It’s important to know the limits on hand luggage beforehand so you don’t get caught out at the airport.
Carry-on luggage size guide (UK)
Published 2 months ago
If you’re taking a trip to or from the UK and wondering about the size and weight limits for carry-on luggage across various airlines, check out our quick and helpful guide.
Size and weight limits for carry-on bags by airline
| Airline | Maximum carry-on size | Maximum carry-on weight |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | 55 x 40 x 24 cm | 10kg |
| Aer Lingus Regional | 48 x 33 x 20 cm | 7kg |
| Air France | 55 x 35 x 25 cm | Economy: 12kg Business Class: 18kg (combined weight of cabin bag and personal accessory) |
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | 23kg |
| EasyJet | 45 x 36 x 20 cm | 15kg |
| Emirates | 55 x 38 x 20 cm | Economy: 7kg Premium Economy: 10kg Business and First Class: 7kg carry-on + 7kg briefcase or garment bag |
| Etihad Airways | 56 x 36 x 23 cm | 7kg |
| Eurowings | 40 x 30 x 25 cm (Basic fare) 55 x 40 x 23 cm (Smart fare) | 8kg |
| Iberia | 56 x 40 x 25 cm | Economy: 10kg Business Class: 15kg |
| Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | 10kg |
| KLM | 55 x 35 x 25 cm | Economy and Premium Comfort Class: 12kg Business Class: 18kg (combined weight of cabin bag and personal accessory) |
| Lufthansa | 55 x 40 x 23 cm | 8kg |
| Ryanair | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 10kg |
| Thomas Cook | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | Economy: 6kg Premium Class: 10kg |
| TUI | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 10kg |
| Virgin Atlantic | 56 x 36 x 23 cm | Economy and Premium Economy: 10kg Upper Class: 12k for one bag or 16kg combined weight for two bags |
| Wizz Air | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 10kg |
*All information is correct as of January 2024.
Cabin luggage sizes and restrictions by airline
Find out more details about the size and weight restrictions for carry-on luggage with each airline.
Aer Lingus
When flying with Aer Lingus, you’re allowed to bring one carry-on bag up to 10kg in weight, with dimensions of 55 x 40 x 24 cm. You may also bring one small personal item such as a handbag or laptop bag; this must be no larger than 33 x 25 x 20 cm.
Aer Lingus Regional
If you fly with Aer Lingus Regional (primarily within Ireland, the UK, and France), you’ll be allowed one carry-on bag weighing up to 7kg in weight, with dimensions up to 40 x 33 x 20 cm, and a small personal item with dimensions of 33 x 25 x 20 cm or less.
Air France
Air France allows you to bring a carry-on bag with dimensions of no more than 55 x 35 x 25 cm including pockets, wheels, and handles. This bag must also weigh no more than 12kg for Economy and Premium Economy passengers, and no more than 18kg for Business or La Première passengers.
You can also bring a small personal item such as a satchel or laptop bag, no bigger than 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
If you are travelling Economy, you may bring one item of hand baggage and one personal item, and if you’re travelling in Premium Economy, Business or La Première, you may take two hand baggage items and one personal item.
British Airways
With British Airways, you can fly with a carry-on bag no larger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm in size including wheels and handles, and up to 23kg in weight. You may also bring a handbag with dimensions of up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
EasyJet
When flying with EasyJet, you can bring a cabin bag with dimensions of 45 x 36 x 20 cm, weighing up to 15kg which must fit under the seat in front of you. If you’d like to bring a larger cabin bag on board (maximum size 56 x 45 x 25 cm), you can book this separately, and you’ll also get access to their Speedy Boarding service.
Emirates
On an Emirates flight, if you’re flying Economy Class you can take one carry-on bag weighing no more than 7kg, with dimensions of up to 55 x 38 x 22 cm and for Premium Economy passengers, your bag can weigh up to 10 kg. If you’re flying Business or First Class, you can bring a 7kg carry-on bag (max. 55 x 38 x 22 cm), and a 7kg briefcase or garment bag (max. 45 x 35 x 20 cm).
Etihad Airways
When travelling with Etihad as an Economy passenger, you can take one cabin bag weighing up to 7kg, no bigger than 56 x 36 x 23 cm, and you are not allowed to bring an additional personal item.
If you’re flying in Business, First Class or The Residence, you can bring two cabin bags with a maximum combined weight of 12kg (max. 56 x 36 x 23 cm). You may also bring a personal item weighing up to 5kg, but no bigger than 39 x 23 x 19 cm.
Eurowings
If you’re flying with Eurowings, you may bring a small cabin bag like a laptop bag or handbag, no bigger than 40 x 30 x 25 cm, as part of a basic fare. You may bring a large cabin bag (max. size 55 x 40 x 23 cm) weighing up to 8kg if you upgrade to the Smart fare. If you upgrade to the BIZclass fare, you may bring two items of hand baggage.
Iberia
Carry-on baggage for passengers flying with Iberia must not exceed 56 x 40 x 25 cm. The maximum weight of carry-on baggage for Economy passengers is 10kg, and for Business Class passengers it’s 14kg.
You may also bring another small personal item no bigger than 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
Jet2
If you’re flying with Jet2, the maximum cabin luggage size is 56 x 45 x 25 cm, and the bag must weigh 10kg or less. You can also bring a personal item such as a laptop bag or handbag with you.
KLM
With KLM, you’re allowed to bring one item of hand baggage with a maximum size of 55 x 35 x 25 cm including handles and wheels, and one accessory (max. size 40 x 30 x 15 cm) when you’re flying Economy. These bags must have a combined weight of no more than 12kg.
Premium Comfort Class passengers may bring two items of hand baggage, each with a maximum size of 55 x 35 x 25 cm, and one small accessory, these must have a total weight of 12kg or less.
Business Class passengers may bring two items of hand baggage (55 x 35 x 25 cm) and one personal accessory. These bags can have a combined weight of up to 18kg.
Lufthansa
When flying with Lufthansa, the maximum dimensions for your carry-on baggage is 55 x 40 x 23 cm, while a foldable garment bag can be 57 x 54 x 15 cm in size.
If you’re travelling in Economy or Premium Economy Class you can bring one carry-on bag weighing up to 8kg, and if you’re travelling in Business or First Class, you can bring two carry-on bags, each weighing up to 8kg.
Ryanair
When it comes to Ryanair carry-on luggage, only a small bag such as a backpack or handbag is included as standard. This must fit under the seat in front of you and can be no bigger than 40 x 20 x 25 cm.
If you wish to bring a larger cabin bag, you’ll need to pay extra and this can be up to 10kg in weight and up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm in size.
Thomas Cook
The maximum dimensions of hand luggage for a Thomas Cook flight are 55 x 40 x 20 cm. All passengers receive a complimentary cabin bag allowance of 6kg, and Premium Class customers receive an allowance of 10kg for cabin bags.
Passengers with Thomas Cook may also bring an additional personal item such as a laptop bag, handbag or umbrella.
TUI
TUI passengers may bring one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg and with a maximum size of 55 x 40 x 20 cm. You must be able to lift this luggage into the overhead storage compartments yourself. In addition, passengers may also bring a small personal item like a laptop bag or briefcase which must fit under the seat in front of you.
Virgin Atlantic
When flying with Virgin Atlantic in Economy or Premium Class, you can take one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg (max. Dimensions 53 x 36 x 23 cm).
Upper Class passengers may bring two pieces of hand baggage with a combined weight of 16kg, and a maximum weight of 12kg for one bag. For example, you could bring one 12kg bag alongside a 4kg bag.
In addition to these allowances, you may also bring a handbag, a small backpack or a pocketbook that can fit under the seat in front of you.
Wizz Air
If you’re travelling with Wizz Air, you can bring one carry-on bag with a maximum weight of 10kg and maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20 cm at no extra cost. This bag can be a laptop bag, small backpack or handbag and must fit underneath the seat in front of you.
If you would like to bring a larger carry-on bag, this can be paid for through Wizz Priority and must be no bigger than 55 x 40 x 23 cm, and weigh 10kg or less.
These size allowances do not include bag handles and wheels but handles and wheels must add at most 5cm to the total size of the bag.
FAQs
Is there a standard size for carry-on luggage?
There is no standardised size for carry-on luggage across airlines as all airlines set their own guidelines based on their requirements, with some offering the option to upgrade to larger sizes for a fee. Of the airlines analysed here, British Airways and Jet2 accept the largest-sized carry-ons, with a maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25 cm. Smaller, regional airlines tend to have tighter restrictions when it comes to carry-on sizes.
What counts as a personal item?
Each airline’s definition of a personal item might differ slightly, but in general, a personal item is a small item of luggage that you can carry with you on a flight, separate from your carry-on. This will usually be a small purse, briefcase, small backpack or laptop bag which allows you to carry things like your wallet, passport, phone and other important items.
Typically, your personal item needs to be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Always check your airline’s rules regarding personal items before you fly.
How can I measure my carry-on luggage for travel?
It’s important to measure your carry-on bags before you fly. If your luggage is too big, it might have to be put into the hold, which means you may not be able to keep some of your valuable items with you during the flight.
You should measure your carry-on luggage after you’ve packed it to account for any expansion caused by the items you’ve packed. Use a tape measure to measure the length, width and height of your bag at its widest points, including any handles, tags and wheels. Then compare these measurements to the airline’s guidelines to make sure your bag isn’t too big.
What is allowed in carry-on luggage?
The items you’re allowed to pack in your carry-on luggage vary depending on where you’re flying from, you should always double-check the latest rules before you travel.
The current UK rules state that you may not bring liquids in your hand luggage in containers larger than 100ml, this includes drinks, pastes, sprays, and gels. There are also restrictions on scissors, lighters, tools and other potentially harmful items that you can bring in a carry-on.
Which toiletries can I bring in a carry-on?
You can bring your usual toiletries including toothpaste, deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, moisturisers and hair products in your carry-on so long as they are in containers smaller than 100ml.
It’s worth getting some travel-sized versions of your favourite products to bring in your hand luggage. This can also help you save space even if you’re putting these items in your checked-in luggage. If you travel frequently, consider getting some refillable travel-sized bottles and tins so you can refill them with your most-used products.
