Top 6 compared
The best cabin bags
A weekend’s packing in the free bag that fits under the seat, with no fee to pay at the gate.
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The top 6 at a glance
A cabin bag, in budget-airline terms, is the small bag every passenger takes on free, which has to fit under the seat in front, and the size depends on the airline: easyJet’s is 45 x 36 x 20cm, while Ryanair’s grew from 40 x 20 x 25cm to 40 x 30 x 20cm in 2025, and Wizz Air’s matches it. The bags here are backpacks, cut to the Ryanair and Wizz Air size or to easyJet’s bigger one.
Each bag here is made to one of those sizes, so measure it packed, pockets and all: a bulging front pocket can take it over the line. Airlines change these rules, so the airline’s own website has the current size, and no bag is guaranteed a place in the cabin. For cases that go in the hold, see our suitcases list.
What matters
- Opens out flat like a suitcase, for packing and the security tray.
- A padded laptop sleeve, checked against your laptop’s size.
- A trolley strap, so it rides on a wheeled case.
#1Lossga Cabin Backpack (40 x 30 x 20cm)
£10–£20
Cut to Ryanair’s and Wizz Air’s 40 x 30 x 20cm free bag, which also sits inside easyJet’s, it holds 24 litres and opens out to 180 degrees for packing, with a 14in laptop compartment, a wet bag and a hidden anti-theft pocket.
What owners say: Owners say it slides under the seat on Ryanair, takes about three days’ worth of things and stays comfortable on its wide padded straps.
A closer look: Lossga allows 2 to 3cm either way in its measurements, so check it against the airline’s sizer, or a tape measure, once it’s packed. The chest strap steadies it on a long walk to the gate, and the trolley strap lets it ride on a wheeled case when you’re taking both.
- Wet bag included
- Hidden anti-theft pocket
- Chest strap
Best for: Ryanair’s, Wizz Air’s and easyJet’s free bag
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 20cm
- Capacity
- 24L
- Weight
- 0.66kg
- Sized for
- Ryanair
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Up to 14in
- Opens flat
- Yes
- Trolley strap
- Yes
#2Xkdoai Cabin Backpack (45 x 36 x 20cm)
£10–£20
Built to easyJet’s bigger free bag, 45 x 36 x 20cm, it takes 32 litres and opens like a suitcase, and it comes with a clear toiletry bag for the security tray, a 15.6in laptop compartment and a separate wet pocket.
What owners say: Owners are surprised by how much goes in, and say it slips under the seat in front on easyJet.
Heads up: It’s sized for easyJet: Ryanair’s and Wizz Air’s free bag is 40 x 30 x 20cm, so on their flights it would count as a larger cabin bag.
A closer look: Straps on the sides pull it in when it isn’t full, which helps it stay inside the 45 x 36 x 20cm limit. A cable port on the side lets a phone charge from a power bank packed inside, and the hidden back pocket keeps a passport against your back.
- Clear toiletry bag included
- Side compression straps
- Charging cable port
- Hidden back pocket
- Separate wet pocket
Best for: Longer trips, flying easyJet
- Size
- 45 x 36 x 20cm
- Capacity
- 32L
- Weight
- 0.77kg
- Sized for
- easyJet
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Up to 15.6in
- Opens flat
- Yes
- Trolley strap
- Yes
#3ENZOSUM Cabin Backpack (45 x 36 x 20cm)
£10–£20
Another bag made to easyJet’s 45 x 36 x 20cm, this one with padded grab handles on the top and the side, a padded 15.6in laptop compartment against a ventilated back, and straps inside to hold clothes in place.
What owners say: Owners say it fits under the seat in front on easyJet, and they like the strong zips and the number of pockets; one packed 7.5kg into it.
Heads up: Like the Xkdoai, it’s easyJet’s size, bigger than Ryanair’s and Wizz Air’s free bag.
A closer look: The side handle makes it easy to pull out from under a seat or carry like a holdall. At 0.96kg it’s one of the heavier bags here, though still under a kilo, and the maker measures it packed, so don’t let the front pocket bulge past the limit.
- Top and side grab handles
- Ventilated back panel
- Straps hold clothes in place
Best for: easyJet, with a laptop to carry
- Size
- 45 x 36 x 20cm
- Capacity
- 30L
- Weight
- 0.96kg
- Sized for
- easyJet
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Up to 15.6in
- Opens flat
- Yes
- Trolley strap
- Yes
#4Cabin Max Manhattan 20L Underseat Backpack (40 x 20 x 25cm)
£10–£20
From Cabin Max, a UK maker of bags built round budget airlines’ size rules: a 20-litre backpack in Ryanair’s old 40 x 20 x 25cm size, small enough for every free allowance here, with compression straps, a bottle holder, a hidden passport pocket and a padded device pocket at the back.
What owners say: Owners find it fits under the seat on Ryanair and easyJet and packs a lot into a small space, with a netted section that keeps loose things together.
A closer look: At 0.5kg it’s one of the lightest bags here and the smallest, which suits a night or two away or an airline with a tighter limit. Pull the compression straps tight once it’s packed so it keeps a neat shape under the seat, and slide the rear strap over a suitcase handle in the terminal.
- Compression straps
- Bottle holder
- Hidden passport pocket
Best for: The smallest free-bag sizes
- Size
- 40 x 20 x 25cm
- Capacity
- 20L
- Weight
- 0.5kg
- Sized for
- Ryanair (old size)
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Device pocket
- Opens flat
- Clamshell
- Trolley strap
- Yes
#5Taygeer Cabin Backpack (40 x 30 x 20cm)
£10–£20
Made to Ryanair’s newer 40 x 30 x 20cm free-bag size, it opens out flat like a suitcase and adds a laptop sleeve, a separate shoe pouch and a water-resistant pocket for a damp towel.
What owners say: Owners like the padded straps and the number of pockets, and one managed fourteen holiday outfits for a four-year-old.
A closer look: Shoes go in their own pouch, away from clothes, and the wet pocket takes a swimming costume on the way home. The main section opens right out, which makes the security tray quicker when the laptop has to come out. It uses the full 40 x 30 x 20cm, so measure it packed before you fly.
- Wet pocket for damp towels
Best for: Keeping shoes apart from clothes
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 20cm
- Capacity
- 24L
- Weight
- 0.74kg
- Sized for
- Ryanair
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Laptop
- Opens flat
- Yes
- Trolley strap
- Yes
#6MATEIN Cabin Backpack (40 x 30 x 20cm)
£10–£20
A 40 x 30 x 20cm backpack with room for a 15.6in laptop, a water-resistant wet pocket, a hole for a charging cable and a luggage strap, opening to 180 degrees for the security check.
What owners say: Owners find a week’s worth of things fits, and say it’s comfortable to wear, sturdy and light.
A closer look: Straps in the main compartment hold two or three days of clothes flat, and the wet pocket keeps a wash bag or damp towel away from everything else. Once you’re home it works as an everyday laptop backpack, with a side pocket for a water bottle.
- Water-resistant wet pocket
- Charging cable port
- Straps hold clothes flat
- Side bottle pocket
- Doubles as a laptop backpack
Best for: A big laptop at Ryanair size
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 20cm
- Capacity
- 24L
- Weight
- –
- Sized for
- Ryanair
- Laptop or tablet sleeve
- Up to 15.6in
- Opens flat
- Yes
- Trolley strap
- Yes
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1Lossga 40 x 30 x 20 | #2Xkdoai 45 x 36 x 20 | #3ENZOSUM 45 x 36 x 20 | #4Cabin Max Manhattan 20L | #5Taygeer 40 x 30 x 20 | #6MATEIN 40 x 30 x 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Most space | Best compact | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.2 |
| Price | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £10–£20 |
| Size | 40 x 30 x 20cm | 45 x 36 x 20cm | 45 x 36 x 20cm | 40 x 20 x 25cm | 40 x 30 x 20cm | 40 x 30 x 20cm |
| Capacity | 24L | 32L | 30L | 20L | 24L | 24L |
| Weight | 0.66kg | 0.77kg | 0.96kg | 0.5kg | 0.74kg | – |
| Sized for | Ryanair | easyJet | easyJet | Ryanair (old size) | Ryanair | Ryanair |
| Laptop or tablet sleeve | Up to 14in | Up to 15.6in | Up to 15.6in | Device pocket | Laptop | Up to 15.6in |
| Opens flat | Yes | Yes | Yes | Clamshell | Yes | Yes |
| Trolley strap | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Ryanair’s, Wizz Air’s and easyJet’s free bag | Longer trips, flying easyJet | easyJet, with a laptop to carry | The smallest free-bag sizes | Keeping shoes apart from clothes | A big laptop at Ryanair size |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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