I fly Jet2 four or five times a year, mostly out of Leeds Bradford and Manchester to the Canaries, Greece, and Spain. Jet2 is the UK’s package-holiday champion — and the hand luggage allowance is the most generous of any UK budget carrier. You get a proper cabin bag, a personal item, and if you have booked through Jet2holidays your 22 kg hold bag is included. None of which is true on Ryanair or easyJet at the same price point. This page is the central guide: bags, the package-vs-flight-only difference (where most people get caught), Jet2holidays, infant policy, sports equipment, and the £45 airport gotcha.
Quick answer for the bag question — checked May 2026
What Size Weight Included with Hand luggage (overhead) 56 x 45 x 25 cm 10 kg All fares Personal item (under seat) 40 x 30 x 20 cm No published limit All fares Hold bag — Jet2holidays 158 cm total 22 kg Package holidays Hold bag — flight-only 158 cm total 22 kg Must purchase (from £10 online) Hold bag — at the airport 158 cm total 22 kg £45 per bag The biggest mistake people make: assuming flight-only includes a hold bag. It does not. Only Jet2holidays and Jet2CityBreaks packages include the 22 kg hold bag. Flight-only tickets give you hand luggage and a personal item, full stop — and £45 at the airport for an unbooked bag.
Jump to a section
- Baggage rules and bag sizes
- Jet2holidays vs flight-only
- Booking and check-in
- Guaranteed Cabin Luggage
- Family travel: infants and children
- Sports equipment
- Cabin bags that fit Jet2
- Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
- Jet2 vs other UK airlines
- Frequently asked questions
Baggage rules and bag sizes
Every Jet2 ticket — flight-only, Jet2holidays, Jet2CityBreaks, or Jet2Weddings — includes a 56 x 45 x 25 cm cabin bag (10 kg) for the overhead locker plus a 40 x 30 x 20 cm personal item for under the seat. The dimensions match British Airways’ cabin bag exactly, and they are noticeably more generous than easyJet (45 x 36 x 20 cm under-seat, with the larger overhead bag a paid add-on) and Ryanair (40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat only on the free fare).
Jet2 weighs cabin bags occasionally rather than systematically. The 10 kg limit is enforced if your bag looks heavy or is causing problems at the gate, but Jet2 is much less aggressive about it than Ryanair.
For the full breakdown, including the £45 airport hold bag price, infant rules, and excess charges:
- Jet2 Carry On Size and Baggage Allowance 2026 — full size, pricing, and policy guide
Jet2holidays vs flight-only
This is where the biggest misunderstanding happens. Whether your hold bag is free depends entirely on how you booked.
| Booking type | Cabin bag | Personal item | Hold bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet2holidays (package) | Yes | Yes | 22 kg free per person |
| Jet2CityBreaks (package) | Yes | Yes | 22 kg free per person |
| Jet2Weddings | Yes | Yes | 22 kg free + extra 22 kg + free Guaranteed Cabin Luggage |
| Flight-only (jet2.com) | Yes | Yes | None — must purchase |
If you booked through jet2.com as flight-only, no hold bag is included — and the airport price is £45 per bag. Always add the bag at booking (from around £10) or via Manage My Booking before you arrive.
If you booked through Jet2holidays, the bag is included. You do not need to add it.
Booking and check-in
Online check-in opens 28 days before departure on jet2.com or in the Jet2 app. Check-in is free online and free at the airport — Jet2 does not charge for airport check-in, unlike Ryanair. You can also drop bags at the airport without checking in online if you prefer.
The Jet2 app handles boarding passes, hold bag purchases, and trip extras (transfers, car hire, holiday spending money). For Jet2holidays customers, the app shows the entire holiday including hotel details, transfer info, and a holiday checklist.
Guaranteed Cabin Luggage
On busy flights, Jet2 may gate-check your hand luggage into the hold because the overhead bins are full — at no charge, but inconvenient if your bag has medication, work laptop, or baby supplies you cannot be separated from.
Guaranteed Cabin Luggage is a paid add-on (typically a few pounds per leg) that means your bag stays in the cabin even when other passengers’ bags get sent to the hold. If Jet2 still has to gate-check it for operational reasons, you can contact customer services for a refund of the charge.
Worth it if you are carrying anything genuinely irreplaceable. Not worth it for a bag of holiday clothes.
Family travel: infants and children
Jet2 is the most family-friendly UK budget airline. Since August 2025, infants under 2 fly free on Jet2 (as of the announcement on 26 August 2025, applying to bookings from 22 August 2025 onwards).
Baby equipment: Each child or infant gets two items of equipment carried free in the hold. Pick any two from:
- Collapsible pushchair or buggy
- Car seat or booster seat
- Baby carrier (including backpack-style carriers)
- Travel cot
You can take a collapsible pushchair to the aircraft steps; crew store it in the hold and you collect at baggage reclaim.
Extra infant weight allowance: Infants do not get their own hold bag, but Jet2 adds an extra 10 kg allowance to the accompanying adult’s 22 kg hold bag — free of charge. That gives you 32 kg in one bag for your things plus the baby’s — genuinely generous compared to most airlines.
Sports equipment
Jet2 carries sporting equipment at a flat fee that is generally cheaper than competitors:
| Item | Online price | Airport price |
|---|---|---|
| Golf clubs | From £25 per flight | From £30 |
| Skis or snowboard | From £25 per flight | From £30 |
| Bicycle (boxed/bagged, max 32 kg) | From £25 per flight | From £30 |
| Musical instruments | From £25 per flight | From £30 |
Pre-book online — you save £5 per item versus airport, and availability is limited on popular routes (especially golf on Alicante and Faro flights in summer).
For Jet2Weddings, wedding outfits travel as part of your standard baggage, and you get free Guaranteed Cabin Luggage on the dress so it stays with you in the cabin, plus an extra 22 kg hold bag on top of the standard allowance.
Cabin bags that fit Jet2
The 56 x 45 x 25 cm cabin bag allowance is large enough to take a proper carry-on suitcase rather than a backpack. With the 40 x 30 x 20 cm personal item underseat, most travellers can manage a week without a hold bag.
For now, see our broader guides:
- Cabin bag backpacks
- Best luggage for travel
- Luggage scales — to weigh before you leave home
- Luggage sets
Dedicated Jet2 buyer’s guide coming soon:
Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
UK passengers flying Jet2 are covered by UK261 on flights departing the UK and EU261 on flights departing the EU back to the UK. Jet2 only operates short and medium-haul, so the typical compensation tier is £220-350 per passenger for delays over three hours where Jet2 is at fault.
Jet2 has a stronger reputation than most UK budget airlines for proactively rebooking passengers and offering hotel/meal vouchers during disruptions. Even so, file claims through Jet2 directly first; if they refuse and the flight qualifies, escalate to the CAA.
Jet2 vs other UK airlines
How Jet2 stacks up against the four other airlines UK travellers fly most. For the full breakdown, see the UK airline baggage allowance comparison.
| Airline | Free cabin bag (every fare) | Personal item | Cabin weight | Free checked bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 10 kg | With Jet2holidays packages |
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | 40 x 30 x 15 cm | 23 kg combined | Fare-dependent |
| easyJet | 45 x 36 x 20 cm under-seat | None | 15 kg | No |
| Ryanair | 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat | None | No limit | No |
| TUI | 55 x 40 x 20 cm + personal item | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 10 kg cabin | With packages |
Jet2’s cabin allowance matches British Airways and beats every other UK budget airline. The Jet2holidays free 22 kg hold bag is the most generous package-included allowance on the UK market.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Jet2 carry on size for 2026?
The Jet2 carry on size is 56 x 45 x 25 cm (including handles and wheels), with a 10 kg weight limit. Every fare also includes a 40 x 30 x 20 cm personal item that goes under the seat in front. The carry on size is identical on flight-only, Jet2holidays, Jet2CityBreaks, and Jet2Weddings bookings.
Does Jet2 flight-only include a hold bag?
No. Flight-only bookings include hand luggage and a personal item only. You need to purchase a hold bag separately — cheapest at booking (from around £10), most expensive at the airport (£45 per bag).
What is the Jet2holidays baggage allowance?
Jet2holidays packages include a 22 kg hold bag free per person, plus hand luggage (56 x 45 x 25 cm, 10 kg) and a personal item (40 x 30 x 20 cm). The same applies to Jet2CityBreaks bookings.
How much is excess baggage on Jet2?
£12 per kilogram over your 22 kg allowance. The maximum weight per single bag is 32 kg — anything heavier has to be repacked, and Jet2 will refuse the bag at check-in if it is over 32 kg.
Does Jet2 weigh hand luggage?
Sometimes. The 10 kg limit is enforced but Jet2 is less aggressive about it than Ryanair. Heavy-looking bags and random checks are the most common triggers — I have had my cabin bag weighed once in around thirty Jet2 flights.
Can I take a pushchair on Jet2 for free?
Yes. Collapsible pushchairs, car seats, and other baby equipment (up to two items per child) fly free in the hold. You can take the pushchair to the aircraft steps.
Do infants under 2 fly free on Jet2?
Yes. Since August 2025, infants under 2 travel free on Jet2 flights and Jet2holidays packages. The accompanying adult also gets an extra 10 kg added to their 22 kg hold allowance for baby items.
How many hold bags can I take on Jet2?
Up to three per person, each weighing up to 22 kg. All bags share the same 158 cm total dimension limit (length + width + height).
Is Guaranteed Cabin Luggage worth it?
Only if your cabin bag contains something you cannot be separated from — medication, work laptop, baby essentials. It costs a few pounds per leg and guarantees your bag stays in the cabin instead of being gate-checked on busy flights. Not worth it for a bag of holiday clothes.
Can I share hold bag weight between passengers?
Not officially. Some check-in staff allow flexibility within a group booking, but it is at their discretion. Always pack to stay within individual 22 kg limits.
Does Jet2 fly from Stansted or Heathrow?
No. Jet2’s UK bases are Leeds Bradford (its largest), Manchester, Birmingham, East Midlands, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Bristol, London Stansted (recent addition), and Bournemouth. Heathrow and Gatwick are not Jet2 bases — for those airports, see British Airways or easyJet.
Can I get compensation for a Jet2 delay?
Yes, under UK261 (UK departures) and EU261 (EU departures back to the UK) if the delay is more than three hours at arrival and Jet2 is at fault. Compensation ranges from £220 for short flights to £350 for medium-haul. File the claim through Jet2 directly first — Jet2 has a relatively good track record of paying without escalation.
Tested on the routes I actually fly
I have flown Jet2 from Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, and East Midlands on flight-only fares, Jet2holidays packages, and Jet2CityBreaks. The pricing here is what I have actually paid in 2025 and 2026. Where Jet2 has changed a rule mid-year — the August 2025 free-infants policy, the introduction of London Stansted as a Jet2 base — this guide and the underlying cluster posts have been updated accordingly. The dates at the top of each linked article show when it was last verified.
— Clint Edgar, Travellon
Last updated: May 2026
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- best-cabin-bags-for-jet2
- jet2-flight-only-vs-jet2holidays
- jet2holidays-package-explained
- jet2-check-in-guide
- jet2-guaranteed-cabin-luggage-worth-it
- jet2-flying-with-baby
- jet2-sports-equipment-guide
- jet2-cancellations-refunds
- jet2-flight-delays-eu261
Decision gate: T+14 day check-in agent fires 2026-05-19. Same logic as other hubs.
Top-4 build (Ryanair / easyJet / BA / Jet2) now complete. Next decision is whether to
proceed with TUI immediately or pause and wait for the May 16-19 check-in reports.
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