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Head-to-head cabin baggage comparisons — sizes, weight and which airline is stricter.
The biggest differences between airlines are structural, not a few centimetres here or there. UK leisure carriers such as Jet2 and British Airways include two cabin pieces — an under-seat bag and a full-size cabin bag — in the standard fare. Ultra-low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air and Spirit include only a free under-seat bag and sell the overhead cabin bag as a paid add-on or a Priority product.
Of the 16 airlines featured in these comparisons, 10 include a full-size cabin bag on the standard fare and 6 give only a free under-seat bag. Legacy carriers often add a combined weight limit across both bags rather than a per-bag one, so two bags that each look fine can still fail when weighed together. Open any comparison below to see the exact sizes, weights and fare rules lined up side by side.
Ryanairvs
easyJet Ryanairvs
Wizz Air easyJetvs Jet2 Wizz Airvs easyJet
British Airwaysvs Ryanair
Delta Air Linesvs
United Airlines
American Airlinesvs Delta Air Lines United Airlinesvs
Southwest Airlines
Emiratesvs
Qatar Airways
Lufthansavs
KLM RyanairComparing airline baggage — FAQ
Which airline has the most generous cabin allowance?+
Among the carriers compared here, the ones that include both a free under-seat bag and a full-size cabin bag on the standard fare — such as Jet2 and British Airways — are the most generous. The ultra-low-cost carriers that give only a free under-seat bag, such as Ryanair, Wizz Air and Spirit, are the strictest.
How do you decide which airline is stricter?+
We line up the free allowance side by side: the size of the free bag or bags, any weight limit, and whether a full-size cabin bag needs a paid fare, an add-on or a Priority product. The stricter airline is the one that gives you less for free.
Do the comparisons include wheels and handles?+
Yes. Every dimension is the outside measurement of the packed bag, including wheels, handles and bulging pockets, because that is what the airline sizer measures.
Two airlines both say "10 kg" — are they the same?+
Not always. The same weight can apply to a small under-seat bag on one airline and a full overhead cabin bag on another, and a "10 kg" figure can even describe a check-in bag that is dropped before security. Open a comparison to see which product each limit refers to.