The Ryanair cabin bag size for the free bag is 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Every fare includes one small personal bag of that size, and it must fit under the seat in front of you. A larger 10kg Cabin Bag of 55 x 40 x 20 cm goes in the overhead locker, but only with Priority & 2 Cabin Bags or a fare that includes it. These hand luggage sizes are as stated by Ryanair on its website, checked 19 October 2026.
| Allowance | Size (cm) | Size (inches) | Weight | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small personal bag, under the seat | 40 x 30 x 20 | 15.5 x 12 x 8 | No limit stated | All fares |
| 10kg Cabin Bag, overhead locker | 55 x 40 x 20 | 21.5 x 15.5 x 8 | 10 kg | Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, Regular, Flexi Plus, Time Saver |
| 10kg Check-in Bag, hold | No size published | No size published | 10 kg | Paid add-on, or one per group member with Family Plus |
| Baby bag | 45 x 35 x 20 | 17.5 x 14 x 8 | 5 kg | Babies on an adult’s lap |
Ryanair gives its sizes in centimetres only. The inches are our conversion (1 inch = 2.54 cm), rounded to the nearest half inch, so for a close fit measure in centimetres.
Ryanair free small bag size: 40 x 30 x 20 cm
The free small bag can measure up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Ryanair’s bag policy says that “all fares include one small personal bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm) that must fit under the seat”. On the Basic fare Ryanair writes it as 40x20x30cm, the same box in another order.
Ryanair’s policy states no weight limit for this bag, whatever other sites say.
Ryanair 10kg cabin bag size: 55 x 40 x 20 cm
The 10kg Cabin Bag can measure up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm, weigh up to 10 kg and goes in the overhead locker. It is not on every fare. You get it when:
- you add Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, which lets you carry the small bag and the 10kg bag on board
- you book Regular, which includes “1 10kg Cabin Bag (55x40x20cm) to be stored in the overhead locker”
- you book Flexi Plus or Time Saver, which include Priority & 2 Cabin Bags
The Plus fare includes the small bag on board and a 20kg Check-in Bag, not the 10kg cabin bag.
Ryanair 10kg check-in bag size: no size published
Ryanair publishes no dimensions for its 10kg Check-in Bag. You can add one to a booking, and Family Plus includes one for each group member. Its help centre gives sizes for the 20 kg and 23 kg check-in bags only (searched 19 October 2026), so we do not print one and would treat any page that does with caution.
What happens at the gate if your bag is too big
If your small bag or 10kg cabin bag does not fit in the baggage sizers, Ryanair places it in the hold for a fee, “at the level set out in our Regulations”. The article that says so does not give the amount, so we do not quote one. The sizer takes the bag as you carry it, so check it packed, not empty.
How to measure a backpack for Ryanair
Measure your backpack packed against Ryanair’s cabin bag dimensions. A soft bag packed full bulges, so a backpack sold as 40 x 30 x 20 cm can measure more once it is filled.
- Height: from the base to the top of the bag, top handle included.
- Width: across the widest point, side pockets included.
- Depth: from the back panel to the front of the front pocket, the one to watch for the 20 cm limit.
Backpacks that fit the Ryanair small bag
These backpacks from our leather backpacks collection fit inside 40 x 30 x 20 cm on their stated dimensions. A soft bag packed full bulges, so measure yours packed before you fly.
- Our small leather backpack in genuine cowhide, 25 x 21 x 13 cm, with a zip closure and a front pocket with a flap. No capacity is stated.
- Our mini vegan leather backpack for women, 20 x 8 x 23 cm, under 20 litres, with an outside slip pocket.
- Our waterproof vegan leather backpack for women, 26 x 12 x 30 cm, under 20 litres, with two elastic side pockets.
- Our women’s Korean vegan leather backpack with a buckle clasp, 28 x 39 x 14 cm, under 20 litres, which takes A4 notebooks.
Backpacks that fit the Ryanair 10kg cabin bag
If your fare includes the 10kg Cabin Bag, these larger backpacks fit inside 55 x 40 x 20 cm on their stated dimensions. They are too big for the free bag.
- Our waterproof men’s black faux leather laptop backpack, 29 x 13 x 43 cm, about 29 litres, for a laptop up to 15.6 inches, with a strap that slides over a suitcase handle.
- Our men’s vintage leather backpack in genuine leather, with a hammered finish, 42 x 32 x 12 cm, for a laptop up to 15.6 inches. No capacity is stated.
There are more in our women’s leather backpacks and men’s leather backpacks, and our cabin backpacks collection gathers the travel models.
Ryanair cabin bag size compared with other airlines
Ryanair’s free bag is the same size as the under-seat bag on Jet2 and the personal item on Aer Lingus, smaller than easyJet’s and deeper than the British Airways hand bag. These are the figures each airline states on its own website, checked 19 October 2026.
| Airline | Small or under-seat bag (cm) | Larger cabin bag (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Small personal bag 40 x 30 x 20, no weight stated | 10kg Cabin Bag 55 x 40 x 20, 10 kg |
| easyJet | Small cabin bag 45 x 36 x 20, up to 15 kg | Large cabin bag 56 x 45 x 25, up to 15 kg |
| Jet2 | Under-seat bag 40 x 30 x 20, no weight stated | Hand luggage 56 x 45 x 25, up to 10 kg |
| Aer Lingus | Personal item 40 x 30 x 20, no weight stated | 10kg bag 55 x 40 x 24, 10 kg |
| Loganair | Cabin bag 40 x 35 x 18, under 6 kg | None, plus a small handbag (no size given) |
| British Airways | Hand bag 40 x 30 x 15, no weight stated on its hand baggage page | Cabin bag 56 x 45 x 25, no weight stated, every cabin including Economy Basic |
Which bag is included depends on the airline and the fare. Taking the smallest figure on each side of the six small bags gives a 40 x 30 x 15 cm box, set by British Airways. Leave British Airways out and it is 40 x 30 x 18 cm. On their stated dimensions, the four small-bag backpacks listed above fit both boxes: our small genuine leather backpack, our mini vegan leather backpack, our women’s vegan leather backpack and our faux leather backpack with a buckle clasp. A soft bag packed full bulges, so measure yours packed.
The new EU cabin bag rule
An EU rule will set a personal item every passenger may bring on board, of at least 40 x 30 x 15 cm, with no weight minimum and no obligation to include a cabin bag in every fare. Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 was published on 2 October 2026 and applies 12 months later, so from about October 2027, exact date to be confirmed. We found no UK rule of this kind, and the European Commission’s questions and answers do not say how it treats UK flights.
Ryanair cabin bag questions
How strict is Ryanair on cabin bag size?
Ryanair gives no tolerance above 40 x 30 x 20 cm or 55 x 40 x 20 cm, so treat both as firm limits. A bag that does not fit the baggage sizers at the gate goes in the hold for a fee, as set out in Ryanair’s Regulations.
Is there a weight limit for the Ryanair free bag?
Ryanair’s bag policy states no weight limit for the small personal bag. The 10 kg limit applies to the 10kg Cabin Bag and the 10kg Check-in Bag.
Can I take a handbag and a backpack on Ryanair?
Not both for free, because every fare includes one small personal bag, so put the handbag inside the backpack. With Priority & 2 Cabin Bags you can carry the small bag and a 10kg bag of up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
What size is the Ryanair baby bag?
Ryanair allows a baby bag of up to 45 x 35 x 20 cm and 5 kg for a baby travelling on an adult’s lap.
Is the 10kg Cabin Bag the same as the 10kg Check-in Bag?
No. The 10kg Cabin Bag goes in the overhead locker and measures up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm, while the 10kg Check-in Bag goes in the hold and has no published size.
Sources: Ryanair’s bag policy and its help centre articles on fare bundles and gate sizers. The comparison uses the baggage pages of easyJet, Jet2, Aer Lingus, Loganair and British Airways.
Sizes checked on Ryanair’s website on 19 October 2026. Airlines change their rules, so check your booking before you fly.