Ryanair Cabin Bag Size 2025 & 2026: Rules, Dimensions & Tips

Few travel topics cause as much last-minute panic as trying to figure out what size bag you can actually bring on a Ryanair flight without getting charged extra at the gate. The airline runs two completely different cabin bag systems depending on whether you buy priority boarding or stick with the basic fare, and the “10 kg” label pops up in confusing places.

Small personal bag: 40 x 20 x 25 cm (under seat) ·
Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: 55 x 40 x 20 cm + 40 x 30 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg ·
Standard fare includes: One small personal bag ·
Checked bag options: 10 kg or 20 kg (purchased separately)

Six key facts about Ryanair’s cabin bag sizes, one pattern: the airline enforces two completely separate regimes depending on whether you pay for priority boarding.

What size is a 10 kg cabin bag Ryanair?

This question trips up a lot of travellers because “10 kg” appears in two completely different contexts. Ryanair sells a 10 kg checked bag as a separate add-on, and the Priority & 2 Cabin Bags option has a combined 10 kg limit for your two carry-on items. They are not the same product.

Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: dimensions and weight limit

When you buy priority boarding, Ryanair’s official policy states you can bring:

• One main cabin bag: up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm, stored in the overhead locker
• One small personal bag: up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm, stored under the seat
• Total combined weight: 10 kg (Ryanair official bag policy page)

The reason this matters: the 55 x 40 x 20 cm bag is the standard carry-on size that fits most small suitcases and duffel bags. Without priority, you cannot bring that bag at all.

The trade-off: priority boarding costs from €6 depending on route and booking time (Skyscanner travel guide). For a week-long trip, that extra buy-in often makes the difference between packing light with a backpack and bringing a proper roller bag.

Standard fare: only a small personal bag (40 x 20 x 25 cm)

If you book the basic fare — no priority — you get exactly one small personal bag. Ryanair’s help centre is explicit: dimensions must be 40 x 20 x 25 cm, and it must fit under the seat in front of you (Ryanair official bag policy page).

• No overhead locker access for cabin bags
• No separate weight limit on the small bag, but it must be small enough to fit the sizer
• Bringing a second bag — even a small handbag with a backpack — violates the policy and can lead to a gate fee

The pattern: Ryanair designs its standard fare for ultra-light travellers who can fit everything into a single small backpack or laptop bag. Anyone needing more space must upgrade.

Is Ryanair increasing the size of free cabin baggage to 40 x 30 x 20 cm?

Rumours have circulated online that Ryanair will increase the free personal bag to 40 x 30 x 20 cm — the same dimensions currently reserved for priority boarding’s small bag. As of early 2025, Ryanair’s official help centre still lists the free bag as 40 x 20 x 25 cm (Ryanair official bag policy page).

Some third-party sources, including Primark’s 2026 travel guide, reference 40 x 30 x 20 cm as the free bag size (Primark consumer guide). Which? also lists 40 x 30 x 20 cm in its comparison tables (Which? consumer advocacy group). However, there is no official Ryanair announcement confirming a permanent change.

The catch: the priority small bag has always been 40 x 30 x 20 cm. It is possible third-party sites are accidentally applying priority dimensions to the free bag. Until Ryanair publishes an official update, assume the free bag remains 40 x 20 x 25 cm.

What size bag is 40 x 20 x 25 cm?

A bag measuring 40 x 20 x 25 cm is roughly the size of a standard laptop backpack, a medium handbag, or a small tote. It is not large enough for a typical wheeled cabin suitcase — those usually run 55 x 40 x 20 cm.

• Common items that fit: 15-inch laptop, tablet, Kindle, lunch bag, change of clothes, toiletries
• Common items that do not fit: most roller suitcases, large duffel bags, hiking backpacks (unless fully compressed)
• Ryanair provides a sizer at the gate — a metal box with the exact dimensions — to test your bag (Skyscanner travel guide)

Bag must collapse to fit the sizer. Overstuffed bags that bulge out of the slot will be refused and may incur a €60 gate fee.

Why this matters: a soft-sided backpack that compresses gives you more leeway than a rigid-frame bag. Travellers who pack strategically can often squeeze more into a collapsible bag than the raw dimensions suggest.

Can I take a handbag and backpack as hand luggage on Ryanair?

The answer depends entirely on whether you bought priority boarding.

• With priority boarding: Yes. You can take one main cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) and one small personal bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm). That small bag can be a handbag, a backpack, or a laptop bag.
• With standard fare: No. Only one small personal bag (40 x 20 x 25 cm) is allowed. A handbag plus a backpack counts as two items and violates the policy.

Passengers without priority who bring two bags may be charged at the gate (Ryanair official bag policy page). The typical fee is €60 per bag.

The pattern: Ryanair’s system is binary — either you have one bag or you have two. There is no “personal item plus handbag” grace period that other airlines sometimes offer.

What is not allowed in a cabin bag?

Ryanair follows standard EU aviation security rules. The key restrictions apply to liquids, batteries, and sharp objects.

• Liquids, gels, and aerosols: Containers must be 100 ml or smaller, all placed in a single transparent resealable bag. Containers larger than 100 ml are prohibited in cabin bags.
• Lithium batteries: Batteries over 100 Wh require airline approval; spare batteries must be in carry-on, not checked luggage. Refer to Ryanair’s official dangerous goods list and IATA aviation safety regulations.
• Sharp objects: Knives, scissors with blades over 6 cm, box cutters, and all firearms are forbidden in cabin baggage. Small scissors (blades under 6 cm) are generally allowed.

Ryanair provides a full prohibited items list on its official bag rules page.

The implication: most passengers trip up on liquids, not sharp objects. Forgetting a 200 ml sunscreen or a full-size water bottle is the most common reason for having items confiscated at security.

“All our fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you.”

— Ryanair Help Centre (official bag policy page)

“Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: This allows you to carry a small personal bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm) and a cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) into the cabin.”

— Ryanair Help Centre (official bag policy page)

For passengers flying Ryanair from Ireland, the choice is straightforward: buy priority if you need a roller bag or two items; pack a single soft-sided backpack that fits 40 x 20 x 25 cm if you want to save the fee. The airline’s system rewards deliberate, lightweight packing — and punishes assumptions about what your fare includes.

Related reading: Dublin Airport parking guide · Dublin Airport bus guide

Frequently asked questions

For travellers departing from Dublin, the implication is clear: measure your bag before you leave the house, or budget for the upgrade, because the gate agent’s sizer does not negotiate.