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Luggage Guide for the UK: Suitcase Sizes and Airline Rules

⚠️ Disclaimer: For general information only — not tax, financial, legal, or medical advice. Figures may be outdated or incorrect; tax rules change frequently. Verify important decisions with the CRA/IRS or a qualified professional (for health topics, a licensed healthcare provider). You use this information at your own risk.
The short answer

Flying from the UK? Your baggage rules come from the airline, not the airport. British Airways includes a 23kg checked bag on most fares, while easyJet and Ryanair are famously strict about cabin bags — bring an oversized bag to a Ryanair gate and the fee is €/£70–75.

Checked baggage: the 23kg standard

  • British Airways: most Economy fares include 1 checked bag of up to 23kg, max 90 x 75 x 43cm per bag including wheels and handles. The cheapest Economy Basic fares include no checked bag — you pay to add one. Overweight bags (23–32kg) are charged a fee per bag per journey, and no bag over 32kg is accepted.
  • The 23kg limit is per bag, not pooled: BA states it applies to each bag and cannot be split across multiple bags.
  • easyJet and Ryanair sell checked bags as add-ons (Ryanair offers 10kg, 20kg, and 23kg options). Always buy them online in advance — airport prices are higher.

Cabin bags: where the budget airlines bite

| Airline | Free cabin allowance | Max size | Weight |

| British Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 handbag or backpack | 56 x 45 x 25cm + 40 x 30 x 15cm | No published limit — you must lift it into the locker unassisted |

| easyJet | 1 small under-seat bag | 45 x 36 x 20cm | 15kg |

| Ryanair | 1 small personal bag (under the seat) | 40 x 30 x 20cm | No published limit |

  • easyJet's larger 56 x 45 x 25cm overhead bag is a paid add-on (or included with Plus/Flexi fares). Bags that exceed your allowance at the airport face a fee of up to £48 per bag.
  • Ryanair's 55 x 40 x 20cm, 10kg overhead bag requires Priority & 2 Cabin Bags. Anything bigger brought to the gate is refused or placed in the hold for €/£70–75.
  • Always measure including wheels, handles, and outside pockets — the airlines do.

Hard vs soft suitcases, and backpacks

  • Hard-shell (polycarbonate/ABS): best protection for fragile items, keeps its shape in the hold; usually heavier and not expandable. Best as a checked bag.
  • Soft-shell (fabric): lighter, often expandable, with outside pockets for documents. Better as a cabin bag, where every centimetre counts.
  • Cabin backpacks: ideal for budget airlines — a backpack sized to the under-seat limit (for example 45 x 36 x 20cm for easyJet) avoids the gate-sizer gamble entirely.
  • Travel backpacks (50–70L): fine as checked baggage; tuck away or cover the straps before check-in.

Packing tips

  • Compression packing cubes (sold on Amazon): squeeze clothes flat and keep outfits organised — the single biggest space saver.
  • Roll soft clothes, fold structured ones; wear your heaviest shoes and jacket on the plane.
  • Keep valuables, medicines, and chargers in your cabin bag — never in checked luggage.
  • Weigh your bag at home with a luggage scale (a bathroom scale plus subtraction works too).

Frequently asked questions

Will Ryanair really fine me if my bag is only slightly oversized?

Yes. Ryanair uses exact metal sizers at the gate — "slightly" does not count. An oversized bag is refused at the gate or, where space allows, placed in the hold for €/£70–75. Measure your bag, including wheels and handles, before you leave home.

Is a 28-inch suitcase OK as checked baggage on British Airways?

Usually yes. BA's limit is 90 x 75 x 43cm per bag — a typical 28-inch case fits within those dimensions, and weight (23kg) is usually the binding constraint. Measure your exact case, including wheels and handles.

What is the cheapest way to add a bag on easyJet or Ryanair?

Buy it online when you book, or later in "Manage my booking" before you fly. Adding a bag at the airport — or at the gate — is always more expensive; Ryanair's gate fee reaches €/£70–75.

Can I combine my baggage allowance with someone I am travelling with?

No — at least not on BA. The 23kg limit applies per bag and cannot be pooled or split across bags. Each passenger's allowance is their own.

What happens if my checked bag weighs 24kg?

It counts as overweight, and airlines charge an overweight fee per bag per journey — so repack into your cabin bag or a second case if you can. No checked bag over 32kg is accepted at any price.

Sources

  • British Airways baggage essentials — https://www.britishairways.com/content/en/information/baggage-essentials
  • easyJet cabin bags — https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/baggage/cabin-bags?pubDate=20260216
  • Ryanair bag rules — https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb/sections/12489178346129-Bag-Policies
  • Ryanair table of fees — https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/fees
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