Published 16 May 2026 | Updated 13 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
Ryanair’s free underseat allowance is 40×30×20cm. Our top pick for 2027 is the Cabin Max Manhattan 24L, built to that exact size, so it fits the free allowance. Flying with Priority instead? The Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6 is the better fit.
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Cabin Max Manhattan 24L
Best overall, 4.6★ · 1,449 reviews
The Cabin Max Manhattan 24L is the most direct replacement for the old free-bag standard, built to exactly 40×30×20cm, the current free allowance to the millimetre. At 24 litres it fits the sizer with certainty, and Cabin Max lists it at 0.5kg empty. A suitcase-style opening makes packing easier than a top-loading rucksack, and there is a rear laptop compartment for devices up to 13 inches. For a long weekend it is enough, and if you want zero risk at the sizer without buying Priority, this is the one.
Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6
Best for Priority boarding, 4.8★ · 195 reviews
Osprey lists the Daylite Expandable 26+6 at 43×33×16cm and 0.84kg. That fits inside Ryanair’s 55×40×20cm Priority overhead allowance with room on every side, and a zip expansion adds six litres when you need it. It does not fit the free 40×30×20cm underseat bag: at 43cm long and 33cm wide it is over on two sides, so buy it only if you book Priority. Without Priority, you risk a gate charge.
Aerolite 40×30×20cm
Budget exact fit, 4.6★ · 97 reviews
Aerolite makes a range of bags specifically designed for Ryanair’s dimensions. Its 24-litre 40×30×20cm backpack is built to the exact free allowance and costs around £25 to £30 on Amazon, with a listed weight of 0.91kg. It is a newer listing with fewer reviews than the Cabin Max bags, but it is built to the exact size.
Cabin Max Metz 24L
Updated to the new allowance, 4.6★ · 1,742 reviews
Cabin Max now makes the Metz in a 24-litre version built to Ryanair’s current 40×30×20cm underseat allowance, and still sells the older 20-litre 40×20×25cm bag. The older version still fits the new limit; the update simply uses the extra width. The 24-litre build weighs 0.6kg and has a front organiser pocket with space for an iPad and travel documents, a quick-access front pocket and a padded top handle. At around £30 it undercuts the Manhattan 24L with the same 24-litre capacity. It’s a solid budget alternative for anyone who wants the Metz name without the old sizing risk.
Fjällräven Kånken Mini
Minimalist style pick, 4.5★ · 3,293 reviews
The Fjällräven Kånken Mini measures 29×20×13cm, so it fits the Ryanair free allowance with room to spare and doubles as an everyday bag once you land. At 220g it is the lightest option in this guide, though its 7-litre capacity suits minimalist packers and city breaks rather than anyone needing a change of clothes.
The best carry-on bag for Ryanair: our verdict
For most passengers, the Cabin Max Manhattan 24L is the best carry-on bag for Ryanair: built to the exact 40×30×20cm free allowance, so it fits the sizer by design. If you’re flying with Priority and want extra room, the Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6 is the upgrade pick. On a tight budget, the Aerolite 40×30×20 at around £25 to £30 is the simplest answer, built to the exact free limit and does the job without fuss.
“A soft bag’s real advantage isn’t the price, it’s that it squeezes into the sizer when a rigid case with the same label wouldn’t. That’s handy until a busy gate agent decides yours hasn’t compressed enough and asks you to prove it, which is exactly the conversation the Manhattan’s exact-to-spec build was designed to avoid. Buy to the millimetre and you never have to have it.”
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
Packing tips for Ryanair
- Roll, don’t fold. Rolling clothes compresses them better than folding and reduces creasing on softer fabrics. Start with heavier items and roll lighter ones around them. A 20-litre bag can hold three to four days of clothes this way.
- Use packing cubes. Two small cubes sit neatly in a 20-litre pack and keep things organised. They also help a soft bag maintain its shape without bulging, which matters when it goes into the gate sizer.
- Wear your bulkiest item. A jacket worn to the gate is not in your bag. On a carrier where every centimetre counts, wearing a heavy layer through the airport and removing it on board costs nothing.
- Add Priority at booking. Priority is cheapest when added during the booking process. If you plan to bring a full cabin bag, buy it then. The gate rate is sometimes more than the flight itself.
- Measure your bag before you fly. Ryanair gate staff do enforce the sizer, particularly on busy routes and at peak times. If your bag is borderline, do not overfill it. The sizer is built to the exact limit, and a stuffed bag will not compress to fit.
Flying easyJet too? The size requirements differ slightly; we separately picked the best bags for easyJet. KLM and Wizz Air set their own cabin bag rules, covered in our guides to KLM’s carry-on bag size and Wizz Air’s hand luggage allowance.
| Product | Dimensions | Weight | Capacity | Approx price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin Max Manhattan 24L | 40×30×20cm | 0.5kg | 24L | £30 to £35 | Best overall |
| Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6 | 43×33×16cm | 0.84kg | 26L (+6L) | £75 to £90 | Best for Priority |
| Aerolite 40×30×20 | 40×30×20cm | 0.91kg | 24L | £25 to £30 | Budget exact fit |
| Cabin Max Metz 24L | 40×30×20cm | 0.6kg | 24L | £25 to £30 | Budget alternative |
| Fjällräven Kånken Mini | 29×20×13cm | 0.22kg | 7L | £55 to £80 | Minimalist/style |
Ryanair’s bag allowance in 2027
Ryanair gives every passenger one free underseat bag on every fare. An overhead cabin bag requires Priority, which you add at booking. The free bag is checked by size only with no weight limit; the Priority overhead bag has a hard 10kg limit that staff do weigh at some airports.
| Ticket type | What you get | Priority bag? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard fare | 1 underseat bag: 40×30×20cm No weight limit | Not included |
| Priority add-on | Underseat + overhead cabin bag Overhead: 55×40×20cm, max 10kg | £12.49 to £36 per journey at booking |
Priority is cheapest when added during booking, from £12.49. Adding it after booking or at the airport costs more, up to £45.50. See Ryanair’s bag rules for the latest details.
- Bag bigger than the free slot? Compare the cost of Priority against a checked bag before you buy. Our Ryanair baggage allowance guide has both sets of prices.
- Bag sorted? What you pack inside it is the next thing security checks. Our Ryanair liquids rules guide covers the 100ml limit, the UK airports now allowing more, and what’s banned outright.
Ready to check the allowance? Go straight to Ryanair’s official baggage policy for the exact dimensions and prices, or read our full guide to Ryanair’s hand luggage allowance.
Bought your bag? Here’s what to sort next
The bag is often the easiest decision. Book the choices below at the same time as your flight and each one costs less than leaving it for the airport.
Random seat allocation can split a group across the cabin, and a bag bigger than the free underseat allowance needs Priority to travel with you. Book seat selection and Priority at the same time as your flight and both cost less than adding them later.
| Decision | Why it matters | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Seat selection | Random allocation can split a group up, and seats are cheaper booked with the flight than added later. | |
| Priority boarding | Needed for any bag bigger than the free underseat allowance. £12.49 to £36 at booking, up to £45.50 later. | |
| Airport check-in | Ryanair charges a fee for checking in at the airport if you miss the online window. | |
| Travel insurance | Covers the bag itself, plus delays and cancellations Ryanair does not. |
Frequently asked questions
What size is Ryanair’s cabin bag?
Ryanair allows one free underseat bag up to 40×30×20cm on every fare, with no weight limit, up from 40×20×25cm before September 2025. Priority passengers can also bring an overhead cabin bag up to 55×40×20cm, maximum 10kg.
Can I take two bags on Ryanair for free?
No. A standard Ryanair fare gives you one free underseat bag (40×30×20cm), and a second bag in the overhead locker needs Priority boarding added to your booking.
Does Ryanair weigh cabin bags?
The free underseat bag is not weighed, size is the only check. The Priority overhead cabin bag has a 10kg weight limit, and staff do weigh it at some airports on busy routes.
Do I need priority boarding to take a cabin bag on Ryanair?
You need Priority to take a bag into the overhead locker; the free underseat bag (40×30×20cm) is available on every fare without it. Unlike Jet2, Ryanair does not include an overhead bag in the standard fare.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
How Kate works
Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.
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