A 55 × 40 × 20 cm bag flies free in the cabin on 7 of the 30 airlines here. On 12 more it fits the cabin, but only on a fare that includes the full-size bag. On 11 it is too big for the cabin altogether.
| Airline | Biggest free bag | This bag |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | — | paid fare only |
| Air Canada | 55 × 40 × 23 cm | flies free |
| Air France | 55 × 35 × 25 cm | too big |
| airBaltic | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| American Airlines | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | too big |
| Austrian Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| British Airways | 56 × 45 × 25 cm | flies free |
| Delta | 56 × 35 × 23 cm | too big |
| easyJet | 45 × 36 × 20 cm | paid fare only |
| Emirates | 55 × 38 × 22 cm | too big |
| Etihad | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | too big |
| Finnair | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| Iberia | 56 × 40 × 25 cm | flies free |
| Jet2 | 56 × 45 × 25 cm | flies free |
| KLM | 55 × 35 × 25 cm | too big |
| Lufthansa | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| Norwegian | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | paid fare only |
| Qantas | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | too big |
| Qatar Airways | 50 × 37 × 25 cm | too big |
| Ryanair | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | paid fare only |
| SAS | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| SWISS | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | paid fare only |
| TAP Air Portugal | 55 × 40 × 25 cm | flies free |
| TUI Airways | 55 × 40 × 20 cm | flies free |
| Turkish Airlines | 55 × 40 × 23 cm | flies free |
| United | 56 × 35 × 23 cm | too big |
| Virgin Atlantic | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | too big |
| Vueling | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | paid fare only |
| WestJet | 41 × 33 × 15 cm | too big |
| Wizz Air | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | paid fare only |
Sizes are compared longest-side-first, so a bag counts as fitting if it fits in any orientation — the same way an airport sizer works. Weight is a separate limit and is not considered here; the airline pages carry it.
On 7 of the 30 airlines compared here it flies free. On 12 it fits the cabin but needs a fare that includes the full-size bag. On 11 it is too big for the cabin.
Only if the bag genuinely cannot be turned. These comparisons sort both the bag and the airline limit longest-side-first, which is how an airport sizer works — a case that is 55 deep and 20 wide is measured the same as one 20 deep and 55 wide.
Usually yes. Most airlines state their limit includes wheels and handles, which is why a case advertised as fitting a limit exactly often does not. Buy under the limit, not at it.
Allowances read 19 August 2026 from each airline's own baggage pages. Airlines change these with little notice.
Allowances read 19 August 2026 from each airline's own baggage pages. Rules change with little notice — the airline's page is the authority on the day you fly.