European Airlines: Which TOM BIHN Bags Fit the Carry-On Sizer?

In our previous blog about domestic airline carry-on policies, we received a lot of questions about international restrictions — which bags fall under those limits and how to pack like a seasoned pro. So, in this edition of “All Things Carry-On,” we’re going international, more specifically, Europe!

European regional travel operates on a slightly different philosophy. Flights are often shorter, aircraft are often smaller, and the overhead bin space is a rationed resource. Carry-on enforcement can feel more consistent and sometimes stricter than what many travelers are used to domestically.  

And unlike in the U.S., where rules tend to cluster around similar dimensions, you may notice that many European airlines divide baggage allowances by fare class, route, or even boarding group. The bag that sailed through boarding on your transatlantic flight may suddenly find itself under scrutiny on a 90-minute hop between Paris and Marseille. For simplicity, in this guide, we are going to focus on economy carry-on restrictions only. To see if your bag makes the cut for any other class or boarding group, we recommend going to your airline's website (don’t worry, we’ll link them here for you).

So, we’ve done our homework and rounded up the dimensions of all our most popular travel bags and most popular European airlines to hopefully shed some light on carry-on policies — which TOM BIHN bags make the cut, and give you some packing tips to ensure your bag fits. 

The Lufthansa Group and IAG

Major European airline families like the Lufthansa Group — which includes Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings — and International Airlines Group (IAG) carriers such as British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus generally publish carry-on limits very similar to U.S. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) standards.

Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines:

• Carry-on limit: 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21 x 15 x 9 in) including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 8kg (about 17 pounds).

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 15 cm (16 x 12 x 6 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

Eurowings: 

• Carry-on limit: 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21 x 15 x 9 in) including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 8kg (about 17 pounds).

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 23 cm (16 x 12 x 9 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

British Airways:

• Carry-on limit: 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10 in) – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: N/A.

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 15 cm (16 x 12 x 6 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

Iberia:

• Carry-on limit: 56 x 40 x 25 cm (22 x 15.7 x 10 in) – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 10 kg (22 pounds).

• Personal item limit: 30 x 40 x 15 cm (12 x 16 x 6 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

Aer Lingus:

• Carry-on limit: 55 x 40 x 24 (21.5 x 15.5 x 9.5 in) – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 10 kg (22 pounds).

• Personal item limit: 30 x 40 x 15 cm (12 x 15 x 6 in)

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

* Aer Lingus regional flight carry-on limits are: 48 x 33 x 20 (18.5 x 13 x 8 in).

Air France and Turkish Airlines

Air France:

• Carry-on limit: 55 x 35 x 25 cm (21.7 x 13.8 x 9.9 in). – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 12 kg (26.4 lb).

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 15 cm (16 x 12 x 6 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

Turkish Airlines:

• Carry-on limit: 23 x 40 x 55 cm (9 x 15 x 21 in). – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 12 kg (26.4 lb).

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 15 cm (16 x 12 x 6 in).

• Personal item weight limit: 4 kg (8.8 lb).

Ryanair

And then there’s Ryanair — arguably the airline most responsible for Europe’s reputation for strict baggage enforcement.

Ryanair’s model is simple: The base fare includes one small personal item only, sized to fit under the seat in front of you. In order to bring a carry-on, you will need to pay additional fees.

• Carry-on limit: 55 x 40 x 20 cm (21 x 15 x 7.8 in). – including wheels and handles.

• Carry-on weight limit: 10 kg (22 pounds).

• Personal item limit: 40 x 30 x 20 cm (16 x 12 x 7.8 in).

• Personal item weight limit: N/A.

On paper, this looks reassuringly familiar to U.S. domestic flyers. In practice, however, enforcement can vary depending on the size of the aircraft and how full the flight is. Regional jets and narrow-body aircraft used for intra-European routes often have noticeably smaller overhead bins, meaning gate agents may check bags earlier in the boarding process, even if your bag is compliant with the sizer restrictions.

The good news: soft-sided travel bags have a major advantage. A bag that can compress slightly is far more likely to clear the sizer than rigid luggage built exactly to maximum dimensions. 

Many TOM BIHN bags that work perfectly on U.S. carriers still perform exceptionally well across Europe — but packing strategy becomes more important than ever.

Carry-on Safe Travel Bags

• Aeronaut 45

• Aeronaut 30

• Techonaut 45

• Techonaut 30

• Night Flight Travel Duffel

• Old School Carry All

• Trinity

• Tri-Star

• Western Flyer

• Small Yeoman Duffel

• Pilot

• Co-Pilot

• Cadet

• Founder’s Briefcase

• Parental Unit

• Daylight Briefcase

Carry-on Safe Backpacks

• Synik 30

• Synik 26

• Synik 22

• Synapse 25

• Synapse 19

• Smart Alec 2.0

• Bixi

• Brain Bag

• Paradigm

• Paragon 2.0

• Shadow Guide 23

Upper Limit Carry-ons:

A little over the published limit for some airlines, but it can work if you pack smart.

• Medium Yeoman Duffel: 22.8” (w) x 9.4” (h) x 13.8” (d)

Personal item Safe:

• Synik 22

• Medium Cafe Bag

• Small Cafe Bag

• Pilot

• Co-Pilot

• Nomad 16

• Nomad 11

• Swift

• Little Swift

Upper Limit Personal Items:

A little over the limit for some airlines, but it can work if you pack smart.

• Synik 30: 20.0” (h) x 13.4” (w) x 8.0-10.8” (d)

• Synik 26: 18.0” x (h) x 13.2” (w) x 10.8” (d)

• Synapse 25: 20” (h) x 13.4” (w) x 9.1” (d)

• Synapse 19: 16” (h) x 11.4” (w) x 7.9” (d)

• Smart Alec 2.0: 15.7" (h) x 12.2" (w) x 9.4" (d)

• Marathon Messenger: 11” (h) x 15.5” (w) x 10.2” (d)

Packing Your Bag so it Fits the Sizer

You’ll notice that some personal item bags are a little taller or wider than the published — or even the actual sizer dimensions. That’s not necessarily a problem, and there’s no need to worry. First, gate agents aren’t sitting around with measuring tapes waiting to measure your bag, but rather they're looking for items that grossly exceed the dimensions (so don’t try to pass off your Aeronaut 45 as your personal item). Second, gate agents typically look to gate check rolling luggage first since those types of baggage are generally the most onerous to fit in the overhead bins. Finally, the soft sides of our bags make it easy to stuff them into the sizer, so you may be able to use a TOM BIHN bag that is technically too large to be a personal item (for example, members of our team and forum use the Synik 30 as a personal item when they fly, despite it being a few inches over the limit).

The trick, as always, is not to overpack. Those soft sides that let you cram your gear into awkward corners of overhead bins can also betray you — they expand if you fill them to the brim. A bag that fits perfectly at home can suddenly refuse to slip into the sizer if you pack like you’re preparing for a month-long adventure instead of a long weekend.

Packing smart often comes down to simple tricks. To avoid overstuffing your bag, you might try employing packing cubes and making sure that they are filled evenly to the edges, since extra volume in the middle of the bag often causes it to develop a barrel-like shape.  The slimmer your bag looks, the less likely you’ll be subjected to the sizer.

When you’re carrying a backpack, try to utilize as much of the vertical space as possible so that everything doesn’t migrate to the bottom (once again, the goal here is to reduce bulk). Some forum members have found success using their Side Effects as internal backpack pouches, which can then double as handy in-flight compartments using Swivel Double Carabiners.

New to TOM BIHN bags? Check our Forum for tips on packing smart while keeping your travel essentials close at hand. And of course, if you have questions about what fits in the Baggage Sizer — or in a specific bag — we’re just one email or phone call away!

Tell us: which regional airlines should we cover next? South America? Asia? Somewhere else entirely? A guide solely dedicated to budget airlines? Let us know in the comments below!