The summer holiday season is fast approaching, but if you’ve scored a reasonably priced flight or holiday and don’t want to face any unexpected fees, then understanding your luggage allowance is imperative. Depending on which carrier you’re travelling with, you could be slapped with fees close to £100 for any additional baggage not included in your allowance.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the airlines with the cheapest flights (Ryanair and easyJet we’re looking at you) have some of the strictest allowances. And if you’re travelling with a new carrier and don’t know their rules, it can be easy to get confused and end up paying a hefty charge at the check-in desk.
Luckily, we’ve rounded up all of the latest baggage rules from some of the UK’s most popular airlines so you don’t get caught out this holiday season. Plus, we’ve picked some of our favourite bags that meet luggage requirements, too!
All prices in this article are accurate at the time of writing but may be subject to change.
Ryanair is known for its purse-friendly flights. However, it is also known for charging excess fees if you show up at the gate with a bag, even a few centimetres over the allotted allowance. And given they have a few different luggage rules, you must understand exactly what bag is permitted with your ticket. You can always pay for more luggage in advance and save yourself a lot of money.
All Ryanair passengers are entitled to one piece of hand luggage for free, but be careful not to get caught out. Your free luggage item must be fairly small (think handbag or laptop size) and no more than 40 x 20 x 25cm.
If you want to take anything larger in the cabin, you’re best paying for a Priority fare. This allows you to carry a small personal bag (40 x 20 x 25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you, plus a 10kg bag measuring up to 55 x 40 x 20cm on board to be stored in the overhead locker. As a bonus, Priority means you can board the plane first using the Priority Boarding queue at the gate.
In the event you show up at the boarding gate and your bag is oversized, paying for Priority can set you back between £20 and £60 at the airport. If your bag needs to go into the hold (either because Prirotiy is sold out or your bag is too big for the cabin), you could face last-minute fees of up to £75.
If you’re looking to take checked luggage with you, it’s best to purchase it online before your flight. Passengers can pay in advance for hold luggage up to 20kg. The price can vary from £18.99 to £59.99, depending on when you purchase it.
All easyJet passengers can bring one small under-seat cabin bag onboard for free. This bag can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm (including any handles and wheels) and must be stored under the seat in front. It can weigh no more than 15kg.
Passengers who want to bring a larger cabin bag onboard, measuring 56 x 45 x 25 cm (including any handles or wheels), can book a large cabin bag for the flight online in advance. Prices start from £5.99 and a large cabin bag booking means you can also enjoy Speedy Boarding.
If you’re an easyJet Plus member or customer who has booked an Inclusive Plus fare, you can also bring a large cabin bag on board (in addition to your small cabin bag) as part of your membership or fare benefits.
If you show up at the airport and your large cabin bag is bigger than the specified allowance, you will need to pay to check your bag into the hold. This is notably more expensive at the airport, so if you think hold luggage is better for you, then it’s best to pay for this online. Hold bags booked online start from £6.99 and can weigh up to 15kg. For any weight over this allowance, you will be charged at the airport (so it’s a good idea to weigh your bag at home).
If you’ve snapped up a cheap flight or discounted holiday in Jet2's latest sale, you’ll be glad to know the airline also has a fairly forgiving luggage allowance for passengers. All passengers can bring both a small and a large piece of hand luggage onboard for free. Small luggage items (such as a handbag or backpack) must measure no more than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm and fit under the seat in front.
Large hand luggage items must measure no more than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (including wheels and handles) and can weigh up to 10kg.
Customers on select fares, such as those who have booked a package holiday via Jet2holidays, may have hold luggage included in their ticket. If not, customers can add up to three hold bags per person weighing up to 22kg. Checked luggage does come at a cost, but Jet2 says that if you book online in advance, you can save up to 50% on the fee at the airport.
Jet2 charges £12 per extra kilogram for excess baggage, meaning if your checked bag weighs over 22kg, you'll be charged for the extra weight. No single item can exceed 32kg. Extra charges may apply if your bag exceeds this limit.
British Airways customers can enjoy a sizeable hand luggage allowance. Passengers can bring one small hand luggage item (such as a laptop bag or handbag) for free, as well as a larger item. Many tickets also include a checked bag as part of the fare (just make sure you double-check what your ticket allows before bringing your bags to the airport). Small cabin bags can measure up to 40 x 30 x 15cm, and larger cabin bags can measure 56 x 45 x 25cm. Both bags must weigh no more than 23kg combined.
The number of checked bags you’re allowed for free will depend on your booking, cabin class and British Airways Club membership tier. Each customer is also able to pay for up to 10 additional hold bags, so long as they are for personal items only.
If you arrive at the airport and your bag weighs over the allotted weight allowance, you can be charged up to £65 per bag per one-way journey.
TUI’s luggage allowance depends on the type of ticket you are flying on. All passengers are allowed one piece of hand luggage per person (excluding infants), which can weigh up to 10kg and measure up to 55 x 40 x 20cm. Passengers may also bring a laptop or handbag measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, which must be stored under the seat in front.
Depending on your booking, you may also be entitled to a checked bag as part of your ticket. Before heading to the airport, passengers are advised always to check their ticket type and any associated baggage rules. Checked baggage can weigh up to 20kg per person and 10kg for infants under two.
Passengers travelling on TUI River Cruise, TUI BLUE, Sensatori by TUI BLUE, Holiday Village and A La Carte holidays may take a bag of up to 25kg. Likewise, those flying on premium long-haul holidays or flights are entitled to 25kg.
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