Cabin Luggage Allowance: A Guide to Airline Bag Sizes
The best cabin bag for your trip is not necessarily the biggest one. It is the bag that fits your airline’s allowance, carries what you need and is comfortable to use from leaving home to arriving at your destination.
With different sizes for underseat bags and overhead cases, checking your booking first can save you from buying luggage that is perfect for one flight but too large for another. Here is how to make the choice.
Start With Your Airline And Fare
There is no universal cabin-bag size. Before choosing a case, check the airline, fare and route on your booking. A bag can be perfect for one airline and too large for another.
Measure the outside of the bag once packed, including wheels and handles. That is what airlines check at the gate.
Browse cabin luggage by airlineUnderseat bags and cabin cases: what is the difference?
An underseat bag goes beneath the seat in front of you. It is usually the free allowance on low-cost fares and needs to be compact. A cabin case goes in the overhead locker and is often included only with selected fares or a paid add-on.
If your flight includes only a small personal item, do not buy a full cabin case until you have checked the size allowance.
For a quick break, a small bag can encourage you to pack only what you will use. Choose clothes that work together and keep documents, chargers and smaller essentials easy to reach. A soft bag still needs to fit the published dimensions once it is full, so do not rely on being able to squeeze it into the airport sizer.
If you prefer a wheeled case, make sure your booking includes an overhead bag. The words “cabin luggage” cover different sizes across airlines; the measurements on your ticket are what matter, including the wheels and handles on your case.
Shop underseat cabin bagsFind your airline’s cabin-bag allowance
Start with the airline operating your flight, then check the fare and any baggage extras on your booking. These guides explain the difference between a free personal item, an overhead cabin case and checked luggage.
Popular cabin-bag sizes at a glance
These are the maximum sizes for the most common allowances, not a promise that every fare includes them. Check the allowance on your booking before you travel and measure the outside of a packed bag, including wheels and handles.
Airline Free personal item Larger cabin bag Ryanair 40 × 25 × 20cm Priority: 55 × 40 × 20cm, 10kg easyJet 45 × 36 × 20cm Booked large cabin bag: 56 × 45 × 25cm Jet2 40 × 30 × 20cm 56 × 45 × 25cm, 10kg Vueling 40 × 30 × 20cm Fare dependent: 55 × 40 × 20cm, 10kg TUI Airways 40 × 30 × 20cm 55 × 40 × 20cm, 10kg For the fare rules, weight limits and the right type of luggage for your flight, use the full guide for the airline operating your journey.
- Ryanair baggage allowance
- Aer Lingus baggage allowance
- Norse baggage allowance
- easyJet baggage allowance
- Vueling baggage allowance
- TUI baggage allowance
- KLM baggage allowance
- Air France baggage allowance
- Iberia baggage allowance
- Jet2 baggage allowance
If you are changing airlines on a connecting journey, check both guides. A case that fits one flight may be too large for the next.
Read the Ryanair cabin-bag guideFind A Cabin Bag You Will Enjoy Using
Once the size is right, think about how you like to travel. A soft bag can keep a short stay simple, while a wheeled case helps when you are carrying more. Compartments make it easier to keep smaller essentials together, and a colour you recognise can help you spot your luggage quickly.
Check the weight of the empty bag as well as its capacity. Everything you add contributes to the packed weight, so choose a size that suits your trip and leave room to close it comfortably. Expandable sections are useful only when the extra depth remains within your airline’s limit.
For a connecting journey, compare every operating airline before buying. If the allowances differ, choose a bag that works for the strictest flight. Then you can concentrate on the colour and style you like, knowing the practical details are covered.
Shop cabin luggageCabin Luggage FAQs
Can I take a handbag as well as my cabin case?
It depends on the airline and fare. Some include a separate small item, while others expect it to fit inside your cabin bag.
What happens if my bag is too large?
Airlines can place it in the hold and charge at the gate.
Which guide should I check?
Start with the airline shown on your booking, then use Tripp’s airline-specific guide and matching luggage range.
Airline baggage information checked on 1 October 2026. Always confirm the allowance shown in your booking before travelling, as fares and policies can change.
- 8th June 2022
