Cabin Bag Size Guide for European Airlines

What counts as a cabin bag?

A cabin bag is any bag you carry into the aircraft rather than check into the hold. In practice there are two separate allowances, and mixing them up is what leads to a fee at the gate.

• The small personal bag, sometimes called an under-seat bag. It must slide fully under the seat in front of you, and on most airlines it is free on every fare.
• The larger cabin bag that goes in the overhead locker. It is bigger, and on budget airlines it is usually a paid add-on or tied to a specific fare.

Every dimension an airline publishes includes handles, wheels, and side pockets, so measure your bag at its widest packed point, not the empty shell. A soft bag has an advantage here, since it flexes into a sizer where a hard shell cannot. Getting these two allowances clear before you book is the single best way to avoid an unexpected charge on the day.

Cabin bag size by airline

Here are the current cabin bag dimensions for seven airlines UK and European travellers use most, verified in July 2026. All measurements include handles and wheels.

Two patterns stand out. First, the free under-seat bag is almost always around 40 x 30 x 20 cm, with easyJet the most generous at 45 x 36 x 20 cm. Second, the larger overhead bag clusters at 55 to 56 cm tall, but it is free only on British Airways and Jet2, and paid or fare-linked on the low-cost carriers. If you fly several of these, a bag that sits inside the smallest free allowance you use is the safest single purchase, because it clears the gate on any of them without an add-on.

What can you bring under the seat?

The under-seat bag is the allowance almost everyone has for free, so it is worth knowing exactly what fits. Across British Airways, Jet2, and Ryanair the limit sits at 40 x 30 x 15 to 20 cm, while easyJet is more generous at 45 x 36 x 20 cm.

At those dimensions, here is what works and what does not:

• Fits: a structured laptop bag, a large tote, a small holdall, or a daypack of roughly 20 litres.
• Does not fit: a wheeled suitcase, even a compact one, because the under-seat space is shallow by design.

If you travel light and pack with a bit of thought, this free allowance is enough for a long weekend on any of the airlines above. A well organised bag matters more than a big one here, since the space rewards flat, sensible packing over bulk. Our travel bags range covers this under-seat category, from totes to compact packs built to sit flat and hold their shape.

Is a backpack allowed as a cabin bag?

Yes. A backpack is allowed as a cabin bag on every airline in this guide, as long as it stays within the dimensions for the allowance you have booked. Backpacks are often the smart choice, because a soft pack compresses into a sizer where a rigid case cannot.

The catch is depth. Many backpacks look small from the front but are too deep once loaded, and depth is usually the tightest of the three measurements. As a rule of thumb:

• A pack around 20 litres tends to fit the free under-seat allowance.
• A travel pack in the 30 to 40 litre range is built for the overhead cabin allowance.

Measure yours packed, not empty. A cabin travel backpack is designed around these limits, with a shape that carries a few days of kit without spilling past the sizer. For everyday carry that doubles as an under-seat bag, our everyday backpacks hold a classic form that packs flat and moves from the commute to the gate.

How do you choose the right cabin bag?

Start with the shortest free allowance you actually fly, then work up only if you need to. The right cabin bag is the one that clears your usual airlines without an add-on and still carries what you need.

Three things decide it:

1. Trip length. A weekend needs less than a week, and your access to laundry changes the maths more than most people expect.
2. How you travel. If you move from town to the trail to the departures hall in the same trip, a single versatile bag beats a specialist one.
3. Organisation. A bag that keeps kit in its place is faster at security and easier to pack to the exact limit.

This is where the one-bag approach earns its keep, one durable bag that adapts to the day rather than a shelf of bags for different jobs. For a longer stay, a weekend bag or a carry-on roller bag gives you overhead-locker space without tipping into checked luggage. For a shorter city break, a tote bag or a compact cabin suitcase keeps you to the free under-seat allowance.

Topo Designs bags are built to last and made to be repaired rather than replaced, so the bag you size correctly today is one you keep for years of trips.

Are cabin bag rules changing in Europe?

Yes, the rules are moving. On 21 January 2026 the European Parliament voted to give every passenger a free personal item of at least 40 x 30 x 15 cm, plus a larger cabin bag whose dimensions add up to no more than 100 cm and weigh up to 7 kg. This is not yet law. It still needs European Council approval, and until that happens each airline keeps its own limits.

In practice, some airlines have already moved in this direction. Ryanair increased its free under-seat bag to 40 x 30 x 20 cm in September 2025, slightly larger than the proposed minimum. If the rule is finalised, it would give European travellers a common, guaranteed free allowance and make choosing a bag much simpler. For now, the safe move is still to check your specific airline and fare before you fly.

Frequently asked questions

What size bag fits under an airline seat?

A bag of 40 x 30 x 20 cm fits under the seat on most airlines, and easyJet allows a larger 45 x 36 x 20 cm. These figures include handles and wheels. This under-seat allowance is free on almost every fare, which makes it the most useful size to buy for.

Can a 40 litre backpack be a cabin bag?

Usually yes, as an overhead cabin bag rather than an under-seat bag. A 40 litre pack tends to sit near the 55 to 56 cm overhead limit, so it often needs a paid allowance or a fare that includes it, for example Ryanair Priority. Check the exact dimensions against your airline before you fly.

Do cabin bag dimensions include wheels and handles?

Yes. Every airline in this guide measures the full external size of the bag, including handles, wheels, and side pockets. Measure your bag packed and at its widest point, since a sizer at the gate has no tolerance for a centimetre over.

What is the free cabin bag size on Ryanair?

Ryanair allows one free small bag of 40 x 30 x 20 cm that must fit under the seat. A larger 55 x 40 x 20 cm bag for the overhead locker requires the Priority and 2 Cabin Bags option. Verified July 2026.

Key takeaways

Sources

1. British Airways, Baggage essentials, verified July 2026.
2. easyJet, Cabin bags, verified July 2026.
3. Ryanair, Bag Policy, verified July 2026.
4. Transavia, Cabin bag, verified July 2026.
5. Vueling, Hand Luggage Allowance, verified July 2026.
6. Volotea, Baggage, verified July 2026.