UK airline baggage allowance rules are a minefield. Every airline flying from UK airports has its own size limits, weight caps and fee structures -- and the differences between them can mean the gap between sailing through the gate and paying £70+ at the boarding desk. I've pulled together everything you need to know about baggage allowances across all major UK carriers in one place.
The short answer
If you're flying from a UK airport in 2026, here's the reality: budget airlines (Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet) will charge you extra for almost anything beyond a small underseat bag. Full-service and charter carriers (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Jet2, TUI) are far more generous. The difference in what you can bring for free is enormous.
UK airline baggage allowance comparison table
| Airline | Free Cabin Bag | Cabin Bag Size | Free Hold Bag | Hold Bag Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Small bag only | 40x30x20cm | None (basic fare) | From £9-£30 |
| easyJet | Underseat bag | 45x36x20cm | None (basic fare) | From £7-£45 |
| Wizz Air | Small bag only | 40x30x20cm | None (basic fare) | From £12-£35 |
| British Airways | 1 cabin bag | 56x45x25cm | 1 bag at 23kg | Included (most fares) |
| Jet2 | 1 cabin bag (10kg) | 56x45x25cm | 1 bag at 22kg | Included |
| TUI | 1 cabin bag (10kg) | 55x40x20cm | 1 bag at 15kg or 20kg | Included (package) |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1 cabin bag | 56x36x23cm | 1 bag at 23kg | Included (Economy Classic and above) |
| Vueling | 1 small bag | 40x20x30cm | None (basic) | From EUR15-EUR45 |
Note: Prices for hold bags are approximate and vary by route and booking window. Always check the airline's website for current figures before booking.
Ryanair baggage allowance
Ryanair is the strictest of the lot. On their cheapest fares (Regular and Value), you get one small personal item: 40x30x20cm, which must fit under the seat in front. That's genuinely small -- roughly the size of a large handbag or a compact backpack. (Ryanair updated this from 40x25x20cm in summer 2025.)
To bring a full-size cabin bag (55x40x20cm, up to 10kg), you need to pay for Priority boarding or a Plus/Flexi fare. Otherwise, expect to check it into the hold for a fee at the gate, which costs significantly more than pre-booking.
Hold baggage options start at around £9 for a 10kg bag on short routes, up to £30+ for a 20kg bag. Prices go up as you get closer to departure.
For more on squeezing everything into Ryanair's free allowance, see our guide to avoiding excess baggage fees on UK flights.
easyJet baggage allowance
easyJet's free allowance is marginally better: 45x36x20cm underseat bag on standard fares. That's a bit more useful than Ryanair's offering.
Their large cabin bag (56x45x25cm, up to 15kg) requires an easyJet Plus membership, Flexi fare, or an add-on from around £6 depending on route. Hold baggage starts at around £7 for 15kg on budget routes. Always check the airline's website for current pricing as fees vary by route and season.
See our full Ryanair vs easyJet baggage comparison for a deeper side-by-side.
British Airways baggage allowance
BA is considerably more generous. On most fares above Hand Baggage Only, you get one cabin bag (56x45x25cm) plus one personal item, and at least one 23kg checked bag in the hold.
- Hand Baggage Only (HBO): cabin bag + personal item, no hold bag
- Euro Traveller / World Traveller: 23kg hold bag included
- Business (Club): 2 x 32kg hold bags
BA also allows you to purchase additional hold bags if you need more. Their excess baggage fees are steep, so pre-booking is always worthwhile.
Jet2 baggage allowance
Jet2 is the most generous budget carrier for UK holiday travellers. Their standard fare includes a 10kg cabin bag (56x45x25cm) -- no need to pay extra for this. They also include 22kg of hold luggage with most bookings.
Extra hold bags cost from around £20-£30 depending on the route and weight. Compared to the ultra-low-cost carriers, Jet2's approach is noticeably different.
Compare Jet2 vs TUI baggage allowance in our full comparison.
TUI baggage allowance
TUI's allowances depend on your package. On most TUI holiday packages, you get a 10kg cabin bag and either 15kg or 20kg in the hold depending on your hotel board basis and fare type. Fully-flexible fares include 20kg.
If you're flying TUI independently (not on a package), the allowances are less generous and hold bags cost extra.
Wizz Air baggage allowance
Wizz Air is as strict as Ryanair. The free allowance is a small bag: 40x30x20cm under the seat. A cabin bag (55x40x23cm, up to 10kg) requires WIZZ Priority or an add-on from around £12-£30. Hold bags start at around £12 for 20kg.
They have a loyalty programme (WIZZ Discount Club) that reduces baggage fees significantly if you fly with them regularly.
Virgin Atlantic baggage allowance
Virgin is a full-service carrier, so the allowances are more like BA:
- Economy Light: 1 cabin bag (56x36x23cm) + 1 personal item; hold bag not included (check Virgin Atlantic's website as this can vary by route and booking date)
- Economy Classic: 1 x 23kg hold bag included
- Economy Delight: 1 x 23kg hold bag included
- Premium: 2 x 23kg hold bags
- Upper Class: 3 x 32kg hold bags
What happens if your bag is overweight?
On budget carriers, the gate is where it hurts. Ryanair charges around £70-£75 at the gate for a cabin bag that doesn't fit or wasn't pre-booked. easyJet's gate charge is around £48. Even on full-service carriers, excess weight charges run from £10-£20 per kilogram over the limit.
The only way to avoid this is to weigh your bag before you leave, or use a vacuum compression bag to shrink bulky items. See our full guide to hand luggage rules and cabin bag restrictions for size and weight specifics.
Checked vs cabin baggage: what's the difference?
Cabin baggage is what you carry onto the plane and store in the overhead locker or under the seat. Checked (hold) baggage goes in the aircraft hold and is collected at the baggage carousel on arrival.
For a detailed breakdown, see our checked baggage guide for UK flights.
Special items: sports equipment, pushchairs and more
Most airlines handle these differently from standard luggage. Pushchairs and car seats are usually free of charge at the gate. Sports equipment (golf clubs, ski gear, bikes) must almost always be pre-booked and costs between £20-£50 per item depending on the airline.
Read our full guide to travelling with sports equipment on UK flights and our separate piece on family baggage allowances.
The right bag makes a difference
If you fly budget airlines regularly, choosing a bag sized to the free cabin allowance is the single best way to avoid fees. The Cabin Max Metz backpack (B0C9QNYJD8) is designed specifically to fit within Ryanair and easyJet's strictest free allowances. We've reviewed it and a full range of other cabin bags in our best cabin baggage guide.
FAQ
Which UK airline gives the most free luggage? Jet2 is the most generous overall for UK leisure travellers -- 10kg cabin bag plus 22kg hold bag included in most fares at no extra cost. British Airways is close for business and long-haul passengers.
Do I have to pay for hold luggage on Ryanair? Yes. Ryanair's basic fare includes only a small underseat bag. A 10kg or 20kg hold bag must be pre-booked as an add-on. Prices start from around £9 on short routes but increase sharply the closer you book to departure.
Are hand luggage size limits strictly enforced at UK airports? Yes, particularly on Ryanair and easyJet. Both airlines have bag sizers at the gate. Bags that don't fit are either charged for on the spot or sent to the hold at a significantly higher gate fee.
Does the baggage allowance change on long-haul UK flights? Generally yes -- long-haul allowances are more generous, particularly on BA, Virgin Atlantic, and other full-service carriers. Economy passengers on long-haul flights typically receive at least one 23kg hold bag as standard.
Bottom line
For UK leisure flyers, the cheapest way to travel is to choose a bag that fits the airline's free allowance and avoid checked luggage entirely. If you need hold luggage, pre-booking at the time of booking your flight is always cheaper than adding it later -- and far cheaper than paying at the gate.
See all the bags we recommend in our best cabin baggage roundup, and read our full comparison of every major UK airline in our baggage allowance comparison chart.