I have flown Ryanair six or seven times a year for the last decade — from Stansted, Luton, Manchester, and Bristol, mostly to Spain, Italy, and Poland. Ryanair is the airline UK travellers love to complain about, and yet the one most of us still book because nothing else competes on price. This page is the central guide: bags, fees, priority, seats, check-in, your rights when things go wrong, and the buyer’s guides for the gear that actually fits the gate sizers.
Quick answer for the bag question — checked April 2026
What Size Weight Cost Free personal bag (under-seat) 40 x 30 x 20 cm No limit Included on every fare Priority cabin bag (overhead) 55 x 40 x 20 cm 10 kg Priority add-on, £6–36 10 kg checked bag No published size limit 10 kg £13–20 at booking 20 kg checked bag No published size limit 20 kg £20–35 at booking Oversized at the gate — — £70–75 fee Important: the free personal bag was 40 x 20 x 25 cm before August 2025. If a guide quotes those old dimensions, it is out of date. The current size is 40 x 30 x 20 cm.
Jump to a section
- Baggage rules and bag sizes
- Fares and fees
- Booking and check-in
- At the airport
- Seats and boarding
- Cabin bags and luggage that fits Ryanair
- Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
- Ryanair vs other UK airlines
- Frequently asked questions
Baggage rules and bag sizes
Ryanair’s baggage rules are strict, predictable, and enforced. Once you know the dimensions, you can pack to fit them and never pay a surprise fee.
The free personal bag size changed in August 2025 from the old 40 x 20 x 25 cm to 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Most guides on the web still quote the old size — including, occasionally, Ryanair’s own search results before they update. Always go by what is on the official ryanair.com page at the time of booking.
For the full breakdown including weight enforcement, gate-check policy, infant baggage, sports gear, and the Aug 2025 changes:
- Ryanair Cabin Bag Size and Baggage Allowance 2026 — the full size guide, all fares
- Ryanair Baggage Allowance 2026: All Fares, Bags and Fees — the full pricing guide
Fares and fees
Ryanair has five fare tiers (Basic, Regular, Plus, Flexi Plus, Family Plus), and each one bundles a different combination of seat selection, priority boarding, and checked baggage. The cheapest fare is genuinely the cheapest — but only if you do not need a hold bag, a chosen seat, or speed at the gate.
Booking and check-in
Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure for passengers without paid seat selection, and earlier (60 days) for those with reserved seats. Check-in is free online. Airport check-in is paid and carries a fee — the price has been rising every year, so always check it in the booking flow rather than relying on memory.
At the airport
Ryanair flies almost exclusively from secondary airports in the UK — Stansted is by far the busiest, with Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and East Midlands the next biggest hubs. If your flight is from Stansted, allow extra time: it is one of the busiest airports in Europe in summer, and the walk to the Ryanair gates can be 20 minutes from security.
Seats and boarding
Random seat allocation is the default if you do not pay for a seat. In practice this means families and groups are split unless they all pay. If you are travelling alone and do not care where you sit, the random allocation usually works out fine.
Priority Boarding gets you on the plane first and includes a 10 kg overhead cabin bag. It is capped at 95 passengers per flight, sells out on busy summer routes, and is sometimes worth it just for the overhead bag — especially on flights longer than 2 hours.
Cabin bags and luggage that fits Ryanair
The biggest single source of unexpected Ryanair fees is bags that look small enough but fail the gate sizer when they are packed. A soft bag designed specifically for the 40 x 30 x 20 cm allowance — or a 55 x 40 x 20 cm Priority bag — solves this problem permanently.
For now, see our broader guides:
Dedicated Ryanair buyer’s guides coming soon:
Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
UK passengers flying Ryanair are still covered by UK261 (the post-Brexit version of the EU261 regulation) on flights departing the UK, and by EU261 on flights departing the EU back to the UK. Compensation thresholds and amounts are the same — up to £520 (€600 equivalent) for a long-haul flight delayed by more than four hours, with shorter distances paying less.
Ryanair vs other UK airlines
How Ryanair 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) | Priority / overhead bag option | Hold bag from | Free seat selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat | Priority add-on £6–36 | £13 (10 kg) | No |
| easyJet | 45 x 36 x 20 cm under-seat | Plus / FLEXI fare or paid | Paid add-on | No |
| Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 cm cabin bag + personal item | Included | Paid (or free with package) | Some fares |
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 cm cabin bag + personal item, 23 kg combined | Included | Fare-dependent | Most fares |
| TUI | 55 x 40 x 20 cm cabin bag + personal item | Included | Free with packages | Yes |
Jet2 and British Airways are the most generous. Ryanair and easyJet are the strictest. The trade-off is price: a Ryanair return at £40 with a checked bag added is still cheaper than most equivalents on Jet2 or BA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ryanair cabin bag size for 2026?
Ryanair allows every passenger one free under-seat personal bag measuring 40 x 30 x 20 cm with no weight limit — a change that took effect in August 2025, replacing the older 40 x 20 x 25 cm allowance still quoted on many out-of-date guides. The bag must fit under the seat in front of you, not the overhead locker. For a second, larger bag you need the 55 x 40 x 20 cm Priority cabin bag, which weighs up to 10 kg and goes overhead. That second bag is only available with the Priority & 2 Cabin Bags add-on (£6–£36 at booking) or as part of the Plus, Flexi Plus, or Family Plus fares. If you arrive at the gate with both a personal bag and a cabin bag on a Standard fare, expect to pay the £70–£75 gate fee for the second one.
Can I take a handbag and a cabin bag on Ryanair?
On a Standard fare, no — your handbag counts as your one allowed personal bag, so you cannot bring both a handbag and a separate cabin bag. The single permitted bag must fit the 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat allowance regardless of whether it is a handbag, backpack, or laptop bag. To bring two bags, you need the Priority & 2 Cabin Bags add-on (£6–£36 at booking, £20–£60 if added after) or a Plus, Flexi Plus, or Family Plus fare which includes Priority by default. With Priority you get the under-seat personal bag plus a 55 x 40 x 20 cm overhead bag up to 10 kg. Note that Family Plus, despite the name, does NOT include Priority Boarding — a common confusion. Always confirm what is bundled before adding extras at checkout.
Do I need Priority Boarding to take a 10 kg bag?
Yes — the 10 kg, 55 x 40 x 20 cm overhead cabin bag is only available with the Priority & 2 Cabin Bags add-on or with the Plus, Flexi Plus, or Family Plus fares which bundle Priority. Without one of these you are limited to the smaller 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat personal bag with no separate weight limit. The Priority add-on costs £6–£36 if you buy it at booking, rising to £20–£60 if you add it later through Manage My Booking. Priority is capped at 95 passengers per flight, so on busy summer routes from Stansted or Manchester it sells out hours before boarding — buy it when you book the flight, not at the airport. Gate staff cannot sell Priority to walk-ups once the cap is hit, so you would only have the under-seat bag option.
What happens if my Ryanair bag is too big at the gate?
Ryanair charges a gate fee of £70–£75 for any bag that fails the sizer at the boarding gate, and the bag is then checked into the hold for the remainder of the flight. The fee is non-negotiable and is paid by card at the gate. Since November 2025, gate staff have a per-bag financial incentive (€2.50 per oversized bag detected) which has measurably tightened enforcement — borderline bags that previously passed are now being flagged. Soft-sided bags can sometimes be compressed by hand to fit the 40 x 30 x 20 cm sizer; rigid cases at exactly that dimension often fail because of stitching, handles, or wheels that push them over. If your bag is doubtful, weigh and measure it at home, or upgrade to Priority at the airport check-in desk before reaching the gate — £20–£60 for Priority is cheaper than £70–£75 for the gate fee.
How strict is Ryanair with cabin bag size?
Ryanair is one of the strictest airlines in Europe for cabin bag enforcement. The metal sizers at the gate are built to the exact 40 x 30 x 20 cm dimensions with no grace margin — a bag that is 41 cm wide will not fit and will be flagged. The same applies to the 55 x 40 x 20 cm Priority bag sizer. Gate staff are trained to test borderline bags, and since the November 2025 staff incentive change (€2.50 per oversized bag flagged) enforcement has become noticeably tougher. Pack a tape measure at home if you are uncertain, or pick a bag designed specifically for the Ryanair allowance — many soft-shell models compress to fit while still holding 20+ litres. The cheapest way to avoid a £70–£75 gate fee is to test the bag against a printed paper template before you leave for the airport.
Can I share a Ryanair bag with someone else?
Officially no — Ryanair assesses each passenger individually, meaning your personal bag and any Priority bag are linked to your booking and your boarding pass, not to a group ticket. In practice, two people on the same booking sometimes share one larger checked bag without issue, provided the total weight is within their combined allowance (for example, two 20 kg checked bags combined into one 32 kg bag for a couple), and no single bag exceeds the 32 kg single-item limit set by IATA handling rules. Gate or check-in staff may still ask each passenger to present their own bag, especially on flights where Priority is fully sold out. For cabin bags, sharing is not possible because each passenger needs their bag in their own under-seat or overhead allowance — slots are assigned per passenger. Do not rely on bag-sharing as a strategy.
Is Ryanair Priority Boarding worth it?
Priority Boarding is worth it if your trip is longer than three days, you need more than a small backpack, or you are travelling with anyone who values getting on the plane first — parents with children, anyone with mobility needs, or someone who hates the gate queue. It is not worth it if you can pack everything into the free 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat bag and your flight is under two hours. The cost ranges from £6–£36 if you buy it at booking, rising to £20–£60 if added later. Priority is capped at 95 passengers per flight, so on busy summer routes from Stansted, Manchester, or Birmingham it sells out hours before boarding. If you decide it is worth it, buy at booking — the airport gate cannot sell it once the cap is hit. Family Plus does NOT include Priority despite the bundled name.
Does Ryanair fly from Stansted?
Yes — London Stansted is Ryanair’s largest UK base and one of its biggest bases in Europe, with hundreds of weekly departures across the continent and to North Africa. Ryanair also operates extensively from London Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, and Belfast International. From Stansted the carrier flies to most major Spanish, Italian, Polish, and Greek destinations, plus seasonal routes to Morocco, Croatia, and the Canary Islands. Ryanair almost exclusively uses secondary airports at both ends of every route — the trade-off is significantly lower fares but often a longer onward transfer at the destination. If you are flying from Stansted on Ryanair, allow extra time: the walk from security to the Ryanair gates can be 15–20 minutes, and Stansted is one of the busiest airports in Europe during summer holiday weeks.
What is Ryanair’s cancellation refund policy?
If Ryanair cancels your flight, you are entitled to a full refund of the fare or a free re-route on the next available flight under UK261 (UK departures) and EU261 (EU departures back to the UK). If the cancellation comes within 14 days of departure and is not caused by “extraordinary circumstances” — extreme weather, air traffic control strikes, or major security events — you are also entitled to fixed cash compensation: £220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500–3,500 km, and £520 for over 3,500 km. If you cancel the booking yourself, Ryanair refunds only the government taxes paid, not the underlying fare — typically £10–£30 of a £40 booking. Submit refund and compensation claims through Ryanair’s own portal first; if they refuse or delay beyond 30 days, escalate to the UK Civil Aviation Authority or the relevant national regulator.
Can I get compensation for a Ryanair delay?
Yes — under UK261 (UK departures) and EU261 (EU departures back to the UK), if your Ryanair flight arrives more than three hours late and the delay is the airline’s fault (mechanical, crew, operational), you are owed fixed cash compensation. The amounts are £220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500–3,500 km, and £520 for over 3,500 km. The three-hour threshold is measured at arrival, not departure, and is the gate-open or door-open time confirmed in flight records. Compensation is not paid for delays caused by extreme weather, air traffic control strikes, or other “extraordinary circumstances” outside the airline’s control. File the claim through Ryanair’s customer service portal first — it takes about four to six weeks for a straightforward case. If they refuse, escalate to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or the relevant national authority for the country of departure.
Do duty-free purchases count toward my Ryanair cabin bag allowance?
No — Ryanair, like most European airlines, allows duty-free shopping bags in the original sealed carrier from the airport shop on top of your normal cabin baggage allowance, and there is no published limit on the number of these bags. This applies to alcohol, perfume, cosmetics, electronics, confectionery, and any other item bought after security at the departure airport, provided it is in the official shop bag with the receipt visible. If you transfer duty-free items into your existing cabin bag, they count against your allowance like any other contents. On flights between EU and non-EU destinations, liquid duty-free items are sealed in security tamper bags (STEBs) that must remain unopened until the final destination — opening a STEB during a transfer airport security check usually means the item is confiscated. Keep receipts with the items.
Tested on the routes I actually fly
I have flown Ryanair from Stansted, Luton, Manchester, and Bristol on Standard, Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, and Plus fares. The pricing here is what I have actually paid in 2025 and 2026. Where Ryanair has changed a rule mid-year (the August 2025 personal bag size; the November 2025 staff bonus increase), 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: April 2026
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