Look, i’ve been flying with Ryanair for like… what, 10 years? And every single time I stand at that gate, I get that stupid “baggage anxiety”. You know the one. You’re looking at the blue metal sizer box and then at your backpack, thinking “yeah, that’s not gonna fit”.
But here is the thing – it almost always fits if you know the tricks. Ryanair wants you to be scared so you pay the €30 extra. Don’t do it. 2026 is gonna be the year we stop giving them extra cash for no reason.
That 40x20x25cm thing… is it for real?
Ryanair says your bag must be 40x20x25. But if you actually measure the sizer at the airport (yeah, I actually did that once), it’s usually a centimeter or two bigger.
The big mistake people make: Buying those “hard shell” cabin bags. Guys, stop. If it’s plastic and it’s 1cm too wide, you’re dead. You’re paying the fee. Always go for a soft backpack. You can literally sit on a backpack to make it fit into the sizer. You can’t sit on a suitcase without breaking your laptop.
Priority boarding? More like Priority paying.
I used to always buy Priority. I thought “hey, I need my 10kg suitcase”. But lately, Ryanair’s been so strict that even if you have Priority, they might make you put the bag in the hold anyway if the flight is full.
If you’re just going away for a weekend, do you really need 10 kilos of stuff? Probably not. I managed to fit a whole wedding suit and shoes into a “free” under-seat bag last month. It looked like a mess when I took it out, but hey, I saved enough money for three rounds of drinks in Prague.
A few “illegal” hacks (not really, but they feel like it)
Okay, these are the tips your mom wouldn’t like, but they work:
- The Jacket Trick: Wear your heaviest coat. Then, stuff the pockets with socks, chargers, and even underwear. It sounds crazy but the gate agents never check your pockets.
- The Pillow Case: This is the best one yet. Take a travel pillow, unzip it, throw away the foam, and stuff it with t-shirts. Technically, it’s a pillow. In reality? It’s another 2kg of luggage Ryanair doesn’t know about.
- Duty free bags: Sometimes I buy a tiny bottle of water just to get a duty free bag. Then I put my extra stuff in there. They rarely check the contents of a shopping bag.
What to do if they catch you?
If the agent says “sir, your bag is too big”, dont just give them your card. Try to take out your thickest sweater and put it on. Right there. In front of everyone. Usually, they just want the bag to fit. Once you put the sweater on, the bag magically shrinks.
Wrapping it up
Flying low cost in 2026 is basically a sport. You just gotta be smarter than the system. Measure your bag at home, use a soft backpack, and maybe wear two pairs of jeans if you have to.
Anyway, whats your worst airport story? Let me know in the comments. I bet someone here has paid more for a bag than the actual seat… lol.
