Ryanair: Personal Item and Cabin Bag Sizes
Ryanair publishes a personal item allowance of 40 × 30 × 20 cm, which is 15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in, and a cabin bag allowance of 55 × 40 × 20 cm — 10 kg, and only with Priority Boarding. A backpack qualifies as either, provided it measures within the figure once packed.
What Ryanair allows
| Personal item | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
|---|---|
| Cabin bag | 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in) — 10 kg, and only with Priority Boarding |
Allowances differ by carrier, by fare and sometimes by aircraft, and they change without notice. Every figure here is the one the carrier published when this page was last reviewed; check the measurement on your own booking before you fly.
Ryanair runs the tightest under-seat allowance in Europe and the most consistent enforcement of it. There is one free bag on a standard fare and it is the 40 by 30 by 20 centimetre one; the 55 by 40 by 20 cabin bag needs Priority Boarding. Sizers sit at the gate on most routes and are used.
The number that catches people out is the length. Forty centimetres is short — around 15.7 inches — so a bag built to the American 18-inch personal-item convention is over the limit here before it is packed.
Which of these backpacks fits
| Model | Dimensions | Personal item | Cabin bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Backpack 30 L | 43 × 30 × 20 cm | Cabin bag, 3.0 cm over the under-seat figure | Exact fit, pack it flat-sided |
| Vacuum Backpack 18×14×8 | 47 × 33 × 20 cm | Cabin bag, 7.0 cm over the under-seat figure | Exact fit, pack it flat-sided |
| Vacuum Backpack 40 L | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | Exact fit, pack it flat-sided | Exact fit, pack it flat-sided |
The comparison sorts both sets of figures and matches largest side to largest side, which is how a bag actually goes into a sizer. Models are listed only where the manufacturer publishes all three dimensions.
The Travel Backpack 30 L matches the Ryanair under-seat figure exactly, which is what it was designed to do. Being a soft-sided bag works in its favour here: pack it a little below its capacity so the sides stay flat, and it goes into a sizer that a rigid case of the same dimensions would not.
How a sizer is actually used
A gate sizer is a rigid frame, and the bag has to go into it without being pressed. Depth is the dimension that fails first, because a soft bag packed full becomes round in the middle whatever its flat measurements say. That is the single argument for compression on a carrier that measures: air taken out of bulky clothing comes out of the depth, which is exactly where the margin is thinnest. How the box is used, and which dimension it catches, is set out in the personal item size guide.
Ryanair baggage FAQ
What size is a personal item on Ryanair?
40 × 30 × 20 cm, or 15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in. Check the figure on your own booking before flying, because allowances change without notice.
Does a backpack count as a personal item on Ryanair?
Yes, provided it measures within the published figure once packed and slides fully under the seat in front of you. Shape matters as much as capacity.
What is the cabin bag allowance on Ryanair?
55 × 40 × 20 cm — 10 kg, and only with Priority Boarding.
Does vacuum compression help at the gate?
It reduces the volume of bulky clothing, which mostly comes out of the depth of a packed bag. It does not reduce weight, so it helps with a sizer and not with a scale.