Cabin-Size Rolltop Backpack for Wizz Air and Ryanair: What Fits for Free in 2027

The biggest question on a budget flight isn't where you're going. It's what fits in the one bag you're allowed to take for free. Both Wizz Air and Ryanair include only a small under-seat bag in their cheapest fares, and it gets checked in a sizer at the gate. If it doesn't fit, you pay. Here are the 2027 size limits, and why a cabin-size but expandable rolltop backpack works so well for this kind of travel.

How big can your free hand luggage be in 2027?

Europe's two biggest low-cost airlines allow almost the same size for free. The differences are in the details, so it's worth knowing them before you start packing.

Wheels, handles and outer pockets all count towards the size. Ryanair increased its free bag to 40 × 30 × 20 cm in summer 2025, so today Wizz Air and Ryanair share the same limit. Most airports have a sizer at the gate. If your bag doesn't fit, you pay at the gate, which costs much more than adding a larger bag in advance.

Which H.ELIX rolltop backpack fits which allowance?

Before the numbers, one important detail: the nominal depth of our rolltop backpacks (10 and 12 cm) is the distance between the bottom corners, in other words the base of the empty bag. Once packed, the body fills out and gets much deeper: 14–16 cm for the M, 18–20 cm for the L. That's good news, because the 20 cm depth limit doesn't go to waste the way it does with a flat, rigid bag.

Our Modern, Vintage and Jet models all come in these same sizes, so the numbers above apply to every one of them.

The M is the safe choice. It's 40 cm tall, 28 cm wide and 14–16 cm deep when packed, so it fits comfortably into the 40 × 30 × 20 cm free allowance on Wizz Air and Ryanair, and it takes a modern 15″ laptop.

We happily recommend the L as hand luggage too, even though it's nominally larger. The 45 cm height includes the rolled-down top. If you pack the upper part loosely, you can roll the top further down and bring the bag under 40 cm. Being soft, it also gives at the sides to fit the frame, and at 18–20 cm deep when packed it uses almost the full 20 cm depth. You won't be carrying the full 25 litres this way, but it still holds more than most free hand luggage, and it takes a laptop up to 17″. If you buy Priority, it fits the 55 × 40 × 20 cm cabin bag allowance easily.

Cabin-size but expandable: why a rolltop backpack?

A fixed zip bag is always the same size. When it's full, nothing more goes in, and when it's half empty it still takes up the same space. A rolltop's top is open, and you decide how many times to roll it. That's what makes it cabin-size and expandable at the same time.

Compact on the way, roomier when you need it

At the airport you roll it down tight, so the bag is smaller and flatter and slides easily into the sizer and under the seat. Once you've landed and bought something, or just want to stash your jacket, you roll the top looser and gain a few litres. The M adjusts between 15 and 18 litres, the L between 22 and 25.

Soft, so it fits the sizer more easily

A hard-shell mini suitcase has no give: one centimetre too big and it won't go in. A soft backpack can be compressed, and its contents settle. With a rolltop you can even add one last roll before you join the queue.

Fits nicely under the seat

Your free bag has to go under the seat in front of you and stay there for the whole flight. A soft backpack adapts to the shape of the space, so it takes far less legroom than a boxy mini suitcase.

How to pack a rolltop backpack so it fits the sizer

1. Start with heavy, flat things. The laptop goes into the laptop pocket against your back, rolled clothes next to it, shoes in a bag at the bottom.
2. Roll your clothes, don't fold them. A rolled T-shirt takes less space and fills the gaps.
3. Leave a hand's width of free fabric at the top. You need it to roll the top down properly at least two or three times.
4. Squeeze out the air and roll it tight. Clip it closed and tighten the straps so the bag stays flat.
5. Test it at home. Measure it with a tape, or put it in a 40 × 30 × 20 cm box. If it fits at home, it'll fit at the gate.

Faster through security too

At many airports you still have to take your laptop out. On H.ELIX backpacks the laptop pocket sits against your back and the closure is a quick-release carabiner, so it's out in seconds and back in just as fast. Keep your liquids bag and documents at the top or in the outer pocket so you don't have to unpack everything.

What fits in a rolltop backpack for a 3–4 day trip?

For a long spring or summer weekend, this fits comfortably in a size M rolltop backpack:

• 3–4 T-shirts or tops, rolled
• one pair of trousers besides the ones you're wearing
• underwear and socks
• a light jumper or rain jacket
• toiletry bag, with liquids in a clear bag
• 15″ laptop or tablet, with chargers
• a book, headphones, a power bank

For a longer trip, or a winter one with thicker jumpers, choose the L: with a loosely packed top it still counts as free hand luggage. Wear your thick coat and a second pair of shoes. Travelling without a laptop leaves room for a lot more clothes.

After landing: the same bag in the city

A cabin trolley is fine as far as the airport, but after that it's a burden: you drag it over Lisbon's cobblestones, haul it up Rome's steps, and have nowhere to put it in a café. A cabin-size rolltop backpack turns into your daypack once you've dropped your things off. Roll the top tighter and you're wearing a slim city backpack.

• Against the rain: the rolled top keeps rain out at the opening, and the Sauleda Masacril® and Sanwil Soft Marine® fabrics were developed for boats and outdoor use. The bag has a waterproof lining, but we can't take responsibility for full waterproofness.
• Against pickpockets: rolled and clipped, the main compartment is closed, so it's hard for a stranger's hand to get in on a crowded metro or market.
• For your back: the weight stays close to your body, so it's comfortable even after a full day of walking.

What does the new EU rule mean for hand luggage?

In September 2026 the EU adopted an amendment to its air passenger rights regulation (Regulation (EU) 2026/2202). It states that every passenger is entitled to a free personal item, provided it measures no more than 40 × 30 × 15 cm or fits under the seat in front. The final text doesn't make a larger cabin bag free, so Priority stays a paid extra. Wizz Air's and Ryanair's free allowance (40 × 30 × 20 cm) is already bigger than this.

If you fly with an airline that only allows this smaller 40 × 30 × 15 cm size for free (such as the Lufthansa Group's cheapest Economy Basic fare), the 15 cm depth is the tight spot. The H.ELIX backpack in size M is 14–16 cm deep when packed, so as long as you don't fill it to the brim, it fits that frame too.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the size M H.ELIX rolltop backpack on Wizz Air for free?

Yes. The M is 40 cm tall, 28 cm wide and 14–16 cm deep when packed, which fits comfortably into Wizz Air's 40 × 30 × 20 cm free allowance. Wizz Air's weight limit is 10 kg.

And on Ryanair?

Yes. Ryanair's free small bag can also be up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm and must fit under the seat. The M fits this too. Ryanair enforces its sizers strictly, so it's worth measuring at home.

Can the size L rolltop backpack go as free hand luggage?

Yes, if you pack the upper part loosely. The nominal 45 cm height includes the rolled-down top, so when the top isn't stuffed you can roll it further down and bring the bag under 40 cm. It's soft, so its width gives to fit the frame too, and at 18–20 cm deep when packed it makes use of the 20 cm depth. It's worth trying at home before you travel. With Priority, it fits the 55 × 40 × 20 cm (Ryanair) or 55 × 40 × 23 cm (Wizz Air) cabin bag allowance.

Does weight matter?

On Wizz Air the free bag can weigh up to 10 kg. Ryanair doesn't specify a weight for the small bag, but you still need to lift it and put it under the seat. On both airlines, size is enforced more strictly than weight.

What if I reach the gate with the top loosely rolled and expanded?

Then the bag is taller than its nominal size and may not fit the sizer. Before you queue, roll it tight, squeeze out the air and tighten the straps.

Does a laptop fit?

The M takes a modern 15″ laptop and the L up to 17″, in the laptop pocket against your back. The pocket stops short of the bottom of the bag, so when you put the bag down, your laptop doesn't touch the ground.

The bottom line

If you fly Wizz Air or Ryanair with just a free bag, the right cabin-size rolltop backpack is small but not stingy. The H.ELIX rolltop in size M fits the 40 × 30 × 20 cm sizer with ease, the L does too with a loosely packed top, and both make use of the 20 cm depth when packed. They expand when you need more room on the way, and stay great city bags after landing. For how a rolltop works day to day, see our guide to rolltop backpacks, and our buying guide will help you choose. Our backpacks come with a lifetime warranty, so there are plenty of trips ahead of them.

See our backpacks