Umbrella
• One bag of duty free good purchased after airport security

Get the right bag

Our favourite is the Cabin Max range of bags. The Cabin Max Metz Travel Backpack at 55 x 40 x 20 cm it’s suitable for many of the airlines above. What’s more, it only weighs 700 grams so won’t eat into your weight allowance. In our opinion it’s the best easyJet cabin bag (for priority customers), and one of the lightest cabin luggage ranges around. If you prefer a trolley style bag, then the Anode Cabin Suitcase gets our vote, at less than £55, with 35l capacity, lockable zips, and four trolley wheels rather than two.

At this size it’s not absolutely guaranteed to be accepted into the cabin on busy EasyJet flights (can be checked into the hold), but unless it’s filled to the brim there shouldn’t be any problems.

The best hand luggage that’s suitable as a carry-on without any additional fees is the Cabin Max Manhattan Rucksack at less than £40. This comes in two sizes, 40 cm x 20cm x 25 cm for RyanAir, and 40 cm x 36 cm x 20 cm for easyJet. If you regularly fly with both airlines, then be sure to get the smaller bag.

These days the bag I use most is an Adidas Excel backpack. This is slightly larger than Ryanair’s allowance but can be compressed to fit under the seat in front of you. In 10 flights, I haven’t had an issue. The reason I use this bag is that It means I can use one bag for everything. From flying, to hiking, to walking around town. The Adidas Excel is currently available on Amazon in a range of colours. 

Don’t forget your travel money

If you’re going abroad either to eurozone countries or anywhere else in the world, make sure you have the best plastic for the job. Using specialist travel debit and credit cards can save you a fortune over the one issued by your high street bank.

See our guide to the best credit and debit cards for spending abroad.

If however you prefer to use the money in your regular highstreet bank account for travel or don’t want to open another bank account, then consider Currensea.

Currensea is a card that acts as a layer between your foreign spending and your regular bank account. You spend in euros, dollar (or any other currency for that matter), and Currensea charges your bank account in pounds, saving you from conversion fees, and loading. See our Currensea review for more.

Please note: Facts correct at time of publication

Frequently asked questions

What is the free hand luggage size for Ryanair?

All Ryanair passengers can take one free bag measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm on board, which must fit under the seat in front of you. This allowance is included in every fare at no extra cost. If you want to use the overhead locker, you need to add Priority boarding or the 2 Cabin Bags option, which allows a second bag of up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm weighing no more than 10 kg.

Can I take a backpack as hand luggage on easyJet?

Yes. easyJet’s free cabin bag allowance (45 x 36 x 20 cm, under-seat) is suitable for most standard backpacks. The key test is size, not bag type: as long as your backpack fits within those dimensions including any external pockets or straps compressed down, it qualifies as the free allowance. If your backpack is larger than that, you would need to purchase an Up Front or Extra Legroom seat to bring it as an overhead bag (up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm), or check it into the hold.

What happens if my bag is too big at the gate?

If airline staff identify your bag as oversized at the gate, it will typically be taken from you and checked into the hold, and you will be charged a gate fee. These fees are significantly higher than buying an allowance in advance: Ryanair charges £69.99 at the gate, while easyJet charges between £37 and £47 depending on whether you are flagged online or at the airport. The simplest way to avoid this is to measure your bag carefully before you travel, including wheels, handles and any bulging pockets.

Which budget airline has the most generous free hand luggage allowance?

Jet2 is the most generous of the major UK budget airlines. Every passenger can bring one cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm weighing up to 10 kg in the overhead locker for free, with no requirement to pay for priority boarding. easyJet’s free allowance is smaller (45 x 36 x 20 cm, under-seat only), while Ryanair and Wizz Air restrict the free allowance to a small under-seat bag of 40 x 30 x 20 cm. British Airways is the most generous overall, offering a full cabin bag plus a personal item as standard on every fare.

Does Wizz Air charge for hand luggage?

Wizz Air includes a small bag of up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm in every fare for free. To bring a larger cabin bag (up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm, 10 kg) into the overhead locker, you need to purchase Wizz Priority. The cost of Wizz Priority varies by route and how far in advance you buy it, but it is almost always cheaper to add it when booking rather than at the airport.

Has TUI changed its hand luggage policy?

Yes. From 1 May 2026, TUI changed its standard fare to include only a small personal item (40 x 30 x 20 cm) rather than a full-size cabin bag. Passengers who want to bring a cabin bag up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm must now purchase this as a separate add-on. If you are travelling on a TUI package holiday, check your booking confirmation as the included allowance can vary depending on your package type.

Is there a weight limit on hand luggage?

It depends on the airline. Ryanair and Wizz Air set a 10 kg weight limit on the larger priority cabin bag, but do not officially enforce a weight limit on the free under-seat bag. easyJet does not impose a weight limit on its free under-seat bag at all. Jet2 sets a 10 kg limit on its free cabin bag. British Airways allows a combined total of 23 kg across both its cabin bag and personal item. In practice, staff at the gate rarely weigh hand luggage, but there is no guarantee of this, particularly on busy routes.