Cabin baggage sizes by airline
The bag that flies free and the one that costs you 75 euros at the gate differ by five centimetres. Here are the sizes and each airline's catches.
The general rule
Most low-cost airlines allow one small item free, sized to fit under the seat. The classic wheeled cabin case no longer fits the basic fare at most of them: you pay a supplement or buy priority boarding.
Ryanair
The free bag is 40 x 30 x 20 centimetres. They enlarged it in 2025 from tighter dimensions, so older articles will quote different figures. The wheeled cabin case, 55 x 40 x 20 and up to 10 kilos, requires priority boarding; if you pay for the case without priority, it goes in the hold.
Vueling
The same free allowance as Ryanair: 40 x 30 x 20 centimetres. For the larger trolley, 55 x 40 x 20 and up to 10 kilos, you need a higher fare or two-piece allowance.
easyJet
Slightly more generous: 45 x 36 x 20 centimetres on all fares, and it specifies that handles and wheels count within that. That detail matters, because many cases advertise the body size without the wheels.
Full-service airlines
Iberia, Air Europa and network carriers usually include a genuine cabin case in the economy fare, not just a small bag. It's a difference rarely factored into price comparisons, and it can justify twenty or thirty euros more on the ticket.
European rules
The European Union has set minimum dimensions airlines must accept as a free item, and confirmed they may charge for larger cabin baggage. It's an evolving area, so the specific figures may change: always check your airline's current policy before buying a case.
If you're caught
The gate surcharge can exceed 60 or 75 euros, more than many cases cost. And there's no negotiating: you pay or you don't board. If you're unsure whether your bag fits, measure it at home with handles and wheels included.
How not to overpay
Buy a backpack that meets the strictest limit among the airlines you usually fly, and it works for all of them. Heavy items go on your body: a coat or boots don't count as baggage. And always compare the final ticket price with the luggage you'll genuinely carry, not the base fare.
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