Summer 2026 Flights Up 15%: How Carry-On Only Saves You Up to 120 Euro

The ADAC warns that up to 20 million passengers could face capacity issues at European airports this summer. While passengers navigate that mess, airlines have quietly hiked their baggage prices again.

The big news? Even Lufthansa now charges for cabin luggage in their new Economy Basic fare since May 2026. That's 15 Euro just to bring a trolley on board. If you're reading this thinking Lufthansa was your safe option: yeah, that's catching a lot of people off guard. What Ryanair and Wizz Air have been doing for years has finally reached Germany's flagship carrier.

An AirHelp study of 25 airlines found that checked baggage costs anywhere from 17 to 140 Euro per leg, depending on the airline. At Ryanair, a 20 kg suitcase runs up to 60 Euro per flight. Round trip? That's up to 120 Euro extra. For one bag. Switching to carry-on only saves you exactly that.

I ran the numbers for a typical scenario. Two adults flying Ryanair to Mallorca:

(Mallorca round trip, booked May 2026, Economy fare)

120 Euro. Per person. Round trip. That's a dinner for four at a beach restaurant, a day trip to Delphi, or just the financial buffer you never had on holiday. All from repacking your bag.

For exact dimensions and current fees, check our full Ryanair baggage rules guide.

Flying carry-on only works, but not with any bag. Too large, and you pay a gate fee instead. Check our comparison of gate fees at Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air to see what each airline actually charges. At Ryanair, that's up to 70 Euro.

What you need is a trolley that fits the 55x40x20 cm standard. The Amazon Basics Hartschalen-Kabinen-Koffer - ABS-Handgepäck Zugelassen für Ryanair - 55 x 40 x 20cm fits the overhead compartment of all major airlines and costs under 50 Euro. If you prefer a soft-sided model with wheels, the Travelite 4-Rad Koffer Handgepäck Größe S, Trolley mit Dehnfalte, 55 cm, 37-41 Liter is a lightweight alternative. If you want to travel even lighter in 2026, the Cabin Max Travel Backpack 40x20x25 cm - Handgepäck Rucksack für Unter-Sitz Gepäck, perfekt für Condor Economy Zero works as an underseat bag for around 24 Euro. It fits Ryanair's free personal item slot (40x30x20 cm).

Ryanair enlarged the free personal item to 40 x 30 x 20 cm on 4 September 2025 (Ryanair Bag Policy).

For anyone thinking "I can't fit a whole vacation in that": with Packwürfel Set 6-teilig - Packing Cubes für Koffer, Rucksack und Handgepäck and the roll method, I've packed ten days in Mallorca in August into one cabin trolley. Sunscreen and a dinner outfit included. Our carry-on only travel guide walks through exactly how.

Ditching the checked bag is the fastest way to save money. But there's more if you book smart too.

Fly on Fridays. Sounds counterintuitive since you sacrifice a vacation day. But according to the Expedia Air Hacks Report 2026, Friday departures run 18 percent cheaper than Saturday. On a 200 Euro ticket, that's 36 Euro. Already a round of drinks in Crete.

Book 31 to 45 days ahead. Expedia's data shows this window saves around 80 Euro on short and medium-haul flights.

Try smaller airports. Memmingen instead of Munich, Weeze instead of Düsseldorf. ADAC specifically recommends this. Ryanair and Wizz Air often fly noticeably cheaper from these airports.

Use packing cubes. Sounds minor, but Packwürfel Set 6-teilig - Packing Cubes für Koffer, Rucksack und Handgepäck genuinely help you use every centimeter of your bag. Our packing cubes test covers what actually works.

For context on why fuel prices are driving airfares up this year, see our 2026 fuel surcharge breakdown.

Flights in 2026 are pricier. That part you can't really control. But 120 Euro per person in baggage fees? That's avoidable. Pack a decent cabin trolley, fly on a Friday, and check what Memmingen or Weeze looks like.

Anyone who treats carry-on only as their default strategy in 2026 can realistically keep 100 to 120 Euro per trip in their pocket. That money goes further on holiday than it does at an airport bag drop.

Had your own run-in with the new baggage rules, especially Lufthansa's Economy Basic change? Drop it in the comments. I'm genuinely curious what people are seeing at the gate.