Whether you’re heading off for a long weekend in Prague or a beach holiday in Palma, making sure your cabin bag meets your airline’s rules is an essential part of trip planning. If you’re flying with Wizz Air, here’s what you need to know about its hand luggage allowance before you head to the airport.
Over the past few years, airlines have tightened their carry-on policies, owing to overcrowded overhead lockers, safety concerns for cabin crew and slower boarding times. Budget airlines in particular have become stricter about bag sizes. Ryanair remains one of the toughest – it allows just one small bag measuring 40cm x 30cm x 20cm – while full-service carriers such as British Airways are far more generous, typically permitting both a cabin suitcase and a smaller personal item.
Wizz Air falls firmly into the low-cost camp, with a smaller free allowance than many traditional airlines. Unless you pay for extras, you’ll only be able to bring a compact bag on board. If your luggage is oversized or you arrive at the gate with an extra bag that hasn’t been booked in advance, you could face a hefty fee before boarding.
It’s an easy mistake to make – especially when you’re trying to keep holiday costs down – but getting caught out at the gate can quickly eat into your travel budget. Planning can save both time and money. For travellers who struggle to pack light, upgrading your ticket with Wizz Air’s priority boarding option is often the simplest solution, as it allows you to bring a larger cabin bag in addition to your small personal item. As with most airlines, it’s cheaper to add this online than sort it out at the airport.
When it comes to choosing luggage, compact backpacks and soft holdalls tend to work best for the free allowance, with many brands now designing bags specifically to fit within airline size limits. Affordable options from retailers such as Amazon have even gone viral for squeezing in an impressive amount into a surprisingly small footprint.
Read more: EasyJet, Ryanair, Jet 2 and TUI’s hand luggage rules
Frequent flyers know that the right cabin bag can make a huge difference to how smoothly a trip begins. Before your next flight, it’s worth double-checking the dimensions to avoid any last-minute surprises. Here’s everything you need to know about Wizz Air’s hand luggage allowance.
What is Wizz Air’s hand luggage allowance?
Wizz Air allows every passenger one free personal item on board, such as a small backpack, handbag or laptop bag. This must measure no more than 40cm x 30cm x 20cm (including handles and wheels) and must fit under the seat in front of you.
If you purchase Wizz Priority, you can also bring an additional large cabin bag measuring up to 55cm x 40cm x 23cm, which can be stored in the overhead locker. As with most low-cost airlines, bags that exceed the size limit or extra items that haven’t been pre-booked may incur a charge at the gate, so it pays to double check your luggage before you travel.
Cabin Max equator X 20l under-seat cabin bag
Dimensions: 40cm x 20cm x 25cm
“Considering the price, I can’t help but be impressed by this backpack,” travel expert Alessia Armenise said in her guide to the best carry-on luggage. “It fits under plane seats and complies with the stricter airline allowances, including easyJet’s free small bag dimensions and Wizz Air’s free bag dimensions,” she noted. “It’s also extremely light and features plenty of pockets.”
Featuring a padded laptop sleeve and a hidden pocket for storing passports and phones at the back, you’ll find two compartments, complete with compression belts inside. “It fits plenty for its size,” she added. “The quality is far from that on offer from the likes of Aer or Briggs & Riley, so it may not last for years, and might not hold up for frequent fliers.” But if you need a reliable bag for a city break, Alessia says the Cabin Max bag is an excellent product at an incredible price point.
Buy now £29.95, Amazon.co.uk
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