Maybe you have your first Ryanair trip coming up, and you might wonder about how strict the airline is about carry-on and personal item size.
Let me fill you in on some of Ryanair’s current rules and policies and then I’ll answer common questions I hear about them.
If you want to skip the article and grab a bag that will work on Ryanair Airlines, check out these two!
This great carry-on bag is for travelers that want to get the best value out of their luggage investment.
This Travel Pro bag could be the last carry-on bag you ever purchase!
Let’s dive in!
How Strict is Ryanair With Its Carry-on Baggage Policy?
Ryanair is considered to be very strict among travelers regarding its carry-on item policies, and they maintain that if you are allowed only a small personal bag onboard, you’ll need to make sure it falls within size dimensions of 15” l x 9” w x 7” h (40cm x 25cm x 20cm). Your bag must fit in Ryanair’s sizer and so it can be easily stored underneath the seat in front of you. Ryanair recommends carefully measuring your carry-on and personal items before traveling. Additional carry-on bag purchases are available, starting at €6 (just over $6 USD).
Ryanair’s Carry-on Item Policy
Including handles and wheels, your personal bag measurements on Ryanair flights should not exceed:
15” l x 9” w x 7” h (40 x 25 x 20 cm), or 31 total linear inches/85 linear cm
(l + w + h).
*According to Ryanair’s website:
“Priority & 2 Cabin Bags [options] give [you] the benefit of boarding the plane via the Priority Queue and carrying [your] small personal bag (15” x 9”x 7” / 40x20x25cm) and 22lb/10kg wheelie bag (21” x 15” x 7” / 55x40x20cm) with [you] on board. This will mean you won’t need to wait for your bag at the terminal at the destination. If Priority is sold out, you can purchase our 22 lb/10kg Check-in Bag.”
Note that paying for your bags online ahead of time tends to be less expensive and can help you avoid paying checked bag fees at the airport or at your gate.
Take some proactive steps beforehand and invest in some Ryanair-compliant carry-on luggage, so that you can travel and relax.
How Can I Measure My Carry-on Bag to Make Sure It Fits on a Ryanair Flight?
To help you verify your baggage conforms with Ryanair’s cabin bag size restrictions, the carrier recommends taking note of bag sizers at airport locations that feature its required 15″ x 9″ x 7″ dimensions.
It’s also a good idea to measure your personal bag before you leave for the airport to ensure that your entire bag, along with the wheels and handles, falls within Ryanair’s carry-on size requirements.
It’s important to remember that the three dimensional measurements together – length + height + width – cannot add up to more than 31 linear inches/85 linear cm. If you happen to be traveling with a soft-sided or expandable suitcase, you may want to measure your bag after it’s packed to ensure it still complies.
My Ryanair-compliant Luggage Recommendations
Need some suggestions for carry-on luggage that I would recommend for flying with Ryanair? I personally recommend the following Ryanair-compliant carry-on bags because of the carrier’s strictness with its luggage policies.
This is a great carry-on bag if you’re looking for long-lasting value out of your travel baggage investment.
This Travel Pro bag is one you’ll love (I know I love it!), and it just might end up being the last carry-on bag you’ll ever purchase.
Ryanair’s Carry-on Baggage Allowance
What is Ryanair’s carry-on baggage allowance? All Ryanair passengers are allowed a free carry-on item (personal bag) that needs to fit under the seat in front of them. Additional carry-on bags are available for an upcharge.
Items that don’t fit into a sizing device or which are considered to be oversized will need to be checked, with gate-checked baggage fees assessed accordingly. Gate-checked bag fees are €/£ 69.99/~$70 USD per.
You can see all the details regarding Ryanair’s checked bag policies here.
Bringing Carry-on Liquid Items Onto Ryanair Flights
You are allowed to bring liquid items onboard Ryanair flights in your carry-on baggage as long as they pass through security checkpoints. Items in violation of regulations will be confiscated.
Toiletries and items in the form of liquids, gels, and aerosols in containers of 3.4 fl. Oz. (100 ml/100g) or less must be packed neatly in a clear, resealable one-quart (1 liter) plastic bag, no more than 7.8 in x 7.8 in (20 cm x 20 cm) in size. Try these Ziploc one-quart baggies. One plastic bag per passenger and you must be able to completely close your plastic bag and be able to fit it into your hand baggage; your bag of liquids must be taken out of your hand baggage to be screened separately.
Duty-free liquids, aerosols, and gels of more than 3.4 oz. / 100 ml are allowed to be brought on board Ryanair flights, as long as they are contained in a duty-free issued Secure Tamper-Evident Bag (STEB).
You’ll find plenty more information here on our TravelontheFly site about what items you are and aren’t allowed to bring on a plane with you.
How Strict Is Ryanair With Your Carry-on Size?
You shouldn’t have any problems at all as long as your item(s) fit in the sizer at the airport or underneath the seat in front of you.
To make your flight as worry-free as possible, I suggest complying with Ryanair’s policies. For more room in your carry-on bag, if you need a new carry-on bag that will fit Ryanair’s (and other carriers’) guidelines, get this bag and don’t have to worry about it ever again.
How Strict Is Ryanair With Your Carry-on Item’s Weight?
Most airlines are not concerned with carry-on/personal item weight, though Ryanair offers two paid options for carry-on bags (10 kg and 20 kg, starting at €/£ 12.99/~$13 USD per). Ryanair is more concerned with spaces in the cabin where carry-on items should be able to be stowed comfortably. Meeting the size dimensions of your personal bag and carry-on items mentioned above should cover all your bases.
Should I Risk Flying on Ryanair With an Oversized Carry-on Item?
Should you risk flying on Ryanair with an oversized carry-on bag? I say, “Why take the chance?” Most frequent flyers would probably agree with me. Do you like paying extra fees?
If your bag is slightly larger than Ryanair’s specified size dimensions, you’ll likely be OK. Worst-case scenario if your carry-on is too large, is that you will have to check your bag at the gate and be charged ~$70 USD for checking an oversized bag at the gate.
PRO TIP – You have a better chance of getting away with a slightly larger piece of luggage if your carry-on is soft-sided. That‘s why I have highlighted and pointed you toward soft-sided bags like this one here. They are a little easier to squeeze into tight spots, including into the overhead bins on a plane!
Ryanair Checked Baggage Fees
Ryanair allows each passenger to purchase a 22 lb (10 kg) bag and/or up to three 44 lb (20 kg) checked bags per flight.
I travel with a bag that is slightly larger than many airline regulations and I have never been asked to check it. I can’t guarantee that you won’t be asked to.
Your best bet is to travel with baggage that is within Ryanair’s size regulations, and then you will never have to worry about it!
You can read more about Ryanair’s checked bag policies here, as you’re preparing for a specific upcoming flight.
Where Can I Find a Quality Travel Bag That’s Within Ryanair’s Carry-on Item Limitations?
I highly recommend this great carry-on bag that is an incredible value for the cost.
And this Travel Pro bag is an excellent choice for even the most particular travelers.
How Strict Is Ryanair With Its “One Personal Bag” Policy?
How strict is Ryanair regarding its “one personal bag” policy? Ryanair is considered to be quite strict in regard to item sizes and weights for its passengers. One small personal bag is allowed per passenger (e.g., purse, handbag, briefcase, laptop bag, backpack, and medically necessary items). Technically speaking, Ryanair expects personal items to be 15” l x 9” w x 7” h (40 cm x 25 cm x 20 cm) or less in size, but as long as your personal bag can easily be carried and stored underneath the sizer or underneath the seat in front of you, Ryanair representatives probably won’t ask you about it.
Ryanair’s Personal Bag Policy
What about Ryanair’s official personal bag policy? Your personal item ( e.g., purse, shoulder bag, backpack, diaper bag, etc.) must fit under the seat in front of you, and dimensions should not exceed 15” l x 9” w x 7” h (40 cm x 25 cm x 20 cm).
Carrying Additional Items Onto Ryanair Flights
In addition to your personal bag and paid carry-on bags onboard Ryanair flights, you are also allowed to bring small items, such as a jacket/sweatshirt, blanket, umbrella, book, strollers*, car seats, diaper bags, duty-free items, a reasonably sized stuffed animal, food/drink purchased past the security checkpoint, crutches, strollers, camera, etc. These won’t count as personal items, unless they’re larger things that take up space overhead or underneath a seat, like purses, shoulder bags, backpacks, briefcases, large camera cases, etc.
Is the First Checked Bag Free on Ryanair Flights?
Your first checked bag is NOT free on Ryanair flights, but each passenger can check in up to 3 checked bags weighing 44 lbs (20 kg) each. According to Ryanair’s website:
“Adding the 20kg Check-in Bag costs between €/£ 20.99 (~$21 USD) and €/£ 59.99 (~$60 USD) depending on the route and travel date selected. The pricing for the Excess baggage is €/£9 ($9 USD) per each added kilogram (2.2 lbs), if purchased online during check-in 2 hours before departure.
*Higher bag fees apply when checked bags are purchased via a Ryanair call center, at airport ticket desks, during peak periods and on selected routes.”
Ryanair DAC is a Dublin-based Irish airline founded in 1984. Its primary operational bases are at Dublin airport and London Stansted airport. The carrier, known for its low airfares, operates throughout a network that spans Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa.
So, How Strict is Ryanair About Carry-on and Personal Items?
Ryanair passengers are allowed to take one personal bag on board for free, and Ryanair is considered among the stricter airlines in regard to carry-on item size. Additional carry-on items may be purchased. Your free personal bag needs to fit underneath the seat in front of you.
Invest in carry-on baggage that complies with Ryanair’s 15” x 9” x 7” size requirements, like this one.
In case you choose to take a risk by bringing a larger bag onto a Ryanair flight, be sure to at least use a soft-sided bag so you’ll be able to better navigate it into a tight space. If your carry-on or personal item is deemed to be “oversized,” you’ll likely be charged a gate bag check-in fee of $70 per.
