Carry-On Rules for European Budget Airlines (2026)

European budget airlines helped create the modern carry-on problem. They stripped checked baggage from base fares, then started charging for overhead bin access too. By 2026, most of the big low-cost carriers in Europe operate on a model where only a small underseat item is truly free — if you want overhead bin space, you pay for it or achieve it through status, fare class, or credit card perks.

Here is exactly what each airline allows, what enforcement looks like, and how to get the most out of your allowance without paying extra.

Ryanair

Free allowance: One small personal bag — 40x20x25 cm. No weight limit listed, but it must fit under the seat in front of you.

Paid cabin bag: 55x40x20 cm, up to 10 kg. Required for overhead bin access. You get this automatically with Priority Boarding (€6–€20 depending on route) or by adding a bag to your booking.

Enforcement: Ryanair is the strictest enforcer in Europe. They use physical bag sizers at the boarding gate at most major airports, including Dublin, Stansted, Bergamo, and Ciampino. If your bag doesn't fit the sizer, they will charge you the gate bag fee — currently €50–€60 in cash or card at the gate, far more expensive than adding it online.

Key trap: The free 40x20x25 cm allowance is genuinely small — smaller than most daypacks. Don't assume a "small" backpack will fit. Measure before you travel.

easyJet

Free allowance: One small underseat bag — 45x36x20 cm for all passengers on all fares.

Paid/included cabin bag: 56x45x25 cm, up to 15 kg. Included with Plus and Flexi fare types. Available as an add-on (£7–£30) for standard fares. With easyJet Plus membership (£215/year), you get a free cabin bag on every flight.

Enforcement: Variable. London Gatwick and Amsterdam Schiphol tend to be stricter. Smaller leisure airports like Alicante, Faro, or Hurghada are often more relaxed. That said, easyJet has been increasing gate enforcement at busy routes as of 2025.

Key advantage: The free underseat allowance (45x36x20 cm) is notably larger than Ryanair's. A well-packed 20L daypack or small rolling bag often fits.

Wizz Air

Free allowance: One small personal item — 40x30x20 cm. Must fit under the seat.

Paid cabin bag: 55x40x23 cm, up to 10 kg. Available through Wizz Priority (added at booking) or WIZZ Go/Plus/Max fare bundles.

Enforcement: Wizz Air enforcement has noticeably tightened at Budapest, Bucharest, Warsaw, and Katowice. They deploy bag sizers and will charge gate fees (HUF 30,000 or local equivalent, roughly €75–€90) for non-compliant bags. The gate fee is among the highest in Europe.

Wizz Discount Club: Membership (around €29/year) gives some fare discounts but does not include free cabin bag access.

Vueling

Free allowance: One small bag — 35x25x20 cm. Must fit under the seat.

Paid cabin bag: 55x40x20 cm, up to 10 kg. Included in Optima and TimeFlex fares. Available as an add-on for Basic fares (€8–€20).

Enforcement: Moderate. Vueling enforcement is lighter than Ryanair's but has become stricter at Barcelona El Prat. At smaller Spanish airports (Seville, Bilbao), gate enforcement is typically relaxed.

Note: If your bag is gate-checked due to a full overhead bin, Vueling does this free of charge as an operational necessity rather than as a fee.

Transavia

Free allowance: One cabin bag — 55x35x25 cm, up to 10 kg. All passengers on all fares get this free. No separate underseat-only tier.

Enforcement: Among the most relaxed of the European budget airlines. Transavia rarely enforces bag sizers at the gate and doesn't typically charge gate fees for slightly oversized bags as long as the bin space is available.

Key advantage: Transavia's free allowance is the most generous of any European budget airline for standard fares — a proper cabin bag included in the base price. This makes it the best low-cost option for passengers who want to carry on without extra fees.

Volotea

Free allowance: One personal item — 40x20x30 cm.

Paid cabin bag: 55x40x20 cm, up to 10 kg. Included with Plus and Max fare packages. Add-on costs €10–€30.

Enforcement: Light to moderate. Volotea operates many thin routes in Southern Europe and doesn't invest heavily in strict gate enforcement. Most passengers traveling on connecting Mediterranean routes report little hassle even with slightly oversized bags.

Eurowings

Free allowance: One personal bag — 40x30x15 cm under seat.

Paid cabin bag: 55x40x23 cm, up to 10 kg. Included in Smart, BIZclass, and BIZclass Plus fares. Add-on for Basic fares (€9–€25).

Enforcement: Moderate. Enforcement is stricter at Düsseldorf and Stuttgart than at leisure airports. Eurowings (like Lufthansa Group carriers) tends to be more systematic about checking passengers who clearly have oversized bags without paying for overhead access.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Airline	Free bag size	Free bag overhead?	Paid cabin bag	Gate fee
Ryanair	40x20x25 cm	No	55x40x20 cm, 10 kg	€50–€60
easyJet	45x36x20 cm	No (underseat only)	56x45x25 cm, 15 kg	€45–€55
Wizz Air	40x30x20 cm	No	55x40x23 cm, 10 kg	€75–€90
Vueling	35x25x20 cm	No	55x40x20 cm, 10 kg	€30–€50
Transavia	55x35x25 cm	Yes	Included for all	N/A
Volotea	40x20x30 cm	No	55x40x20 cm, 10 kg	€20–€40
Eurowings	40x30x15 cm	No	55x40x23 cm, 10 kg	€30–€50

The Enforcement Reality in 2026

Budget airline enforcement is not uniform, and it pays to know the pattern.

High enforcement routes: Anything departing London Stansted or London Luton (Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air hub routes). Budapest Liszt Ferenc for Wizz Air. Dublin for Ryanair. These airports have physical sizers at virtually every gate and staff trained to check.

Lower enforcement routes: Leisure routes to beach destinations in Spain, Greece, and Croatia. These flights tend to be full and staff are focused on turnaround speed rather than bag compliance. This does not mean the rules don't apply — it means the risk of being caught is lower.

The gate fee is always worse than buying in advance. Every airline charges two to four times more at the gate than at booking. If you're not sure whether your bag will fit, add the cabin bag to your booking before you arrive. The savings are significant.

Bag sizers are calibrated tightly. A 55x40x20 cm sizer is exactly that. A soft bag that bulges even 1–2 cm over may not fit. Hard-shell cases that meet the dimensions to the millimeter generally pass. Over-stuffed soft bags are the most common cause of gate fees.