A cheap fare can turn expensive at the boarding gate. It usually happens over a bag that’s a few centimetres too deep or a few kilos too heavy.
Across Europe, the low cost model works by charging separately for almost everything except the seat. Baggage sits at the centre of that model, and the rules differ from one carrier to the next. Here are eight airlines where the details matter most, based on published allowances and 2026 traveller guides.
Ryanair
Every Ryanair passenger, on every fare, can bring one small bag up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm free of charge.[1] Ryanair increased that free under seat bag from 40 x 30 x 15 cm on 4 September 2025 and resized its airport bag gauges to match.[2] Anything beyond it costs extra.
Priority & 2 Cabin Bags adds a 10kg bag of 55x40x20cm for the overhead locker.[3] Bring a bag you didn’t pay for to the gate and it goes in the hold for a fee from about 46 to 75 euros.[4] One 2026 guide describes Ryanair as consistently one of the strictest airlines for bag compliance.[5]
Wizz Air
Every Wizz Air fare, including the cheapest Basic ticket, comes with one small hand luggage bag at no extra charge.[6] The maximum dimensions are 40 × 30 × 20 cm.[7] Sources disagree on weight. One guide says Wizz Air publishes and enforces a weight limit of 10 kg on the free bag[6], while another says no weight limit is published for it.[7]
The trolley bag is only available as part of WIZZ Priority during booking.[8] It can measure up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm and weigh up to 10 kg.[8] Priority prices range from €10 to €58.80 when bought online, or €55 at the airport.[9]
Vueling
Vueling passengers always get one free underseat bag of up to 40×30×20 cm.[10] An overhead cabin bag of 55×40×20 cm and up to 10 kg comes with the Fly and Fly Grande bundles, or can be added from €10 online.[10] The bundle names can mislead. The Fly bundle offers either an overhead cabin bag or a 25kg checked bag, not both.[11]
The gate is where Vueling gets expensive. An oversized underseat bag can cost around €60 to €75 per item and flight, while an unbooked or oversized overhead bag can run around €110 to €140.[12] Vueling reserves the right to weigh and measure carry on bags at the gate.[10]
easyJet
Everyone can bring one small cabin bag free, up to 45 x 36 x 20 cm including handles and wheels, kept under the seat in front.[13] That’s noticeably roomier than Ryanair’s free bag. The bag can weigh up to 15kg, though passengers should be able to lift it themselves.[13]
A large cabin bag of up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm can be booked for the flight.[13] One guide reports that it can’t be purchased at the airport, and arriving without it booked means paying a £48 gate fee or removing items.[14] Ground staff measure bags frequently, and oversized items may be placed in the hold with additional fees.[15]
Volotea
Volotea follows the same tiered pattern as its rivals. As I understand its fare structure, the cheapest ticket covers a small bag under the seat, while a larger cabin bag and hold luggage are sold separately. Exact allowances vary by fare and can change, so the airline’s own baggage page is the final word.
Independent guides now publish dedicated Volotea carry on pages for 2026. One of them sits alongside its Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air rules.[7] That fits the pattern for smaller carriers: the rules aren’t always harsher, but the fare tier decides what you can bring.
Eurowings
Eurowings, part of the Lufthansa Group, sells its fares in tiers. Its entry level Basic fare is limited to a small personal item, and larger hand luggage comes with the higher fares. Passengers who book Basic and then turn up with a wheeled cabin case are the ones most likely to be caught.
The tier system means the ticket price alone tells you very little. Comparing the Basic fare plus a bag extra against the next fare up is the sensible check. Current sizes and weights should be confirmed on the airline’s website before packing.
Transavia
Transavia, the budget arm of Air France KLM, also ties baggage to fare level. Its cheapest fares carry fewer bags than its standard ones, and hold luggage is sold as an extra. I haven’t confirmed its exact 2026 dimensions, so check them on its website.
Booking early matters on carriers like this. Across the sector, fees are far lower online than at the airport or the boarding gate.[4] A bag added at the desk almost never costs less than one added during booking.
Jet2
Jet2 is a UK carrier that flies to many Mediterranean destinations, and it prices hold luggage as a separate item on flight only bookings. Guides generally advise adding bags in advance. Hand baggage limits include a weight cap, so it’s worth weighing your bag at home.
Like the others, Jet2 can change its allowances and prices by route and season. Its own baggage page is more reliable than any third party summary. That includes this one.
