Carry-on baggage in 2026: which bag for Ryanair and easyJet?

The two allowances to distinguish

On an airline ticket, the word “cabin” can refer to two very different pieces of baggage. The first is the small bag that fits under the seat in front of you. The second is the suitcase or large bag placed in the overhead locker. Whether you can bring them on board depends on your booking: buying a flight does not automatically entitle you to both.

On both Ryanair and easyJet, each passenger gets an included small bag, subject to the airline’s specific conditions. For a weekend with a few clothes and a small toiletry bag, this may be enough. As soon as you add a laptop, a second pair of shoes or bulky items, it is worth comparing the extra charge for a large bag with the price of another ticket option.

The number of pieces matters as much as their size. A handbag and a backpack carried separately count as two items. If your booking allows only one small bag, plan to put the handbag inside the backpack before boarding. The same preparation applies to a laptop sleeve, a camera in its case or a small souvenir bag, subject to any exceptions expressly provided by the airline.

Before choosing a bag, open your trip confirmation. Identify the included small bag, any large cabin bag and any checked bag. The “10 kg” label deserves particular attention: on Ryanair, it can refer to a cabin suitcase with the appropriate option or to a bag intended for the hold.

Ryanair dimensions

Ryanair includes one personal small bag measuring no more than 40 × 30 × 20 cm, to be placed under the seat in front of you. Its official policy gives a handbag or laptop bag as examples. A backpack can serve the same purpose if it meets these dimensions when packed and fits in the designated space.

The “Priority & 2 Cabin Bags” option adds a bag measuring 55 × 40 × 20 cm and weighing up to 10 kg, intended for the overhead locker. You keep your personal small bag as well. For someone bringing a laptop and several outfits, this combination makes it possible to separate items needed during the flight from clothes, without squeezing everything into one bag.

The “10kg Check-in Bag” follows a different process: it must be dropped off at the baggage drop desk before security screening, then travels in the hold. A suitcase that meets cabin dimensions does not change this arrangement. Your booking must include permission to take it on board for you to bring it as a second bag to the gate.

When choosing between the two options, also consider how you travel. With a cabin suitcase, you carry your bag through the airport and need to be able to handle it. With a checked bag, you plan to drop it off before departure and collect it on arrival. The travel instructions specify the times to observe; factoring these steps into your journey helps you avoid comparing only the displayed surcharge.

easyJet dimensions

easyJet allows one small under-seat bag measuring no more than 45 × 36 × 20 cm, including handles and wheels. It can weigh up to 15 kg, provided you can carry and lift it yourself. This weight allowance does not make a larger bag acceptable: the dimensions, weight and under-seat fit must all be respected.

The large cabin bag measures no more than 56 × 45 × 25 cm, also including handles and wheels, with a maximum weight of 15 kg. It goes in the overhead locker. You can add it to your booking; certain fares or easyJet Plus benefits may also include it, subject to their conditions. The total allowance is then one small bag and one large bag.

The key point is to check that this allowance is actually included in your booking. A seat at the front of the plane is not enough to conclude that the large suitcase is included. easyJet specifically notes, for example, that being automatically assigned an Up Front or Extra Legroom seat does not change the standard allowance to one that includes two bags.

For easyJet Plus members, the large bag must be added in advance, and the availability conditions should be checked carefully. The Inclusive Plus fare also has its own terms. If you travel infrequently, first compare the cost of a large bag on the specific flights you are taking rather than choosing a general benefit you will only partly use.

One bag for both airlines

If you want to travel with only the included small bag, a bag no larger than 40 × 30 × 20 cm meets the dimensional limits published by both Ryanair and easyJet. It must remain within those dimensions once packed. This is especially practical for an outbound flight with one airline and a return flight with the other, or if you regularly reuse the same bag.

The extra capacity allowed by easyJet may still be useful if all your flights are with that airline. A 45 × 36 × 20 cm bag makes better use of its allowance but exceeds Ryanair’s small bag dimensions. The marketing claim “low-cost airline compatible” is not enough to decide: look up the model’s exact three measurements and compare them with your booked flights.

The same logic applies to a large suitcase. For dimensions alone, 55 × 40 × 20 cm is within both airlines’ limits. You still need the appropriate allowance on each flight and must respect the permitted weight, including the 10 kg limit for Ryanair’s large cabin bag. A suitcase bought to make use of easyJet’s 25 cm depth could therefore be a problem on another trip.

For a lasting purchase, focus on what you actually take on your trips. A few days’ worth of soft clothing works well in an under-seat bag. Work documents, fragile equipment or structured clothing may justify a suitcase and the allowance for it. Try the bag when packed: shoulder weight, stairs and rail connections matter throughout the trip.

How to measure your bag

Measure your packed bag in the condition in which you will take it. For a suitcase, take the external measurements and check the wheels, folded handle, feet and any other protruding parts. A sales listing may highlight the size of the shell, while the airline checks the entire bag.

With a soft-sided bag, the risk shifts to the pockets. A bottle in a side pocket, a toiletry bag at the front or a poorly positioned laptop can add bulk. Place the packed bag on a flat surface and measure its three dimensions without artificially compressing it. A bag that only keeps its shape under heavy pressure will be difficult to use with confidence.

Expandable sections require the same care. A suitcase that complies when closed may exceed the limit as soon as you open the expansion section for your return-trip purchases. Also check whether the manufacturer’s stated dimensions refer to the compact or expanded version. Keeping the expansion section closed on the outbound journey does not reserve any right to use it later.

Weigh the bag after packing it completely. Add chargers, toiletries, your laptop and shoes before putting it on the scales. Dense items are often the ones people forget to account for: books, electronic accessories and cosmetics. Leave a little room for differences in weighing and for purchases, rather than trying to use the entire allowance every time.

What to pack for a short stay

For a two- or three-night stay, start by laying out your belongings on a table before deciding where to put them. Group clothes by outfit and identify which items can be worn more than once. One pair of shoes worn during the journey may be enough if your planned activities allow it; a hike or a business meeting may, on the other hand, require additional gear.

Make room for your laptop in your first packing attempt. Its rigid shape affects the bag, and chargers add weight. If you are travelling as a pair, separate personal items from those you can share, such as some toiletries. However, keep each person’s necessary medication and documents easy to reach.

Before closing the bag, simulate a security check: take out your liquids bag and electronic device if required, then put them back without having to empty your clothes. A bag packed so tightly that you cannot close it in the terminal makes departure more difficult. If this first attempt does not work, reducing what you pack or buying the appropriate allowance will be more comfortable than repeatedly compressing the bag at every stage.

The outbound and return journeys, and connections

Plan your trip flight by flight. A Ryanair outbound flight with Priority and an easyJet return without a large cabin bag do not provide the same allowance in both directions. Likewise, do not assume that an add-on purchased for one traveller applies to everyone in the group. Check the names, dates and associated bags before paying.

For a connection, also identify the carrier operating each segment. The name of the site selling the ticket or the one shown at the top of the itinerary may not be enough to explain which conditions apply. If several airlines are involved, have the rules for the entire ticket confirmed; for separate bookings, check each one.

Changes in the type of service also affect how much time you have. If a leg includes checked baggage, you need to arrange drop-off and collection according to the instructions you receive. If you have arranged a connection yourself, allow enough time for these steps. Flight time alone does not represent the time needed between departures.

Leave room for the return journey from the outset. Clothing purchases take up space; bottles and jars of food raise security questions. Before buying something, consider where you will pack it, what kind of container it requires and whether it can pass through security. Luggage storage in town can make your last day easier, but it does not change any airline baggage allowance.

Liquids and security screening

For departures from an airport in the European Union, the general guidance from Your Europe and the European Commission remains that liquids must be in containers with a maximum capacity of 100 ml, placed together in a transparent, resealable bag with a maximum capacity of one litre. This rule applies to gels, pastes, creams and aerosols as well as drinks. Toothpaste and sunscreen therefore need to be included in your packing plan.

The container’s capacity is what matters. A 200 ml bottle that is nearly empty does not count as a 100 ml container. If suitable for the product, transfer everyday toiletries into appropriate containers, or plan to buy them after you arrive. For a short stay, taking fewer products often avoids having to change the entire booking.

Necessary medicines and baby food are exempt from the usual volume limit, although they may be subject to checks. Keep them accessible and find out which supporting documents may be useful for your situation. Liquids bought in duty free are subject to their own conditions: the products and receipt must remain in the designated sealed security bag.

Screening equipment and instructions on how to present your belongings may vary by airport. Follow staff directions on whether to remove devices from your bag or leave them inside. When preparing for the whole trip, also check the return departure and any connections. An allowance made on the outbound journey does not mean you can pack large bottles in your return toiletry bag without checking first.

Batteries and valuables

Set aside an easily accessible pocket for travel documents, necessary medicines, your phone and fragile items. This is especially useful if staff ask for a suitcase originally intended as cabin baggage to be placed in the hold instead. You need to be able to quickly retrieve the items you must keep with you and follow instructions about batteries.

Power banks are subject to specific rules, separate from the bag’s dimensions. easyJet requires them to be carried in the cabin, limits them to two per customer and prohibits using them to charge a device on board. Its page also specifies that laptops and e-cigarettes must be carried in the cabin. Check your airline’s conditions for the exact equipment you are taking.

For a smart suitcase, check whether the battery is removable before choosing the model. easyJet requires it to be disconnectable and removable in accordance with its instructions; a suitcase with a battery that cannot be removed may be refused. A USB port on the shell does not, by itself, indicate whether the bag will be accepted.

Avoid spreading your devices and accessories across several pockets that are difficult to empty. An inner pouch makes screening easier and helps you remove batteries when required. Protect the terminals of spare batteries in accordance with the carrier’s instructions, and keep the capacity markings legible. For a particular device, get the necessary confirmation before departure.

Children’s baggage

The rules for a baby travelling on an adult’s lap differ from those for a child with their own seat. With Ryanair, an infant aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive does not have a standard independent cabin baggage allowance. However, the airline allows a baby bag weighing up to 5 kg and measuring 45 × 35 × 20 cm for an infant travelling on an adult’s lap, as well as two free baby items under its conditions.

With easyJet, an additional changing bag measuring 45 × 36 × 20 cm is allowed for an infant on an adult’s lap and must fit under the seat. Children over two and infants with a reserved seat have the corresponding allowance. Two items from the airline’s list may also be carried free of charge, depending on the arrangements for dropping them off and collecting them.

Before you leave, choose the equipment you will actually need in the terminals. A pushchair used up to the gate and a car seat handed in at the drop-off point are handled differently. Check where each item will be collected on arrival and keep the clothes, nappies and meals needed during that time close at hand.

Security exemptions for baby food do not create a general right to bring more bags. Organize belongings by use, then compare the final number of containers with the booking rules. When travelling as a family, a photo of the closed bags and a list showing which items belong to each traveller can make the final check before leaving your accommodation easier.

The full cost of baggage

To compare two tickets, add the baggage you actually need in each direction to the flight costs. A lower fare may lose its appeal after you buy a large bag for several travelers. Conversely, paying for a suitcase for each person adds no value if the group can travel comfortably with compliant small bags.

Compare the standalone add-on with the bundle that already includes the service, taking into account any other services you will use. With easyJet, adding a large cabin bag also gives you access to Speedy Boarding. With Ryanair, the Priority & 2 Cabin Bags option combines priority boarding with the two permitted items. Evaluate the package as a whole without assigning value to benefits that are irrelevant to your trip.

Prices for these options vary depending on the flight and booking. To decide, use the amount shown in your basket for the right dates and passengers. easyJet says that adding a large cabin bag online costs less than doing so at the gate. Checking the dimensions before departure gives you more options than sorting it out at the last minute.

If you are charged an extra fee, keep the relevant documents: confirmation of your baggage allowance, the receipt, and details describing the bag in question. If you disagree, ask for a specific explanation and keep a record of your contact with the airline. A dispute is more likely to be resolved in your favor if you rely on the ticket actually purchased and the bag’s measurements rather than on a general promise you read elsewhere.

European announcements about free baggage

On January 21, 2026, the European Parliament adopted its position on the revision of air passenger rights. Among other things, it called for one personal item and one small cabin bag at no extra charge, with the latter limited to 100 cm in total dimensions and a maximum of 7 kg. The announcement then described the referral to the Council and the steps needed to reach a final text.

This document describes a legislative position as of a specific date. It is not enough to establish that a new baggage allowance has taken effect for your flight. For a booking, rely on the carrier’s current terms and the official information that applies on your departure date. An article announcing a vote is no substitute for checking the text and its date of application.

The practical guideline is still to check separately the included item, any large cabin bag, and the security rules. A change to baggage pricing would not, by itself, allow you to carry prohibited items or exceed liquid restrictions.

The last day in Rome

Traveling with cabin baggage can make getting around easier, but even a small bag becomes a nuisance between checking out of your hotel and taking an evening flight. First ask your accommodation whether it can hold your bags, then compare the detour with your route to the airport. A storage location near your route can make a final stroll more enjoyable.

In Rome, the Capital Luggage Deposit storage service offered via Viator is at Via Giovanni Giolitti 127, on the sidewalk opposite Termini station. The listing we consulted states that it is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and requires a passport or ID card when you drop off your bag. The rate is listed per bag, through closing time: count the items you will be leaving when you book.

We recommend it for a final day when your route already takes you past Termini. Drop off your belongings, keep your documents and any items you need with you, and plan a pickup time that leaves enough time to get to your airport. The Leonardo Express illustration shows the Fiumicino station; it is a transport reference, not a photograph of the luggage storage location.

The booking covers luggage storage only. It does not include an airport transfer, a flight ticket, or a cabin baggage add-on. Before you leave, repack and check your purchases: it is the bag you bring to boarding, not the one you left at the storage location that morning, that must comply with your allowance.