Airline Cabin Bag & Hand Luggage Size Calculator
Check if your bag meets any airline's cabin bag or hand luggage size limits. Compare major airline allowances and avoid surprise bag fees at the gate.
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Cabin Bag Guide
What do I need to know about Airline Cabin Bag Allowances 2026?
Ryanair: free small bag 40×20×25cm (fits under seat). Cabin bag 55×40×20cm with Priority (paid add-on or Plus/Flexi fares). easyJet: free under-seat bag 45×36×20cm. Overhead cabin bag 56×45×25cm with FLEXI or Up Front seat. Jet2: cabin bag 56×45×25cm, 10kg — included in all fares (most generous budget airline). British Airways: cabin bag 56×45×25cm + laptop bag or handbag. Hand luggage included in all fares. Wizz Air: free small bag 40×30×20cm. Cabin bag 55×40×23cm with WIZZ Go+ fare only. Note: airlines regularly revise these dimensions and fare-tier inclusions, so always check the specific current policy on the airline's own website shortly before travel rather than relying on older information.
Why Bag Fees Are So Expensive?
Budget airlines generate significant revenue from ancillary fees. Ryanair cabin bag fees (added at booking): typically £8-25 online. At the gate: £50-80. This is deliberate pricing — punish those who do not pre-add the bag at booking. Strategy: always add any required bag at the time of booking (cheapest). Check in online early for seat selection (affects bag priority). If travelling with just a free bag: pack using compression packing cubes to maximise the smaller allowance. The 40×20×25cm Ryanair free personal item allowance is deliberately tight, which is exactly why so many passengers end up paying for a larger cabin bag at the gate if they haven't planned ahead.
What do I need to know about Maximising Your Allowance?
Soft-sided bags expand to the maximum dimensions better than hard cases — a bag slightly above limit may pass if sides are soft and compressible. Airlines measure at their discretion — a bag that technically fits flat may be measured when upright. Wear heavy items on the plane (boots, jacket) — this reduces bag weight without increasing size. Use packing cubes: they compress clothing significantly and keep the bag organised. Liquids (100ml rule): all liquids must be in containers of 100ml or less, all fitting within a single transparent resealable bag, regardless of how much total liquid volume the containers could technically hold.
What should I know about Gate Bag Checks?
Airlines increasingly use bag sizers at the gate — particularly Ryanair and Wizz Air on busy routes. If your bag does not fit in the sizer: you will be charged to check it in the hold, at the gate, at very high prices (£50-80 typically). Avoid this: measure your bag accurately before travel, including any protruding wheels, handles, and pockets. A bag that measures 55×40×20cm with wheels is actually larger — measure the entire bag including external pockets, wheels, and handles in its fully packed condition, since gate staff measure exactly what you're carrying, not just the bag's stated dimensions.