When does free cabin luggage apply in the EU?

Not yet – and probably not soon. MEPs voted in favor on January 21, 2026, but the EU Council is still negotiating. These negotiations have been running since 2013. Realistically, implementation is earliest mid-2026 or later.

What dimensions does free cabin luggage have under the new EU rules?

Two pieces become free: A personal item (40x30x15 cm) plus a wheeled bag with maximum 100 cm total dimensions and 7 kg weight.

Do Ryanair and Wizz Air have to offer free cabin luggage?

Yes, once the regulation takes effect. This applies to all airlines operating in the EU. Budget carriers will no longer be able to charge extra for cabin bags.

What happens with flight delays under the new rules?

The three-hour threshold remains. For delays over three hours, you're entitled to compensation between 300 and 600 euros depending on flight distance.

Do families get seats together?

Yes, for free. Airlines must automatically assign adjacent seats to families with children under 14, without extra charges. *Last updated: January 2026*

Ryanair Loses: EU Makes Hand Luggage Finally Free

632 to 15. That was the vote count on January 21, 2026 in the European Parliament. After more than 11 years of deadlock, MEPs have voted for free hand luggage for all EU air passengers. Budget carriers like Ryanair? They're not happy.

EU Free Cabin Luggage: What Parliament Actually Decided

The official European Parliament announcement spells out the dimensions. EU free cabin luggage becomes reality. Airlines must allow two pieces of luggage free of charge.

Personal item (40 x 30 x 15 cm):
That's your backpack, your laptop bag, your handbag. What used to fit under the seat in front of you.

Wheeled cabin bag (maximum 100 cm total, 7 kg):
Add up height, width, and depth. Stay under 100 cm, you pay nothing. With Ryanair, that used to cost 15 to 30 euros per flight.

According to Euronews, families with children under 14 also get adjacent seats automatically. Free. No more paying 20 to 50 euros per flight segment just to sit next to your own kid.

If you want to know how these new dimensions compare to current hand luggage sizes in our 2026 airline comparison, we've compiled all the important requirements.

Delay Compensation Stays Tough

The EU Council tried to shift the compensation threshold from three hours to six. Translation: If your flight is delayed only five hours, you get nothing.

MEPs said no. Voice of Vienna reports that the three-hour rule remains:

300 euros for flights up to 1,500 km
400 euros for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
600 euros for flights over 3,500 km

Airlines for Europe claims that delays have increased 114% over the past 15 years. Air traffic control strikes. Bad weather. Not the airlines' fault.

Parliament disagreed anyway. The reasoning: Passengers pay, so they should get compensated. Free cabin luggage is part of this consumer protection offensive.

What This Means for Ryanair and Wizz Air

Budget airlines don't make money from tickets. They make it from everything else. Simple Flying calculated: Ryanair earned over 5 billion euros last year from extras. Not from flights. From seat selection, priority boarding, and cabin bag fees.

If EU free cabin luggage becomes mandatory? A revenue stream that brought Ryanair over 1 billion euros last year disappears.

By the way: Ryanair already saw this coming. In mid-2025, they increased their personal item size from 40x20x25 cm to 40x30x20 cm. Coincidence? The airlines know exactly what's coming. And they're preparing.

Until the new EU rules take effect, our proven Ryanair hand luggage tricks help you avoid current fees.

Regional Airlines Are Worried

For Ryanair and Wizz Air, this is annoying. For smaller airlines, it could be existential.

Not every carrier is Ryanair. The European Regions Airline Association warns that the new EU free cabin luggage rules could endanger over 1,000 regional routes to islands and remote areas.

Montserrat Barriga, the association's director, puts it bluntly: On a 50-euro ticket to a Greek island, compensation can be six times the ticket price.

Example: A flight from Athens to Karpathos costs 50 euros. For a three-hour delay, the airline would have to pay 300 euros. Per passenger. With 50 seats, that's 15,000 euros in compensation for a single delayed flight. That math doesn't work for small carriers.

This isn't just industry spin. It's a real concern affecting Greece, the Scottish Highlands, and Scandinavian communities.

When Do the Rules Take Effect?

Not immediately.

MEPs have adopted their position. Now the EU Council negotiates – the member state governments. Cyprus Mail reports that the Cypriot Council presidency wants to move quickly.

But "quickly" in Brussels means months. Maybe by June 2026. Maybe longer.

The legislative process started in 2013. Over eleven years with no result. The momentum now comes from strengthened consumer lobbying after COVID and the political will of the Cypriot presidency.

What You Can Do Now

The EU free cabin luggage rules aren't active yet. You can't demand the new regulation at the airport tomorrow.

Until the rules apply, you can prepare:

Many bags already fit the 40x30x15 cm requirement for free cabin luggage. For suitcases, it gets tighter. 100 cm total isn't much. Ryanair currently allows 55x40x20 cm (115 cm total). That will have to change.

A bag like the SPAHER Handgepäck Tasche 40x30x15 fits the new personal item requirements perfectly. For a cabin bag that meets the future standards, check out the Cabin Max Anode Handgepäck Koffer 55x40x20 - Leicht, Hartschale, Handgepäck Trolley mit 4 Rädern, 3-stelliges Schloss.

Packing cubes like the BAGAIL 8 Teilige Packwürfel, Kleidertaschen, Packing Cubes, Verpackungswürfel, Packtaschen Set für Urlaub und Reisen, Kofferorganizer Reise Würfel, Ordnungssystem für Koffer help maximize limited space. And a MYCARBON Digitale Kofferwaage keeps you from getting surprised at check-in.

In our comprehensive hand luggage suitcase test 2026, we've analyzed models that already meet the future EU dimensions. Besides the right suitcase, practical travel gadgets for more comfortable flying make air travel easier – especially on long-haul flights.