The last time I flew Ryanair, the lad two places ahead of me in the boarding queue was trying to force a stuffed rucksack into the sizer. It didn’t go in, and he ended up paying more for that bag than I’d paid for my seat (I did feel for him, a bit).
I fly Ryanair a lot, mostly because it’s how I justify half my weekends away, and the bag rules really aren’t complicated. They’re just strict. Prices move around and Ryanair tweaks things often enough that advice from a year ago can quietly cost you money. There’s also an EU passenger rights overhaul on the way that some headlines sold as free cabin bags for everyone, which isn’t quite what it does.
New to flying with them? Our guide to mastering Ryanair covers seats and check-in, so I’ll stick to bags here.
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Ryanair Baggage Allowance: Quick Facts at a Glance
What's new with Ryanair bags (and what isn't)
The sizes haven’t moved, which is the good news. The free bag is still 40 x 30 x 20 cm, Priority still gets you a 10kg case overhead and hold bags still come in 10kg, 20kg and 23kg. Most of what’s changed is around the edges, but a couple of these will catch people out.
- From 10 November, airport check-in and bag drop close 60 minutes before departure instead of 40. Ryanair has added self-service bag drop kiosks at almost all its airports to speed things up, but if you’ve got a hold bag you’ve still lost 20 minutes of your morning.
- Boarding passes are app-only. You check in online and show the pass on your phone, and if your phone dies after you’ve checked in the desk will reprint it for free. Skip online check-in altogether and that’s when the airport check-in fee kicks in.
- Gate staff get a bonus for every oversized bag they stop. It’s currently €2.50 (about £2.15 / $2.90) a bag with no monthly cap, and Ryanair has talked about pushing it to €3.50. So yes, they’re looking.
- Fees have crept up slightly at the bottom end, and bringing the wrong bag to the gate now costs up to £75 / €75. Not huge on its own, but on a family return it adds up fast.
The EU "free cabin bag" law: what it means for Ryanair
More than a decade after it was first proposed, the EU has signed off its rewrite of the air passenger rights rules, and it applies from 23 October 2027. A lot of the coverage talked about free cabin bags. What’s guaranteed is one free personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm that fits under the seat, and Ryanair’s free bag is already bigger than that. On size, nothing changes for Ryanair flyers.
The more useful changes are elsewhere. Airlines and booking sites will have to show a fare that includes a hand baggage allowance before you start booking, which should make the headline price a bit more honest. Airlines also won’t be allowed to make an app the only way to get a boarding pass, and a paper pass at check-in has to be free. That’s a direct hit on Ryanair’s app-only setup. Fixing a misspelt name has to be free at least once too, as long as you ask 48 hours or more before you fly.
Delay compensation stays where it was: three hours late or more gets you €250 to €600 depending on distance (I was half expecting that to get watered down). There’s a new nine-month deadline for claims though. The rules cover flights from EU airports and EU airlines flying into the EU, which is a big chunk of Ryanair’s network. The UK has its own version of the passenger rules, so don’t assume a UK departure gets the same treatment. And if you’ve already been stuck for three hours or more, you could be owed money right now. A flight compensation claims service will chase it if you can’t face the forms.
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| What | Ryanair right now | Under the new EU rules |
|---|---|---|
| Free personal item | 40 x 30 x 20 cm, every fare | At least 40 x 30 x 15 cm, guaranteed by law |
| Overhead cabin bag | Paid, via Priority & 2 Cabin Bags | Airlines can still charge for it |
| Price when you start booking | Base fare, bags added later | Fare including a hand baggage allowance shown up front |
| Boarding pass | App only (free reprint if you checked in online) | Can't be app-only, and a paper pass at check-in is free |
| Delay compensation | €250 to €600 after 3 hours | Same amounts, with a nine-month deadline to claim |
| When it applies | Now | From 23 October 2027 |
The free small bag: 40 x 30 x 20 cm, not a millimetre more
Every Ryanair fare, even the silly cheap ones, includes one small personal bag that fits under the seat in front. Think handbag or slim backpack. Ryanair doesn't publish a weight limit for it, which helps if you're carrying something dense like a laptop, but you do need to lift it yourself and it has to fit the sizer.
It's all I take on most short trips. The trick is a soft bag that squashes a bit. Hard-shell "underseat" cases look neat, but there's no give in them at all, and if the wheels add a centimetre you're stuck.
- Slim daypacks, soft laptop bags and small holdalls usually pass without anyone looking twice
- Framed hiking packs, anything with wheels and bags with bulging front pockets are the ones that get pulled aside
- A second bag won't fly, full stop. Pop the handbag inside the backpack before you get to the gate
Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: the overhead locker option
On a standard fare this is the only way to get a wheelie case into the cabin. You get the free small bag plus one 10kg bag up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm in the overhead locker, and you board in the first group.
Is it worth it? For three or four nights with a cabin case, usually. Skipping baggage reclaim matters a lot more when you land at 11pm and just want your bed. For a full week it’s often cheaper to check a 20kg bag instead, and then you’re not dragging it round the terminal either.
Priority can sell out because locker space is limited. If it’s gone, you can still add a 10kg check-in bag, which is the same size (55 x 40 x 20 cm) but travels in the hold.
Hold luggage: 10kg, 20kg and 23kg check-in bags
Check-in bags go in the hold. You drop them at the bag drop desk or a self-service kiosk before security, then walk through with just your small bag. The mistake I see most is people buying a 10kg check-in bag and wheeling it to the gate like a cabin bag, which ends with a gate fee and a grumpy start to the holiday.
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| Bag option | Size | Weight | Where it goes | How many |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small personal bag | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | No published limit | Under the seat | 1 per passenger, always free |
| Priority & 2 Cabin Bags | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 10kg | Overhead locker | 1 per passenger |
| 10kg check-in bag | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 10kg | Hold, via bag drop | Added per passenger |
| 20kg check-in bag | Up to 80 x 120 x 120 cm | 20kg | Hold, via bag drop | Up to 3 per booking |
| 23kg check-in bag | Up to 80 x 120 x 120 cm | 23kg | Hold, via bag drop | 1 per booking |
Weight pools across check-in bags on the same booking. With two 20kg bags (40kg between them), one can weigh 15kg and the other 25kg and you won't pay extra, which is handy for couples and families. No single bag can go over 32kg though. That's a safety limit and there's no paying your way round it.
Got an early flight and a hold bag? Once the 60-minute cut-off kicks in, it's tighter than it sounds when security's busy. A pre-booked airport transfer takes a lot of the stress out of a 5am start.
Recommended Tours & Tickets from GetYourGuide
Ryanair bag fees: what you'll pay
Ryanair bag prices are dynamic, so the same 20kg bag can cost very different amounts depending on the route, the date and how close to departure you buy it. The pattern doesn’t change though. Cheapest when you book the flight, dearer if you add it later, dearest of all at the airport.
One quirk worth knowing. Ryanair uses the same number in pounds and euros, so a 20kg bag might be £21.49 from the UK and €21.49 if you pay in euros. It isn’t converted, it’s literally the same digits. My dollar figures are a rough conversion from the euro price.
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| Bag | Added when you book | Added later or at the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Small personal bag | Free | Free |
| Priority & 2 Cabin Bags | £12.49 to £36 / €12.49 to €36 (about $14 to $41) | £19.99 to £45.5 / €19.99 to €45.5 (about $23 to $52) |
| 10kg check-in bag | £10.49 to £44.99 / €10.49 to €44.99 (about $12 to $52) | £24 to £75 / €24 to €75 (about $28 to $86) |
| 20kg check-in bag | £21.49 to £59.99 / €21.49 to €59.99 (about $25 to $69) | £39.99 to £75 / €39.99 to €75 (about $46 to $86) |
| 23kg check-in bag | £28.99 to £80.99 / €28.99 to €80.99 (about $33 to $93) | £54 to £97 / €54 to €97 (about $62 to $112) |
| Excess weight | Not available | £13 / €13 (about $15) per kilo |
Prices are a guide and vary by route, date and demand. All bag fees are per bag, per one-way flight, so double them for a return.
Gate fees, airport fees and the ones that really sting
Turn up at the gate with something bigger than you’ve paid for and one of two things happens. Either the bag’s refused, or it goes in the hold (if there’s room) and you pay well over the odds for it.
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| What happens | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Buying a 10kg check-in bag at the airport bag drop | £35.99 / €35.99 (about $41) |
| Buying a 20kg check-in bag at the airport bag drop | £59.99 / €59.99 (about $69) |
| Bringing a 10kg bag to the gate without Priority | £46 to £75 / €46 to €75 (about $53 to $86) |
| Bringing an oversized bag (over 55 x 40 x 20 cm) to the gate | £70 to £75 / €70 to €75 (about $80 to $86) |
| Checking in at the airport instead of online | £55 / €55 (about $63) per person, per flight (£30 / €30 (about $34) from Spain, £40 / €40 (about $46) from Austria) |
| Excess weight on a check-in bag | £13 / €13 (about $15) per kilo |
The airport check-in fee is the most avoidable of the lot, because online check-in is free. Just remember your phone needs data abroad to pull up the return boarding pass. I sort a travel eSIM before I leave rather than hunting for airport Wi-Fi.
Which Ryanair bag option suits your trip?
There's no single right answer, but trip length does most of the deciding for me.
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| Trip | What I'd book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Day trip or 1 to 2 nights | Free small bag only | You'll fit more in a 40 x 30 x 20 cm bag than you'd think |
| 3 to 4 night city break with a cabin case | Priority & 2 Cabin Bags | No waiting at baggage reclaim |
| Long weekend with bulky coats or boots | 10kg check-in bag | Often cheaper than Priority, and you're hands free |
| A week in the sun on your own | 20kg check-in bag | Room for shoes, toiletries and holiday shopping |
| A couple away for a week | One or two 20kg bags, pooled | Weight is shared across bags on the same booking |
| Bringing back wine or gifts | Add a 20kg or 23kg bag on the return only | Bags are priced per flight |
Travelling with a baby or toddler
Ryanair is a bit more generous with kids’ kit than it is with everything else. Infants (8 days to 23 months) travel on an adult’s lap for £25 / €25 (about $29) per one-way flight. They don’t get a cabin allowance of their own, but whoever’s carrying them can bring a baby bag of up to 5kg.
- Two items of baby equipment go free per child: a pushchair plus one of a car seat, booster seat or travel cot
- Extra baby equipment costs £15 / €15 (about $17) per item if added at booking, or £20 / €20 (about $23) later, up to 20kg each
- Children aged 2 and over have their own seat and the same allowance as adults
Sports equipment and musical instruments
Skis, golf clubs, bikes and guitars all need booking as their own item. Fees are per item, per one-way flight, and once again it’s cheaper to add them when you book.
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| Item | Max weight | Added when you book | Added later or at the airport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports equipment | 20kg | £40 / €40 (about $46) | £45 / €45 (about $52) |
| Golf clubs | 20kg | £40 / €40 (about $46) | £50 / €50 (about $57) |
| Ski equipment | 20kg | £45 / €45 (about $52) | £50 / €50 (about $57) |
| Large sports item | 20kg | £60 / €60 (about $69) | £70 / €70 (about $80) |
| Bike | 30kg | £60 / €60 (about $69) | £75 / €75 (about $86) |
| Musical instrument | 20kg | £60 / €60 (about $69) | £75 / €75 (about $86) |
A small instrument that fits inside your normal cabin allowance can travel like any other bag, so a violin or a ukulele in a slim case is usually fine with Priority. Anything bigger needs the instrument fee. Bikes have to be packed in a proper bike box or bag.
Liquids, power banks and what security cares about
Liquid limits confuse loads of people, mostly because they’re not a Ryanair rule at all. Each airport’s security sets them, and they vary a lot right now. Some airports with newer scanners let you carry bigger containers while others are firmly back on 100ml bottles in a clear bag. Our guide to the airport 100ml liquid rule keeps track of where things stand.
Power banks and spare lithium batteries go in your cabin bag, never the hold, and each one needs to be 100Wh or under (a standard 10,000 or 20,000mAh power bank sits well below that). Ryanair also asks you not to use them during taxi, take-off or landing. Our guide to power banks on planes has the full rundown.
How I pack a Ryanair free bag for a weekend
I've got this down to a routine. Not glamorous, but it works.
- Heaviest shoes and the big coat go on me, not in the bag, and the coat pockets take chargers and a book.
- Clothes go in one packing cube, rolled rather than folded, with underwear stuffed into the gaps.
- Toiletries are travel sizes I don't mind binning, in a clear bag near the top for security.
- Hard stuff goes in the middle and soft stuff round the outside, so the bag can still squash into the sizer.
- Nothing gets clipped to the outside. A water bottle swinging off a strap is basically asking to be measured.
If you want to get properly ruthless, our minimalist travel packing tips go further than I'd dare on a work trip.
Flagged at the gate? What to do
It happens to the best of us, usually after a market haul on the last day. Staying calm gets you through quicker than arguing does.
- Ask if you can repack. Pulling out a jumper and wearing it, or moving a toiletry bag to your coat pocket, sometimes fixes it on the spot.
- If it still won’t fit, ask how to pay and where the bag needs to go. Usually it’s left at the aircraft steps or on the gate trolley for the hold.
- Keep the receipt and note the gate number in case you want to query it later.
- Move valuables, medication and power banks into your coat or the small bag before you hand it over.
Lost, delayed or damaged bags
It’s rare, but if your bag doesn’t turn up or comes out of the chute looking battered, sort this before you leave arrivals.
- Report it at the baggage desk and get a reference number
- Photograph any damage right there, case and contents
- Keep receipts for anything essential you have to buy while you wait, like toiletries and a change of clothes
After that, follow Ryanair’s claims process using your reference number. It’s also exactly the situation where decent travel insurance with baggage cover pays for itself, especially if the bag turns up three days later and you’ve had to buy the basics twice over.
Final Thoughts
If you remember one thing, buy your bags when you book the flight and measure the bag once it’s packed. That alone keeps the price close to what you were quoted. The EU changes are worth keeping an eye on as well, mostly for the upfront pricing and the end of app-only boarding passes.
For more airline guides, packing advice and the small stuff that saves you money at the airport, have a look through our transport guides.
FAQs about Ryanair Baggage Allowance
What size bag can I take on Ryanair for free?
One small personal bag up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm that fits under the seat in front of you. It’s included with every Ryanair fare, including the cheapest.
Does Ryanair weigh the free small bag?
Ryanair doesn’t publish a weight limit for the small bag, so size is what gets checked. It has to fit the sizer at the gate, and you need to be able to lift it yourself.
Can I take a backpack and a handbag on Ryanair?
Not as two separate items on a standard fare. You get one free bag, so pack the handbag inside the backpack before boarding, or pay for Priority & 2 Cabin Bags.
How much is a 20kg bag on Ryanair?
Added at booking, a 20kg check-in bag costs £21.49 to £59.99 / €21.49 to €59.99 (about $25 to $69) per one-way flight. Add it later or at the airport and it’s £39.99 to £75 / €39.99 to €75 (about $46 to $86).
Will the new EU rules make Ryanair cabin bags free?
No. From 23 October 2027 the rules guarantee a free personal item of at least 40 x 30 x 15 cm, and Ryanair’s free bag is already bigger. A 10kg overhead cabin bag will still cost extra.
Sources checked
- Ryanair fees table
- Ryanair bag policy
- Ryanair: bag drop closing at 60 minutes
- Fly4free: new EU air passenger rights from 23 October 2027
- LexisNexis: Council adopts the regulation
- Euronews: Parliament vote
- Majorca Daily Bulletin: staff bag bonus
- Yahoo/Euronews: bonus cap removed
- RusTourismNews: power bank rules
- Markenkoffer: 10kg check-in bag size
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