Can I bring a small side bag on Ryanair?

All our fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you. If you need additional baggage allowance, there are various options available to you.



On Ryanair in 2026, the standard "Basic" fare only permits one small personal bag (40x20x25cm or the updated 40x30x20cm standard), which must fit under the seat in front of you. If you carry a separate "small side bag" or handbag in addition to a backpack, Ryanair staff may treat this as two bags and charge you a fee at the gate. The "pro-traveler" solution is to pack your smaller side bag inside your main personal item during the boarding process. Once you are on the aircraft, you can take it out for the flight. If you require two bags—such as a 10kg overhead suitcase and a personal item—you must purchase the "Priority & 2 Cabin Bags" option. Ryanair has recently increased enforcement of this policy in 2026, using gate agents to specifically look for "extra" items like laptop sleeves or crossbody bags that are not tucked away. Duty-free shopping bags are a notable exception and are allowed in the cabin alongside your allocated luggage, provided they contain only items purchased at the airport.

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Backpacks, totes, and crossbody bags are typically considered personal items too. The key to remember is it must be able to fit underneath the seat in front of you. A carry-on is a type of hand luggage that you bring into the plane cabin with you and is larger than a personal item.

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Additional items you can take with you Your handbag, small backpack/rucksack, pocketbook or purse, as you would normally use it (in other words, not just being used to contain items that would otherwise be regarded as baggage). This must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.

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A bumbag/fanny pack is an accessory, like a backpack or a lady's purse/handbag, and you should be prepared for it to be treated as such. That said, Mrs DC8 always wears a bumbag when travelling and it has never been an issue on any airline including the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet.

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Non-priority customers can only bring one small bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm), that must fit into the sizer. If non-priority customers want to bring a second bigger bag, they can purchase a lower cost 10kg check-in bag at the time of booking online.

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Most airlines allow passengers to bring on both a carry-on and a personal item like a backpack, laptop bag, purse, briefcase, shopping bag, etc. The general rule of thumb is that your personal item is smaller in dimension than your carry-on bag and it can fit underneath the seat in front of you.

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Typically in economy, you can bring one carry-on and one personal item. If you bring two bags, one must fit underneath your seat and the other can go into the overhead bin. If you're flying in an upgraded class like business or first, you may be allowed an additional carry-on bag.

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All our fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you. If you need additional baggage allowance, there are various options available to you.

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Usually, many airlines won't check every carry-on but will instead go for ones that look oversized. If your luggage does not fit in the sizer, you might have to pay a checked bag fee along with the gate checking fee and have your bag transferred to the airplane's cargo.

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Carry-on bags are limited to 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high including wheels and handles. All three measurements shouldn't add up to more than 45 inches.

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If your small bag or 10kg cabin bag does not fit in the baggage sizers, which are placed at every boarding gate, we will tag your bag and place it in the aircraft hold subject to payment of a gate bag fee.

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Priority & 2 Cabin Bags: This allows you to carry a small personal bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you and a 10kg bag (55x40x20cm) onboard, to be stored in the overhead locker.

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Given the penalty for being overweight, figure the cost of a checked bag into the price and compare from there. What's the point? RyanAir CAN weigh carryons and CAN measure size. If they catch you with something over 10kg, or oversized, they CAN make you pay to check it.

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Typically a gate agent will check it to your destination for free. However, if it's too large to be a carry on size they may charge you for it. You inform the flight attendant and he / she gate checks it to your next stop.

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It is also one of the most versatile bag styles, as it can work with many outfits and be worn several different ways. Many crossbody bags can be used as handbags, shoulder or belt bags. So, when you buy a crossbody, it can be like getting two handbags in one.

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As a general rule of thumb, backpacks will offer better support for your back than shoulder bags, and so if you're carrying heavier loads, or have a longer commute in your day, then a backpack is probably the best option for you.

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Famously quipped “the Ryanair size”, 40 x 20 x 25 cm (16 x 8 x 10 in) is the maximum dimensions of a cabin bag (such as a laptop bag or handbag) that ultra-cheap airline Ryanair would allow its passengers to carry into its cabin free of charge under its strict baggage allowance policy.

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How strict are the airlines about luggage dimensions? Carryon dimensions are limited to the size of the overhead bin. In those cases dimensions are strict. Anything too big gets gate checked.

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