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Ryanair's free under-seat bag is now 40 x 30 x 20 cm: how to choose one that fits (and works on easyJet too)

Ryanair's help centre now lists the free small personal bag as 40 x 30 x 20 cm, up from 40 x 20 x 25 cm. easyJet allows 45 x 36 x 20 cm including handles and wheels. Buy by measured outside size rather than litres, watch out for wheels and old listings, and a bag made to 40 x 30 x 20 cm works on both airlines.

SellPix editors7 min readUpdated October 10, 2026

Quick answer: Ryanair's help centre says every fare includes one small personal bag of up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm that must fit under the seat in front of you. That replaced the old 40 x 20 x 25 cm size, which Which? reported Ryanair was changing in late summer 2025. easyJet's free under-seat bag is larger, 45 x 36 x 20 cm including handles and wheels. Buy a bag whose outside measurements, when packed, are no more than 40 x 30 x 20 cm and it will fit both airlines. Check the airline's own page before you fly, because rules change.

Ryanair under-seat bag: 40 x 30 x 20 cm – Original editorial graphic · not a product photograph

The current sizes

Airline Free under-seat bag Notes from the airline
Ryanair 40 x 30 x 20 cm Must fit under the seat in front; for example a handbag or laptop bag
Ryanair (Priority & 2 Cabin Bags) 40 x 30 x 20 cm plus a 10 kg bag of 55 x 40 x 20 cm The larger bag goes in the overhead locker
easyJet 45 x 36 x 20 cm, including handles and wheels Up to 15 kg, and you must be able to lift it; a large cabin bag of 56 x 45 x 25 cm is extra

Which? reported in August 2025 that Ryanair was increasing its free bag from 40 x 20 x 25 cm to 40 x 30 x 20 cm, about a fifth more volume, after EU lawmakers voted for a minimum free cabin bag size of 40 x 30 x 15 cm. Which? also noted that the new Ryanair size matches Wizz Air's. Ryanair's help centre now shows 40 x 30 x 20 cm for all fares.

Buy by measured size, not litres

A box of exactly 40 x 30 x 20 cm holds 24 litres, but a bag advertised as "24L" can still be too big once you stuff it, because soft fabric bulges. Two rules of thumb:

  • Measure the packed bag. Fill it as you would for a trip, then measure height, width and depth at the widest point, including pockets and handles.
  • Leave some slack in a soft bag. A backpack made to exactly 40 x 30 x 20 cm will only stay within that if you do not overfill the front pocket.

easyJet's 45 x 36 x 20 cm allowance is roughly 32 litres as a box, so a bag built for Ryanair's limit fits easyJet's with room to spare. The reverse is not true: an easyJet-size bag is too tall and too wide for Ryanair's free allowance.

Wheels, frames and soft bags

Wheels and handles count. easyJet says its limit includes handles and wheels. Ryanair's page states only the overall dimensions, so the safe assumption is that the whole bag, wheels included, must fit. Wheels and a telescopic handle take up space inside a 40 x 30 x 20 cm outline, leaving less room for your things.

Removable wheels are a workaround. Some underseat cases, such as the American Tourister Flashline, measure 45 x 30 x 20 cm with wheels and 40 x 30 x 20 cm with them removed. That fits easyJet as it is, but for Ryanair you would need to take the wheels off to bring it within the free size.

Soft vs structured. A soft backpack squeezes into a sizer and under a seat more easily and weighs less, but bulges if overfilled. A hard case keeps its shape and protects contents, but cannot give a centimetre if it is borderline.

Laptops. A 40 x 30 x 20 cm bag is shorter than many larger laptops. Check the laptop's own dimensions against the bag's internal sleeve before relying on it.

Comparison of Ryanair and easyJet free under-seat bag sizes

At the airport

easyJet says it checks cabin bag sizes before boarding, and a bag over the allowed size will go in the hold with charges. Ryanair's help centre does not set out its gate process on the bag policy page, so assume the same risk: if your bag does not fit the sizer, you may have to pay to check it. Pack heavier items at the bottom so a soft bag does not bulge at the top, and keep liquids and electronics where you can reach them for security.

Buying decision

Choose the Aerolite 40x30x20 under-seat backpack if you want one free bag that works on Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet: the listing says it is designed to measure 40 x 30 x 20 cm, with packing straps, lockable zip loops and padded straps. Choose the American Tourister Flashline Spinner Underseat if you mainly fly easyJet and want wheels: it measures 45 x 30 x 20 cm with its wheels on, within easyJet's limit, and 40 x 30 x 20 cm with them removed, which the listing says is for Ryanair, Wizz Air and Vueling. Skip both if you need more than an under-seat bag; Ryanair's Priority & 2 Cabin Bags or easyJet's large cabin bag is the answer then.

Aerolite 40x30x20 backpack American Tourister Flashline Underseat
Outside size (listing) 40 x 30 x 20 cm 45 x 30 x 20 cm with wheels; 40 x 30 x 20 cm without
Ryanair free bag Within size Only with wheels removed
easyJet free bag Within size Within size, wheels on
Type Soft backpack Hard-shell spinner case, removable wheels
Capacity and weight (listing) Not stated 20 L, 2 kg
Security Lockable zip loops Built-in TSA combination lock

Before you order

  • Check the size in the listing title and photos says 40 x 30 x 20 cm; many bags are still sold at the old 40 x 20 x 25 cm Ryanair size.
  • Aerolite sells several similar 40 x 30 x 20 cm backpacks; this link is the plain black under-seat backpack.
  • The American Tourister listing is the 45 cm Flashline underseat spinner; check the wheels are the removable type shown.
  • Measure your laptop if you plan to carry one.
  • Re-check Ryanair's and easyJet's bag pages before you fly.

FAQ

What size is Ryanair's free under-seat bag?

Ryanair's help centre lists the free small personal bag as 40 x 30 x 20 cm, and it must fit under the seat in front of you.

Can I still use my old 40 x 20 x 25 cm Ryanair bag?

Usually, yes. Which? says the change made the bag 10 cm taller and 5 cm shallower, so an old bag that measured 40 x 20 x 25 cm fits inside the new 40 x 30 x 20 cm outline. Measure it packed to be sure.

Will a Ryanair-size bag work on easyJet?

Yes. easyJet's free under-seat bag can be up to 45 x 36 x 20 cm including handles and wheels, so a 40 x 30 x 20 cm bag fits within it.

Do wheels count towards the size?

easyJet says its limit includes handles and wheels. Ryanair's page gives overall dimensions only, so assume the whole bag must fit.

Is there a weight limit for the free bag?

easyJet allows up to 15 kg provided you can lift it yourself. Ryanair's bag policy page did not state a weight limit for the small personal bag when we checked.

How we researched this

We read Ryanair's help-centre bag policy, easyJet's cabin bags page and Which?'s August 2025 report on the Ryanair size change on 10 October 2026, and checked both Amazon.co.uk listings the same day. Our research plan suggested three Cabin Max bags, but we could not find them on Amazon.co.uk or open Cabin Max's own pages, so we chose bags from Aerolite and American Tourister instead; we could not open either brand's own website, so product details come from the Amazon.co.uk listings. We did not measure or travel with these bags. Buying links and any commission relationship are disclosed on this page.

Sources