Airline with smallest hand luggage allowance - it's not Ryanair or easyJet
Airline hand luggage allowances can be notoriously confusing, with different size and weight restrictions depending on who you fly with - but there are some that offer more bang for your buck
As the summer travel season reaches its peak, thousands of holidaymakers will be trying to pack as much as possible into their hand luggage to avoid costly extra charges.
The rules for hand luggage, also known as cabin bags or carry-on bags, can vary greatly between airlines in terms of size and weight restrictions. So which airline offers the best value for money?
According to Skyscanner, the airline with the smallest hand luggage allowance is Norwegian Air. This airline only permits one cabin bag, without an additional personal item.
This single bag must measure 30x20x38cm and cannot weigh more than 10kg - so if you want to bring more, it's advisable to wear your bulkier items like coats and boots.
Ryanair comes next, with a cabin bag size limit of 40x20x25cm. Although the checked limit is small, there's no weight restriction.
However, you can only bring one bag onboard with no secondary personal item allowed, reports the Mirror.
Aerlingus offers the largest cabin bag allowance. The only requirement for a cabin bag is that it must fit under the seat in front and there is no weight limit on it, according to Skyscanner.
Virgin Atlantic is also generous with its cabin bag allowance, with a limit of 56x36x23cm and a weight of 10kg.
British Airways also allows two cabin bags with limits of 56x40x23cm and 40x30x15cm respectively.
The only weight limit for BA is that you must be able to lift them into the overhead lockers without causing injury to yourself or others, making it a good option for those who tend to overpack.
Don't miss...
The incredible new £4.7bn airport set to receive 60 million passengers per year [LATEST]
Moment pilot arrested just before take-off sparking fury and grounding flight [REVEALED]
Urgent August bank holiday warning issued for UK drivers [INSIGHT]
Ryanair has a specific policy for checked luggage, which is not free of charge. The dimensions of the bags must be 81cm x 119cm x 119cm and weigh less than 20kg.
Additional bags will incur a fee ranging from £25 to £40 for each extra 20kg. Ryanair also imposes a limit of three checked bags per passenger.
On the other hand, if you're someone who likes to bring everything but the kitchen sink on holiday, there are several airlines that do not impose restrictions on bag size. These include Tui, Vueling, Turkish Airways, Jet2, Flybe, Aerlingus, and Air Asia.
Among these seven airlines, only Air Asia allows a weight limit of up to 40kg - the heaviest among all the listed carriers. However, the cost for this may vary depending on your flight route.
Airline hand luggage allowance
When it comes to cabin bag allowances, SkyScanner provides a comprehensive guide to the sizes allowed by different airlines.
Aer Lingus | 1 personal item | Must fit under the seat in front | No weight restrictions |
Aeroflot | 1 cabin bag | 55x40x25cm | 10kg (15kg for business class travellers) |
Air Asia | 1 cabin bag + 1 small bag | 56x36x23cm 40x30x10cm | 7kg combined weight |
Air France | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55x35x25cm 40x30x15cm | 12-18kg combined weight (depending on ticket type) |
British Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56x40x23cm 40x30x15cm | You must be able to lift it into the overhead lockers |
Delta | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56x35x23cm | No weight restrictions* |
easyJet | 1 cabin bag | 45x36x20cm | 15kg |
Emirates | 1 cabin bag | 55x38x20cm | 7kg |
Etihad Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56x36x23cm 23x39x19cm | 7kg for cabin bag 5kg for personal item |
Jet2 | 1 cabin bag + 1 laptop/handbag | 56x45x25cm Not specified | 10kg combined weight |
KLM | 1 cabin bag + 1 small bag | 55x35x25cm 40x30x15cm | 12kg combined weight |
Lufthansa | 1 cabin bag + 1 foldable garment bag | 55x40x23cm 57x54x15cm | 8kg |
Norwegian | 1 underseat bag | 30x20x38cm | 10kg weight |
Qatar Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 50x37x25cm Not specified | 7kg combined weight |
Ryanair | 1 underseat bag | 40x20x25cm | No weight restrictions |
Thomas Cook Airlines | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55x40x20cm Not specified | 6kg |
TUI Airways | 1 cabin bag | 55x40x20cm | 10kg |
Turkish Airlines | 1 cabin bag | 55x40x23cm | 8kg |
Virgin Atlantic | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56x36x23cm | 10kg |
Vueling Airlines | 1 underseat bag | 40x20x30cm | Not specified |
Wizz Air | 1 underseat bag | 40x30x20cm | 10kg |