Ellis Cochrane
With baggage rules constantly changing, it’s no surprise that quite a few of us have been stung by extra fees once we get to the airport.
What was once a free perk with our ticket, many budget airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air are now charging customers up to £60 to stow a small suitcase in the overhead locker.
So, if you’ve got a trip or summer holiday on the horizon, you'll want to hear about this travel hack that's currently sweeping TikTok.
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To avoid extra fees, you need to invest in a small carry-on bag that will fit underneath the seat in front of you (scroll down for individual airline rules).
Lots of brands now sell compact suitcases for this exact purpose, so you're not limited to laptop bags or rucksacks.
We’ve done all the hard work for you and picked out some of the best bags to get around those pesky extra charges, all of which will fit under the seat in front of you.
The following bags are designed to fit under plane seats and can be taken on board most UK airlines free of charge. Exclusions apply - see below for individual airline rules.
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This pint-sized suitcase is fantastic for short trips and city breaks. Even though it’s small enough to fit under the seat, it's still roomy enough for your essentials (including that extra pair of trainers). Despite being robust, its lightweight build means you can whizz through the airport without breaking a sweat. Inside, there are handy pockets to keep things tidy.
And as an added bonus, it even comes with a lifetime warranty for those who make quite a few trips each year or frequently travel for work.
With a study look and feel, and pockets galore, this suitcase was made to make travelling as easy as possible. Combining four smooth-rolling wheels and a sturdy handle, it’s super easy to navigate around the airport and the design is smart but low-key, with just the right amount of structure to keep things neat inside. We also appreciate that it comes in three colourways – a classic black, ocean blue and a deep purple plum hue.
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If you’re after fuss-free travel with a bag that keeps up, this is the one for you.
Stylish, compact, and cabin-approved, this great spinner slides effortlessly under most airline seats and comes in a huge range of colours to choose from. With a clean, hard shell and featherlight build, it makes weekend getaways and short-haul flights a total breeze.
And there’s space for quite a few outfits and travel essentials, if you pack strategically.
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Even though this has more of a classic tote design, don’t let that fool you – it’s much roomier than it looks from the outside. With six available colours to choose from, it’s sleek, simple, and surprisingly spacious, making it the ideal plus-one for short trips, commutes, or just chucking in your essentials for a weekend away.
There’s a padded sleeve for your laptop, plenty of pockets to keep things organised (no more rummaging for your passport or phone), and a trolley sleeve so it slides neatly onto a suitcase if you’re bringing one with you. It’s also got that clean, modern look that AWAY does so well - basically, it’s the kind of bag that really does blend style with substance.
Aer Lingus: Some customers will have a larger, 10kg cabin bag included with their ticket; check your booking confirmation for details. For everyone else, it’s one ‘small personal item' per passenger (such as a ‘small handbag, laptop bag or baby changing bag’) up to 25 x 33 x 20 cm.
easyJet: One ‘small, under seat cabin bag per person’ is included with the cost of every booking, weighing up to 15kg and measuring no more than 45 x 36 x 20cm (including handles and wheels). Larger cabin bags must be booked in advance or paid for at the airport.
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Ryanair: A ‘small, personal bag’ measuring no more than 40 x 20 x 25cm is free provided it fits under the seat in front of you. This can be a ‘handbag, laptop bag or backpack’ and has no weight limit. Anything bigger must be paid for as cabin baggage or checked baggage depending on its size and weight.
Vueling: Depending on your ticket type, you may have a larger cabin bag included in your booking (see details here). For everyone else, to avoid extra fees you’ll need an underseat cabin bag measuring no more than 40 x 30 x 20cam. This is in addition to anything purchased at the airport; you’ll just need to make sure it all fits neatly under the seat in front.
Wizz Air: For no extra charge you can take a ‘carry on bag’ weighing up to 10kg and measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm plus handles or wheels. This should be a ‘laptop bag, woman’s purse or small backpack’ but wheels are allowed (provided they add no more than 5cm in extra length).