Ryanair baggage sizes at a glance

Free small bag (all fares): 40 × 30 × 20 cm. Must fit under the seat in front of you.

Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: Adds a 55 × 40 × 20 cm bag, max 10 kg. Stored in the overhead locker.

Checked bag (paid add-on): 10 kg, 20 kg or 23 kg options. Maximum dimensions 80 × 120 × 120 cm.

Non-compliant carry-on at the gate: Bag goes in the hold for a fee, set per route in Ryanair’s fee schedule (typically around €70 in most markets).

Ryanair has the strictest carry-on rules in European aviation, and the most expensive penalty if you get them wrong. The good news is the rules themselves are simple — there are exactly two cabin baggage tiers, both with fixed dimensions. The bad news is they enforce them, especially at the gate.

How the Ryanair two-bag system works

Every Ryanair fare includes one free small bag. That bag must measure no more than 40 × 30 × 20 cm and must fit under the seat in front of you. There is no weight limit on the small bag, but there is no overhead locker space for it either.

If you want a second bag — the kind that goes in the overhead locker — you need to add Priority & 2 Cabin Bags to your booking, or buy a Plus, Flexi Plus, or Family Plus fare which includes it. The priority cabin bag must measure no more than 55 × 40 × 20 cm and weigh no more than 10 kg.

Priority costs between €6 and €60 depending on route, timing, and demand. Buying it at booking is significantly cheaper than adding it later. Buying it at the gate is the most expensive route of all.

Which Horizn cabin suitcases fit Ryanair

For the priority 55 × 40 × 20 cm slot, the entire Horizn H5 range matches the dimensions exactly. The choice between them comes down to weight (Ryanair caps priority at 10 kg) and which features matter to you.

• H5 Air — 55 × 37 × 20 cm, 2.1 kg empty. The lightest in the range, with margin on width. Best for Ryanair specifically because the 10 kg cap is the binding constraint, and 7.9 kg of payload beats 7.1 kg every time.
• H5 Essential — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg empty. Fits exactly. Lifetime warranty.
• H5 Pro — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 3.1 kg empty. Compression pad and ball-bearing wheels for frequent flyers.
• H5 RE — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg empty. 97 per cent recycled polycarbonate shell.
• H5 GO — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg empty. Most accessible price in the cabin range.

A note on the M5 series. The M5 measures 55 × 40 × 23 cm because of its front laptop pocket — a deliberate design choice for the legacy carriers (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways) that allow 23 cm of cabin depth. It’s the right cabin suitcase for that category of airline. For Ryanair specifically, the H5 range is the better match.

A second bag for under the seat (optional)

With Priority you can also bring a small bag of up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm under the seat in front of you. Most travellers don’t need to fill this slot — a phone in a pocket and a laptop in the H5 covers the working flight. But if you do want a personal item, three Horizn options fit the allowance comfortably:

• Gion Shoulder Bag — 27 × 18 × 5.5 cm. Phone, wallet, passport, paperback, earbuds, charger.
• Gion Cross-Body Bag S — 19.5 × 10.5 × 4 cm. The smallest, lowest-profile option.
• SoFo Cross-Body Bag — 28 × 16 × 8 cm. Waxed canvas, water-resistant, with room for a notebook.

The gate fee, and how to avoid it

Ryanair charges a gate bag fee for any carry-on that exceeds the size you have paid for. The exact amount is set out in their fee schedule and varies by route, but in most European markets it sits around €70. Staff check at the gate, often by lifting the bag into a sizer cage. If the bag does not slide cleanly into the cage, the fee is charged and the bag is sent to the hold.

Three rules avoid this. Buy your bag tier at booking, not at the airport. Pack within the dimensions, not just close to them — wheels, handles, and any external pockets all count toward the measurement. And if you have priority and a small bag, walk to the gate with the small bag visible and the priority bag held normally; staff almost never measure when both look correct.

Ryanair vs Horizn cabin range — fits at a glance

Here is how the Horizn cabin range maps to the Ryanair priority allowance:

• H5 Air — 55 × 37 × 20 cm, 2.1 kg. Fits with margin in width.
• H5 Essential — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg. Fits exactly.
• H5 Pro — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 3.1 kg. Fits exactly.
• H5 RE — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg. Fits exactly.
• H5 GO — 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 2.9 kg. Fits exactly.
• M5 (Pro / Essential) — 55 × 40 × 23 cm, 3.4 kg. Built for legacy carriers that allow 23 cm of cabin depth, not for Ryanair.

Ryanair baggage FAQ

What size cabin bag is allowed on Ryanair?

Every Ryanair passenger may bring one free small bag of up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm, which must fit under the seat. Passengers with Priority & 2 Cabin Bags may also bring a 55 × 40 × 20 cm cabin bag of up to 10 kg, which goes in the overhead locker. There is no separate weight limit on the small bag.

Does a 55 × 40 × 20 cm bag fit Ryanair?

Yes — that is the exact maximum size for the Ryanair priority cabin bag, provided it weighs no more than 10 kg. The Horizn H5 Air, H5 Essential, H5 Pro, H5 RE and H5 GO all match these dimensions. The M5, at 55 × 40 × 23 cm, is sized for the legacy carriers (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways) that allow 23 cm of depth.

How much does Ryanair priority cost?

Priority & 2 Cabin Bags costs between roughly €6 and €60, depending on route, time of booking and seat availability. Buying it at booking is the cheapest option; buying it at the gate is the most expensive. The fee is in addition to the base ticket price.

What happens if my bag is too big at the Ryanair gate?

Ryanair charges a gate bag fee for any carry-on that does not fit the sizer at the gate — the amount is set in Ryanair’s fee schedule and varies by route, but typically sits around €70 in most European markets. The bag is then placed in the hold for the remainder of the flight. Once paid, the fee is non-refundable.

Can I bring a backpack and a suitcase on Ryanair?

Only with Priority & 2 Cabin Bags. Without priority, you may bring one small bag (40 × 30 × 20 cm) only. With priority, you may bring the small bag plus a 55 × 40 × 20 cm cabin bag of up to 10 kg.