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We’re big fans of doing hand luggage only when we can. Not only do you not need to worry about lugging large cases around with you, there’s also no chance of your bag not making it with you to your final destination if it's on your person.
So, we’re always on the lookout for ways to get around the ever-changing free carry-on luggage restrictions.
And one hack in particular will save you from having to spend a penny extra on baggage fees this summer....
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What are the new free carry-on luggage restrictions?
If you’ve flown on a budget airline recently you’ll probably already know that most only allow a bag that can fit under the seat in front of you as part of your allowance. This means that your best bet is often a compact but still rather spacious backpack.
And since the airlines can often be pretty strict, you’ll want to ensure that it fits the latest size requirements before you even leave the house for your holiday.
So, here’s everything you need to know about Ryanair’s latest carry-on luggage restrictions, as well as our pick for the best bag to keep you within those measurements.
What are Ryanair's rules on carry-on luggage?
Ryanair is one of the most popular budget airlines, with affordable flights taking off daily for Europe and beyond, making them an ideal choice for city breaks, beach holidays and weekend trips.
But at the start of this year, they updated their baggage policy once again. This means that at the moment, you’re only allowed one piece of carry-on baggage and this must be within 40cm x 20cm x 25cm. And you don’t need to get your tape measure out to realise that this isn’t a huge amount of space to work with.
So, you’ll want to pick a bag that truly makes the most of these dimensions.
Of course, you can upgrade your ticket to include a larger bag, with a 55cm x 40cm x 20cm size and a 10kg limit. But that will increase the cost of your budget getaway.
Our top pick
Even though its official measurements of 40cm x 17cm x 28cm are a tiny bit bigger than Ryanair’s restrictions, the fact that the Antler Chelsea Backpack is a soft, malleable bag means that you will be able to fit it both into the airline’s bag sizer and under the seat in front of you.
Normally priced at £140, it's a definite investment but one that could easily be worthwhile if you travel frequently with budget airlines.
Not only does it look incredibly stylish thanks to its sleek and understated design, but it comes with a 16.5” laptop pocket – which has an additional slip pocket for a tablet – a removable packing pocket for shoes or a change of clothes, and it opens fully, almost like a suitcase would, allowing you to truly utilise every inch of space.
We also love that the bag has a back sleeve that slots over a suitcase handle, for longer trips, and space to hold a reusable water bottle.
What are customers saying?
Several happy shoppers took to the Antler website to share how handy they found it for travelling hand luggage only.
One admitted: “Got this to match the Clifton hand luggage case and is perfect. Both meet the Ryanair dimensions perfectly for one bag and cabin bag rules. Loads of space and has a handy water bottle pocket on the side. Removable laptop storage area and the zip goes round further than normal rucksacks so you can pack it flat which seems to give you more space.”
While another added: “This is a brilliant backpack. It has plenty of pockets, is structured so it doesn’t sag when you put heavier things in it and it’s waterproof as well. comfortable to wear, it was great when I went on holiday and walked everywhere with it.”
The Chelsea backpack is available from antler.com.
Ellis Cochrane