EU Hand Luggage Rules 2027: What Changes

Short answer: From 2027, every air passenger in the EU should be allowed two items at no extra cost: a small personal item up to 40x30x15 cm and a piece of hand luggage up to 100 cm total and 7 kg. The rule is not in force yet. Final adoption is expected at the end of 2026, with the rule taking effect in 2027. Until then, Ryanair, Wizz and others keep charging for the larger trolley.

You are standing at the Ryanair gate in Milan. The person ahead of you wedges a small trolley into the metal sizing frame next to the desk. It does not quite fit, a few centimeters short. The agent shrugs. 60 euros, on the spot, or you do not board. This exact scene plays out thousands of times a day at European airports. And it is the reason the EU is rewriting the rules.

If you are flying in from the US, you may not even know this exists. Back home, one piece of carry-on is included with most airlines. In Europe, budget carriers turned it into a business model of its own. The flight costs 19 euros, the cabin bag another 25 to 60. That is set to change. Here is what is planned, when it applies and what it means for your next trip.

What exactly changes with the dimensions?

The heart of the new rule: every passenger gets the right to two cabin items at no extra charge.

First, a personal item, meaning a handbag, a small backpack or a laptop bag, with a maximum of 40 x 30 x 15 cm. That is the small bag that slides under the seat in front of you.

Second, a real piece of hand luggage with a maximum of 100 cm total (length plus width plus height combined) and up to 7 kg. That is the classic cabin trolley that goes in the overhead bin.

The key point: for that second item, as long as it stays within the dimensions, no airline may charge extra anymore. That bans the budget carriers’ current model, where you pay for any trolley larger than a small bag.

When does this apply? The status, honestly

Accuracy matters here, because a lot of confusion floats around online. The rule is not law yet.

What happened: as part of the air passenger rights reform, the European Parliament adopted its position. The MEPs want the free baggage allowances written firmly into the regulation. That is an important step, but only one of several.

What is still missing: final approval by the Council, meaning the EU member states. Only then does the regulation become binding. On the current timeline, final adoption is expected at the end of 2026, and the rule is set to take effect in 2027. If you want to check the official source, the EU Parliament laid out the planned strengthening of passenger rights in a press release.

Until then, nothing is binding. So you should not assume the 2027 rule when booking in 2026.

What does this mean for my trip in 2026?

In practice: when you book today, you still have to pay attention. Budget carriers keep charging for the larger hand luggage until the rule arrives. A small under-seat bag is usually free, the trolley for the overhead bin costs extra.

There is some movement before the law, though. The airline group Airlines for Europe (A4E), which includes Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Ryanair, easyJet and the IAG group, has already agreed to standardize the free personal item at exactly 40 x 30 x 15 cm. That rollout has been running since 2025, voluntarily and ahead of the legal requirement.

So in 2026 the small personal item at standard size is free with more and more airlines, while the larger trolley still costs. If you want to save money, the question is the same as ever: is the under-seat bag enough, or do you need the trolley? How much actually fits and when the paid trolley is worth it, our comparison of carry-on vs. checked luggage breaks down.

What does this mean for US travelers in Europe?

If you come from the US, Europe often delivers a checkout-line culture shock. On an intra-European Ryanair, Wizz or Vueling flight, the cabin trolley is currently not included. That surprises many, because they are used to a piece of hand luggage as a given. The result is exactly those nasty gate surprises: a bargain fare that suddenly doubles once the baggage fee lands. From 2027, that ends, and US travelers too get the free hand luggage item, within the dimensions, on every EU flight.

Until then, the most important tip for Europe trips: read carefully what your fare includes when booking. The base fare almost never covers the large trolley. Traveling with just one bag is often the better play, as our guide to carry-on only travel shows.

How to pack smart until 2027

While the old fee world still applies, a system saves you money. These points help right away:

Actually measure your bag, especially the depth including wheels and handles. The sizing frame at the gate is merciless.
Add the larger hand luggage online, not at the airport. At the gate it is almost always the most expensive.
Stay under 40 x 30 x 15 cm if you want to fly for free. A well-packed under-seat bag often covers a short trip.
Weigh it at home if you are heading toward 7 kg. The scale at the desk is the one that counts.
Use a packing system that saves volume. Our carry-on packing system shows how.

What changes from 2027

Once the rule is in force, the logic flips:

Two bags free: a personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm plus a piece of hand luggage up to 100 cm and 7 kg.
No surcharge for a normal piece of hand luggage within these dimensions, not even with a budget airline.
More price clarity: the displayed fare again includes what most people understand as hand luggage.

The legal background is not new. A European Court of Justice ruling from 2014 (the Vueling case) already held that hand luggage of a reasonable size is an essential part of carriage and may not be charged separately. The new regulation finally puts that into fixed dimensions.

One concrete example with numbers

Let us run the math. You book a Ryanair flight from Berlin to Milan for 24 euros. The base fare includes only the small personal item. If you want the cabin trolley, you often pay 20 to 30 euros per leg online, and easily 60 euros at the gate. Round trip with the trolley, you quickly land at 24 plus 50 euros, more than double the flight. From 2027, that same trolley within the 100 cm limit would be free.

One more point for context: in November 2024, Spain fined five budget airlines 179 million euros, judging their hand luggage fees abusive (Ryanair alone 107.7 million). In October 2025, however, the European Commission deemed that fine to breach EU law, because it interferes with the airlines’ pricing freedom. That tension shows why a single EU-wide rule is needed at all. It creates clarity where national solo runs stand on shaky legal ground.

Planning a Europe trip and want to compare your options before fees pile on? With Zercy you see flights and hotels at live prices and save the best options in your Zercy Logbook, so you have everything handy when you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the new EU hand luggage rules take effect?

The rules are set to take effect in 2027. The EU Parliament adopted its position, and final adoption by the Council is expected at the end of 2026. Until then the rule is not binding, and budget airlines may keep charging for the larger hand luggage.

How big can the free hand luggage be from 2027?

Two items are planned: a personal item up to a maximum of 40 x 30 x 15 cm, plus a piece of hand luggage up to 100 cm total (length plus width plus height) and up to 7 kg. Both should be allowed at no extra cost, even on budget airlines.

What does hand luggage cost with Ryanair right now?

Until the new rule, budget airlines keep charging for the larger cabin trolley. Depending on the route and timing, you often pay 20 to 30 euros online, and sometimes 60 euros at the gate per leg. The small under-seat bag is usually free.

Why is hand luggage often paid in Europe?

European budget carriers turned baggage into their own revenue stream, pairing low fares with add-on fees. A 2014 ECJ ruling did classify hand luggage of reasonable size as part of carriage, but until now there was no single EU dimension standard.

The New EU Hand Luggage Rules 2027: What Changes